THE

ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT

BIOGRAPHY

The Moxie Strings is the electrifying

combination of fiddler, Diana Ladio, and cellist,

Alison Lynn. With their feel-good melodies and foot-

stomping, rock-influenced rhythms, this duo has put a

fresh, enticing spin on Celtic and Americana music.

Diana and Alison often join forces with dynamic

drummer and world percussionist, Fritz McGirr, who

lends his spirited, rhythmic expertise and an engaging

energy to the show. Though rooted in tradition, The

Moxie Strings offer listeners the unique opportunity

to experience some of the world’s best known

instruments and oldest genres through a young, progressive lens.

Diana, Alison and Fritz hold Bachelor of Music degrees in music performance and music

education, which have given each the technical foundation to explore the limits of his/her

instrument, and helped the group build a reputation for musical excellence. Both Diana and

Alison use a variety of audio effects pedals. Alison performs on a newly invented, electric

instrument and Fritz on a variety of world percussion instruments in celebration of their

generation’s redefinition of folk music. The Moxie Strings write the majority of their pieces, and

also arrange traditional tunes from many countries.

Soon after forming in 2007, The Moxie Strings were inspired to not only perform, but

also to teach. Having made the exploratory journey from classical music to a world of

eclecticism and musical creativity, the three have now dedicated their careers to helping young

musicians make this life-changing and inspiring transition.

The Moxie Strings have taught enrichment clinics in over 40 schools

throughout the US and have also presented on their research and

methodologies to many teachers at music education professional

development conferences. During most clinics, the group performs for

students on electric instruments, teaches music by ear, and introduces

non-classical playing styles. The Moxie Strings have researched and

created an innovative sequence of activities designed to teach

improvisation to classically trained musicians, which they employ at

every clinic. They have written several orchestral accompaniments for

their pieces and often perform with students on community concerts.

The Moxie Strings deliver their message in a fun, accessible way, and

stand before students as an illustration of the many opportunities that music holds.

The band is now based in southern Michigan, and tours extensively throughout the

United States both playing shows and teaching clinics. The Moxie Strings’ ear-catching

originals, dance-worthy, traditional tunes, and dedication to inspiring young musicians have

quickly made it one of the country’s most promising instrumental acts.

Milwaukee Irish Festival WorldFest Louisville Main Stage Michigan Irish Music Festival Bowling Green University The Ark Ann Arbor Maryland Irish Festival The Burren Boston Ann Arbor Summer Fest Indianapolis Irish Festival Arts Beats & Eats Detroit Michigan State University Syracuse Irish Festival Founder’s Brewing Co. Colorado Irish Festival Texas Music Educators Conference The Intersection Grand Rapids Manitou Music Festival Michigan Music Conference Ohio Music Conference 2010 National Curling Championships

Gaelic Storm Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas

Black Violin The Elders

Scythian The Young Dubliners

As soloists with the Battle Creek Symphony As soloists with the Mason Symphony

Seamus Kennedy

Past Performances

Shared Stages with:

1. Promotional Video http://youtu.be/VvT-drocrvM

2. Pre-Album Release 2014 http://youtu.be/5trwrIcvZr0

3. Performance Clip http://youtu.be/oxOV55EZ7rg

More videos: www.youtube.com/TheMoxieStrings

Discography: Running in Squares (2014) The Moxie Strings (2012) LIVE (2010)

Awards and Honors: 1. Featured Clinicians at the Michigan Band & Orchestra Association’s 1st Alternative

Styles Day at Michigan State University.

2. Nominated for several Detroit Music Awards

3. Accepted as members of the 2012-2018 Michigan Humanities Council Touring Directory

4. Finalists in the U.S. Department of State’s American Music Abroad Program

5. Accepted to compete in the 2012 ArtPrize Competition

6. Clinicians at the 2012 and 2013 Michigan Music Conference

7. Clinicians at the 2012 Ohio Music Educator’s Conference

8. Clinicians at the 2012 Chicago Midwest Clinic

9. Clinicians at the 2013 and 2014 Texas Music Educators’ Conference

10. Endorsed by D’Addario Strings, Turkish Cymbals, NS Design, and Shar Music

Videos

“The Moxie Strings

mix chops with heart” “The years of lessons and the countless hours of practicing

are immediately evident in the sureness of their sound. Few musicians develop serious chops like theirs without that kind of training, but classical schooling doesn’t always provide adequate preparation for performance chops, i.e.: the visually exciting stage presence we more frequently associate with rock and pop music shows, or the freedom and abandon we often enjoy in folk and ethnic music concerts. The Moxie Strings’ gift is to blend all these elements into a seamless stage show.”

