5/4/2022
Performances and Artists
Globally Acclaimed Artist Edmund Bagnell Performs Violin and Vocals on June 4
Edmund Bagnell will never forget what happened in 2012, when he jumped at the chance to join a musical group with a bold idea: to play violin and sing simultaneously.
“It was very appealing that this would be our product, and we’d be in control of what we created,” recalls Bagnell, who trained in both violin and vocals in college.
Little did he know this groundbreaking string quartet, Well-Strung, would become an international sensation.
Bagnell has built a global following as first violinist with Well-Strung, which plays classical pieces while also singing hit pop tunes. The group has made headlines playing at the Vatican, on the “Today” show and at a special gala for President Barack Obama.
“I love Well-Strung and I’m very grateful for our success,” Bagnell says. “We really like the idea of presenting classical and pop – it’s all good music to us.”
Combining his masterful violin playing and his powerful vocals like in Well-Strung, Bagnell’s show will expand this approach to cover a vast musical spectrum, including jazz, pop, Broadway, film music, standards, country and even Bagnell’s originals.
Backed by acclaimed pianist Mark Harman, Bagnell will also weave in laughs and poignant insights, by sharing “a lot of personal stories” that shed light on his artistry and music.
“The show is a lot of fun, and my goal is to provide a really entertaining evening of music and stories,” he says. “It has been really fun to now go back and figure out who I am as a solo artist and what speaks to me musically.”
A Rare Combination of Violin and Vocals
Not many people think to sing and play violin together, Bagnell concedes.
“It’s true that the novelty of the combo turns heads,” he says.
Usually audiences expect to see artists singing while playing guitar or piano, he notes, because those chordal-based instruments lend themselves well for accompaniment.
But Bagnell finds that combining violin and singing offers surprising musical possibilities.
“Because string instruments were designed to sound like the human voice, I think the combination of the two is inherently pleasing to listen to,” he explains. “I love exploring new ways of combining the two, and there’s truly a million different musical genres that sound good for this pairing.”
Exploring a Million Musical Genres
With that in mind, Bagnell promises to perform songs from almost every genre in his solo show.
He often sings and performs on violin simultaneously, he says, but he also plays and sings separately to explore different sounds.
“I draw a lot of inspiration from Chet Baker, who would sing a standard jazz song, and then play the instrumental solo himself on trumpet,” Bagnell notes.
His show will include special surprises, he adds, including a song he cowrote with Broadway composer Scott Frankel, who composed the music for Broadway hit “War Paint” starring Patti LuPone.
“I wrote the lyrics, which was thrilling and scary at the same time, and Scott turned them into a truly gorgeous melody,” Bagnell says. “On the surface, the song has a more general meaning, but the subtext is about the finding my voice as a solo artist after so many years performing in a group.”
While Bagnell still delights in making music with Well-Strung, he adds, he embraces taking the stage solo as a completely different performing experience.
“Obviously as a solo artist, the pressure is so much more on you to carry the performance and guide the audience through the evening,” he says. “I really enjoy that challenge.”