Well-Strung Engages GPAC with POPssicals
The singing quartet, Well-Strung, made their first southern stop at UNCP on Jan. 23 at the Givens Performing Arts Center. Edmund Bagnell, Chris Marchant, Daniel Shevlin and Trevor Wadleigh amused the audience with facts about classical music with a twist of comedy.
Bagnell was first violin, Marchant was second violin, Shevlin played the cello and Trevor Wadleigh played the viola. The band prides themselves on their unique style of what they call, “POPssicals,” a term they created to describe their music.
For example, the quartet will take a pop song and rearrange it to a classical accompaniment, thus producing a POPssical. One of POPssicals included “A Little Night Music (First Movement)” by Mozart with the group of four singing “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson. Other pop songs like “Creep” by Radiohead, “Landslide” by Stevie Nicks and “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga were also performed.
Many audience members were singing along with the familiar tunes, especially when pop songs were exchanged with popular Disney songs. The last song in the set was a mash-up of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and “Let it Go” from the popular movie, “Frozen,” with member Daniel playing the role of Elsa.
The concert was filled with fun and laughter, but one performer’s skill was not discounted by another’s. Each member showed how well they could handle a bow. However, performing with Well-Strung isn’t the only task keeping the members busy.
Wadleigh and Marchant spend time away from the band to be on CBS’s “The Amazing Race.” The band took time during the concert to promote the show and support their bandmates. The two members excitedly talked about how much fun they were having on the popular reality television show, and asked the audience to wish them well as they continue on with the race.
It would be hard to say the concert was anything but a hit with two standing ovations and an encore performance of “Do-Re-Mi,” a song sung by Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music.” The group stayed to talk to the audience and sell their CDs after the concert and there was nothing but smiling faces as concert goers made their way home.
The band sold 523 tickets for this performance. However, you can find more information on Well-Strung through their website, wellstrung.com and on their Youtube page, along with various other forms of social media.
