HOW TO GO
What: International String Trio in concert
Where: Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton.
When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15 for members; $20 for non-members. A post-performance reception of beer, wine, and light hors d’oeuvres is included in the ticket price. The performance is part of the EntertainmentPlus! Concert series.
More info: www.fittoncenter.org or call (513) 863-8873, ext. 110. Also, visit www.internationalstringtrio.com
HAMILTON – The International String Trio will return to the Fitton Center stage Saturday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. Reserved tickets are $20 for non-members and $15 for Fitton Center members.
We connected with International String Trio founder, musical director and guitarist Slava Tolstoy in a recent phone interview to find out about what fans can expect from the concert.
“The group is made of up three pieces – a guitar, a bass and a violin. We all came to Boston from different parts of the world to study at the Berklee College of Music. That’s how we met. The connection was made at the school, and that’s how the project started,” said Tolstoy, who founded the group in the late 1990’s.
The group performs 100 to 150 concert dates per year. Taking audiences on a cultural musical journey, the group’s repertoire includes classical, jazz, popular and other world music styles, including Italian, French, Russian, Jewish, Spanish, Latin American, Gypsy and Irish.
“As one of my friends said, ‘we write our own story.’ We are self-employed, so we feel like we are more in charge of our lives than some of my 9 to 5 friends. For us, this is our passion. We are passionate about music, and I work all of the time. Even when I’m on vacation, I have to answer emails, write music and practice,” Tolstoy said.
The group prides itself on its stylistic diversity, he said. Audiences will hear a mix of tunes from virtuosic classical arrangements to popular songs from movie soundtracks. The trio strives to provide energetic yet intimate performances, which will appeal to a wide range of audiences.
“Getting a response from the audience, and knowing that you are doing something that people like and respect, and bringing joy to people is a big benefit,” Tolstoy said.
Fans can expect to hear songs like “Annie’s Song” from John Denver, and “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder, for example.
You come to one concert, and you are taken on a trip around the world, so to speak, he said.
“We specialize in playing a wide mix of styles. We borrow and get inspired from several musical traditions from around the globe, and we add our own touch to them. We play a good amount of The Great American Songbook, or jazz standards. We are also playing some classical music, and several world music traditions. We keep it fresh and entertaining,” Tolstoy continued.
The makeup of the group is just as international as the presentation of their songs. Tolstoy is from Russia. The bass player is from Japan, and the violinist is from Czech Republic.
“That adds extra flavor to the whole thing. Also personality-wise and instrument-wise, we are good friends, and I think that comes through when we are performing on stage. We enjoy working together, and being a part of this project,” Tolstoy said.
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