“They teach their special fusion of classical, contemporary and world music to

students and music teachers at schools throughout the Midwest. The future of music could not be in better hands”

-Current Magazine, 2012

“When it comes to The

Moxie Strings, the name says it all.”

-Ann Arbor.com

“[The Moxie Strings] has impressed audiences across Michigan with

top-notch instrumental wizardry.” -John Sinkevics,

The Grand Rapids Press

Ultra-energetic blast -LocalSpins.com

Press

“The excitement level that The Moxie Strings created in each of my classes

was amazing! Their high-energy lessons utilizing age-appropriate fun original

tunes were a hit with all ages. My students, from elementary to high school, were

extremely engaged in learning by ear and improvising on their instruments. One of

my 5th Graders summed it up best:

"Best Orchestra Class Ever!"’

-Carol Johnson, orchestra director at Jenison Middle School

You guys are truly super great musicians. I look up to you so much and I thank you for encouraging us all. Thank you for telling us that if we stick to something we can do anything we try :)

-Student from Grand Rapids Christian

We Orchestra Momma's can't WAIT until

you come back to Waverly Community Schools to work with our kiddo's again! I LOVED the passion my daughter left with! She is STILL vying for an electric cello! I told her that once she has mastered her 3/4's, we'd talk electric! She wants to be just like Ali!

–Mother of Waverly Middle School Student

“It was such a pleasure to have Diana and Alison of The Moxie Strings

come to my school to work with my 5th grade orchestra. Their energy and warmth

created a positive and encouraging atmosphere for students as they expanded their

knowledge of fiddle playing. My students were so energized by the visit and

had a new burst of enthusiasm for playing that has continued on with them. I

can't wait to have The Moxie Strings return to work with another group of

students!”

-Caitlin Mihalko, American String Teachers Association

Testimonials

co-

founded the instrumental fusion trio and educational ensemble, The Moxie Strings, and also tours as the fiddle player for Irish super-group, The Elders. Diana graduated with highest honors from the University of Michigan School Of Music, earning a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance with Teaching Certification. While at UofM, she had the honor of studying with renowned violist,

Yizhak Schotten, as well as highly acclaimed string instrument pedagogue, Robert Culver.

Diana is a studied Americana fiddler, song- writer and classical violist, and makes her

living performing, recording, and teaching music. She is a graduate of the Mark O’Connor

Strings Conference and Christian Howe’s Creative Strings Workshop, where she later returned

as an instructor. She has studied with well-known string players such as Jeremy Kittel (Turtle

Island String Quartet), Casey Driessen (Fiddler for Bela Fleck’s The Flecktones), Mike Block,

Wendy MacIsaac, Christian Howes, and Alex Hargreaves.

You can find Diana as the face for Shar Music’s non-classical music campaign, and for

D’Addario Strings’ line of orchestral strings.

With the Moxie Strings, Diana has taught enrichment clinics in over 100 schools

throughout the United States. She has presented at the 1st Annual Michigan Band and

Orchestra Association’s Alternative Styles Day, 2012-2014 Michigan Music Conference, 2012

Ohio Music Educators Conference, Chicago’s 2012 Midwest Clinic, and 2013 and 2014 Texas

Music Educators Conference, and the 2015 Massachusetts Music Ed Conference.

Diana’s teaching experience includes 7 years as a clinician, 13 years as a private

instructor, teacher at Christian Howe’s Creative Strings Workshop, Teacher at Michigan’s

American String Teachers’ Association Summer Camp, Improvisation instructor at the

Community Music School of Ann Arbor Summer program and the Superior Strings Alliance,

among many other clinics and summer programs.

Diana is sponsored by national strings provider, Shar Music, and endorsed by D’Addario Strings

is a studied contemporary cellist, specializing in rhythmic and percussive playing styles. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Western Michigan University under the instruction of revered cellist and conductor, Bruce Uchimura. She is a graduate of the Mark O’Connor Strings Conference, where she had the opportunity to study with renowned cellists Rushad Eggleston, Mike Block, and Tristan Clarridge. She has also studied with celebrated contemporary cellist, Natalie Haas.

With various projects, Alison has

performed with hip-hop icon Kanye West, The

Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Gaelic Storm, Alasdair

Fraser & Natalie Haas, The Ragbirds, and as a

soloist with the Battle Creek Symphony. She has

performed at The Palace at Auburn Hills, The Breslin Center, The Ark, VanAndel Arena, Fifth

Third Ballpark, Ann Arbor’s Top of the Park, The Intersection, Michigan Irish Music Festival,

among many others, and for crowds of up to 25,000 people.

