In this episode I sit down with Emily Edelstein, Molly Tucker, Camille Vogley-Howes, and Karl Henry from Quartet Davis, an exciting string quartet pushing the boundaries of classical, folk, jazz, and pop music. We discuss their debut album, “Three Lefts Make a Right” and go into their creative process and how they came together while studying at Oberlin College.
Throughout the interview, we play extended excerpts of the songs from “Three Lefts Make a Right” and delve into various topics, such as the challenges and triumphs of being young musicians, the democratic nature of the band, their exploration of free improvisation, and the importance of gendering in music. We also gain insights into their experiences at Oberlin College and modern conservatories, shedding light on the evolving landscape of musical education.
This podcast episode is made possible by our sponsor, Electric Violin Shop. Need guidance on electric strings, gear, or amplification? Visit electricviolinshop.com or call their knowledgeable team to get expert advice and answers to all your questions. Creative Strings is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission to positively transform music education through this podcast, providing, presenting, and curating stories about musicians at interesting intersections. We also offer free play-along videos on YouTube, yearly in-person retreats in the USA and Europe, and more. Visit creativestrings.org or email me at chris@christianhowes.com with questions.
Timecodes:
(0:00) Intro
(1:56) Welcome Quartet Davis
(2:49) La Sansonette
(5:13) Learning and performing differently
(6:58) Jealous Guy
(10:05) Bonding as a string quartet
(12:19) Being democratic as a band
(15:54) Working on Free Improvisation
(22:39) Hembrannarmarsch
(26:34) Without Spring
(29:48) Gendering in music
(36:26) RajRajRaj
(40:04) Playing written music vs by ear vs fully improvised
(56:57) Fear of asking for help
(60:22) Time After Time
(71:10) Oberlin College and Modern Conservatories
(78:41) Tremilly
