There is an incredibly interesting musical event coming to Paso Robles Wine Country. Great music paired with terrific wine..what could be better? We talked about it here and think it sounds pretty great! Check it out.
Matt: In the press release about you and the event at Kukkula, it says your mission when you left your professional careers in Europe was “to bring the classical music experience of the highest level into the familiar spaces of cafes, breweries, bookstores, and homes across the country in a way accessible to a wide audience.” What originally sparked this idea?
Steuart and Michelle: For many years Steuart has been focused on bringing innovative programs to his audiences, and often setting up your own concert is the easiest way to do this. After four years in the Netherlands, and almost constant travel for Steuart as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, he decided to give this focus his full attention for one year. He was also getting tired of the disconnect felt between himself and his audience as the halls got larger and his career got busier. Michelle and Steuart, also wanting to spend more time together, decided to create Music in Familiar Spaces to pursue their passion of bringing classical music to new audiences and spaces.
Matt: After that first spark, how long until you actually left to fulfill the idea?
Steuart and Michelle: We planned for over a year before moving from the Netherlands back to the US. Steuart still had many concerts booked for that year, and Michelle was working fulltime at an international court, so they had to do the planning and organizing in the evenings and weekends.
Matt: What has been the best part of this adventure thus far?
Steuart and Michelle: We feel grateful that we’ve accomplished what we set out to do, all the while being able to spend more time together and see the country. We’ve had so many special and meaningful conversations with audience members after the concerts and have been really touched by their reactions. We’ve also had the privilege of seeing some incredibly beautiful places – Palo Duro Canyon, the Badlands, the Redwoods, to name a few.
Matt: When did you start playing the cello?
Steuart and Michelle: I started playing cello when I was 6.
Matt: Of all the instruments in the world what drew you to the cello?
Steuart and Michelle: As a six-year-old, all I cared about was that it was more manly and bigger than my sister’s violin.
Matt: Do you have plans to continue this ‘Music in Familiar Spaces’ indefinitely?
Steuart and Michelle: One year on the road is enough for us! We’ll finish the tour at the end of October in the southwest. We plan to create a number of resources for fellow musicians based on what we’ve learned and the connections we’ve made this year. Stay tuned for details on that via our website.
Matt: What has the reaction been to this idea and the music so far?
Steuart and Michelle: The reaction has been beyond our expectations and hopes! We’ve been met by incredible enthusiasm, a real gratefulness for bringing this music into different communities, and an excitement for others to pursue a similar mission. One of our favorite audience reactions was in Springfield, Missouri when a rough-looking character came up to Steuart after the concert and said “if you’da asked me a week ago if I’da been here, and I’da told ya ‘hell no’! but here I am, and I love this stuff!”. It’s also been exciting to see venues realize that classical music can indeed draw a great crowd!
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