Project Trio: Three for three in three

Music | October 22nd, 2014

Photo by Philip Sharp

A long-awaited residency from a New York chamber trio is finally happening for area students in Fargo-Moorhead.

The passionately eclectic Project Trio, combining flute, cello and bass, comes to town this Friday through Monday, performing for three area student groups: Concordia College, Fargo Moorhead Area Youth Symphonies and Moorhead Public Schools’ string program.

Deb Harris, associate professor of flute at Concordia College, has been following Project Trio—particularly flutist Greg Pattillo of flute beatbox fame—for years. Her hopes of clinching the group for a weekend residency were satisfied with the concert and classes Project Trio is doing in its three-day visit.

“I talked with the different groups, and everyone was willing to pitch in some money,” Harris said of arranging the visit, “and actually we got an Arts Partnership grant … and we just all decided we wanted to do this so we kind of pooled our resources … It’s a really cool collaboration between the three entities in town.”

With Concordia being the driving force behind the visit, Project Trio will give multiple master classes throughout the day on Saturday at Concordia’s Hvidsten Hall of Music, with a concert performance at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium.

This will be followed on Sunday with a 4 p.m. concert in the same space with students of Fargo Moorhead Area Youth Symphonies.

“We have two youth symphonies in town, and they’ll be guests with them,” Harris said. “And then on Monday … they’ll be going into Moorhead Public Schools’ string program and be giving three concerts and performances in the schools.”

While the Moorhead school performances are not open to the general public, the performances at Concordia this weekend offer great rates for students and their families. Tickets range from $5 to $10 on Saturday, and $4 to $8 on Sunday.

This is all for a group that is no stranger to the eyes and ears of Americans. Pattillo gained YouTube glory with his flute beatbox video that has racked up over 24 million views, while double bassist Peter Seymour has played with essentially every symphony east of the Rocky Mountains.

Harris especially recommends coming out to see this trio perform, as from her personal experience, the group has no hesitation in interacting with audience members, providing education, insight and even autographs. Project Trio’s dynamism and appeal also heighten the concert experience.

“I was at their concert in Fergus Falls last year,” she said, “and the audiences members looked like they ranged from age 5 up to about 85. They appealed to everyone. Everyone in that place loved them.”

Now Fargo-Moorhead gets a chance to see the group’s stuff for itself. Students from across the area will work with and see up close and personal exactly what Project Trio is all about.

“I know they really love education and they love outreach,” Harris said. “I personally think that anybody who works with them or sees them, especially the students, it’s going to be life-changing for them, I really think that. They’re that dynamic.”

IF YOU GO

Project Trio
7:30 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday
Concordia College’s Memorial Auditorium
218-299-4366

IF YOU GO

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