Alison’s teaching experience includes 10 years of private instruction, and over 14 years

as counselor, teacher and recreation director of the American String Teachers’ Association

Summer Camp. Alison is a co-founder of the instrumental fusion trio, The Moxie Strings, which

now tours the country both performing and teaching clinics in non-classical music. With The

Moxie Strings, Alison has taught in over 40 schools throughout the United States, and

presented at the 1st Annual Michigan Band and Orchestra Association’s Alternative Styles Day,

2012 and 2013 Michigan Music Conference, 2012 Ohio Music Educators Conference, Chicago’s

2012 Midwest Clinic, and 2013 Texas Music Educators Conference.

is an alumnus of the University of Michigan classical percussion program with a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance. Fritz had the pleasure of studying with world renowned Michigan faculty including multi-percussionist Joseph Gramley, vibraphonist Cary Kocher, and pedagogy legend Michael

Udow. Fritz is passionate about traditional percussion of many cultures, and has studied Brazilian and Afro-Cuban drumming with Michael Spiro (Indiana University) and Mark Lamson (Sol e Mar Music Collective), attending master classes and workshops taught by both. Fritz was selected to research and perform for Neil Sisauyhoat’s (University of Wisconsin, Madison) Doctor of Arts dissertation recital on the sacred Bata drumming of Cuba. This effort included the memorization of over 100 separate rhythms associated with the 23 Santeria Orishas. Fritz also studied at the University of Limerick, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance to broaden his knowledge of the traditional music of Ireland and obtained a bodhran performance certificate. His experience there included studying with bodhran greats Tommy Hayes (Riverdance), Mel Mercier (University College Cork) and Jim Higgins (Riverdance, Altan, Lunasa). While in Limerick, Fritz also studied ethnomusicology, focusing on the globalization of traditional Irish music. Drawing from his work in Ireland, Fritz was able to combine a very traditional style of bodhran performance with an adapted technique to create a modern rhythmic style applicable to folk, rock, and pop drum set rhythms and idioms. Fritz is endorsed by Turkish Cymbals and 64 Audio.

Featherbone*

Rocky Road to Dublin (Irish) / On the Fritz*

We Sail at Dawn*

Miss McCleod’s Reel/Sally Gardens/Jenny Dang the Weaver (Irish)

Remembering SC*

Jerusalem Ridge (Bluegrass, Bill Monroe)

Rusty Rock*

Stir-Crazy* (written in style of rock)

Comin’ in Hot*/ Carter Country (Bluegrass, Jason Carter)

Drowsy Maggie (Irish)/ Sidetracked*

Two Pears Dancing*

Dive In. Go Swimming* (Written in style of Old Time)

Man of the House (Irish)/ Master Crowley’s Reel (Irish)

Untitled* (Written in Appalachian style)

Fireside*

Smile On*/ 3 Ft. Deep*

*Denotes original tune.

Sample Set List

Diana Ladio: fiddle Alison Lynn: electric cello

Fritz McGirr: bodhran, cajon, and modified drum kit

Channel List: 1. Violin, pick-up (DI provided)

2. Electric cello, (DI needed)

3. Violin Vocal (stand provided)

4. Cello Vocal

5. Bodhran, instrument mic

provided

(no DI needed)

6. Cajon (mic needed)

7. Snare

8. Tom 1

9. Tom 2

10. Kick

11. Overhead 1

12. Overhead 2

Drum Microphone Suggestions: Snare: Shure SM57

Toms: D2/D4 or MD421

Kick: Shure Beta52, D6, or D112

Cajon: Shure SM57 or Beta52

Overheads: KSM 141

In smaller spaces, the drum kit will likely not need to be mic’d.

If channels are limited, eliminate percussion overheads, and Cajon could be shared with kick

mic.

In-Ear Monitors: Provided:

1 Wireless RF Transmitter, J13 Band

for IEMs

3 RF Receivers

3 IEMs

Needed:

AC Power Supply @120V

2 Separate Mon/Aux Channels - 1/4" TRS (if

only 1 CH available, send everything mono)

Channel 1: Fiddle, Cello, Vox1, Vox2

Channel 2: Kick, Bodhran.

Violin

Pick-up and

DI provided.

Cello

¼” output.

DI needed

Bodhran

Instrument

mic provided:

XLR output.

Drum Kit

Snare, Tom 1, Tom 2, kick, 2

overheads.

Carpet provided.

Mics not provided.

Cajon

Mic

needed.

Other:

Electrical outlet or extension cord near cello and fiddle.

Tech Rider

bodhran

Electric cello

cajon

violin

MIC (VOCAL

)

MIC (VOCAL

)

D.I

themoxiestrings@gmail.com (734) 276-9066 (616) 635-0272 www.themoxiestrings.com www.facebook.com/themoxiestrings www.twitter.com/themoxiestrings www.youtube.com/string1cheese

Stage Plot

Contact

D.I (provided)