Three Minutes with the Artist: Battlefield Band

We're back with the next installment in our "Three Minutes with the Artist" series. This time around, we present Battlefield Band.

Since their formation in 1969, Glasgow’s Battlefield Band has released over 30 albums and has seen 22 members come and go. Their latest album, Line-Up, is the first without a Battlefield Band founding member. The newest member, Ewen Henderson, says the band is all about “putting out something that’s real from Scotland to the world.” During their performance at The Barns, they displayed not only a refreshing authenticity, but also a good deal of versatility, as many in the band play more than two instruments. We had a chance to talk to them before their sound check and even got a little concert preview. Enjoy this glimpse into the musical livelihood of one of Scotland's most celebrated bands.

An Artistic Adventure

Today, I am flying to Miami. I’m going to throw dancers into alligator infested waters. Then, I am going to film it.

Do I have your attention?

In just a few short weeks, Wolf Trap will be announcing the first round of performances booked for Summer 2012. You heard it here first: On Saturday, September 8, 2012, we will be premiering the latest installment in our artistic adventure series, Face of America.

Not familiar with Face of America?

Face of America is Wolf Trap’s signature performance series. We launched the series in 2000 as a millennium celebration, one that allowed us to celebrate our unique role as America’s only national park for the performing arts. In a nutshell, we take Artists into other National Parks across the country. We commission them to create site specific work in the parks that we film in Hi-Def video. We then integrate that film into a live performance that premieres on the Filene Center stage.

I have had the privilege of working on the artistic side of Face of America since its debut in 2000. Over the last decade, the series has taken me miles beneath the earth to Mammoth Cave National Park, to the volcanoes of Hawaii (see photo above), to the coral reefs of the Virgin Islands (see photo below) and more. Now, it is taking me to South Florida, to Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, and Dry Tortugas National Park.

Today, I’ll be hopping on a DCA-MIA flight. I’ll be taking with me a film crew from the Arlington-based Blue Land Media, choreographer David Parsons and 5 dancers from his company, Parsons Dance. We’ve commissioned David Parsons to create a series of dances, vignettes that will be integrated into an evening-length program. These dances will explore the movement patterns of iconic wildlife (alligators; spoonbill, Anhinga, and egret birds; and fish). They will highlight the recreation available in the wilderness and on the water. Most importantly, they will honor the resilient spirit of a population that overcomes the devastating effects of hurricanes and celebrate an island park that welcomes Cuban refugees onto American soil.

So, like I said, I’m going to throw dancers into alligator infested waters. Then, I am going to film it. Oh yeah, and then…. I’m going to blog about it.

Consider this your sneak peek into the making of Face of America: Spirit of South Florida. You’re cordially invited to join me on this artistic adventure.




Face of America: Spirit of South Florida will premiere on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, December 10, 2011 @ 10am. To learn more about the series, check out the PBS Great Performances special, “Dance in America, Wolf Trap’s Face of America™” online here.

A Q&A with Slide Guitar Master Sonny Landreth

This Q&A was conducted by Graham Binder.

GB: Having been in the game since the early 70s, how important is it for you to continue make music that remains true to your southern roots?

SL: No doubt about it- the influence that the culture in South Louisiana has had on me is most significant and will always be a big part of who I am. Still, I think it's most important for one to stay true to what's in the heart and soul and to honor inspiration wherever it comes from. I could lean on the old analogy of a tree with its roots deep in the ground but with branches stretching upward and outward. Music should be like that too.

GB: Your latest album From the Reach features guest appearances from a few friends of yours that some people may have heard of like Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler and Jimmy Buffett. What is it about your music or perhaps certain choices you’ve made that has kept you more under the radar?

SL: Choices are made every step of the way that teach us more about who we are and what's at the core of our belief system. In my case, I've never really thought of myself as flying too far above the radar or for being a celebrity, so to speak. Also, the music business is one thing while the creating of truly inspired music is something altogether different. Where and how the two do that marketing dance is a trip in itself. I CAN tell you that below the range of radar isn't a bad place to be so long as the mark for creativity is WAY up there and I can still operate. I never take any success for granted.

GB: What state of mind do you want to leave your audiences in at the end of each gig?

SL: I would hope that people leave with the feeling that something special happened for all of us. Believe me, it works both ways. As a band, we are touched by the audience's sincerity and fired up with their energy and that's what fuels the whole thing enough to take off. It's tribal, really, and it's that experience that keeps me coming back. For that, I am most grateful.

GB: Of the big guitarists out there today, who do you think has the best chops and why?

SL: Honestly, there are so many incredible players out there that it's impossible, if not irrelevant, to choose one only. On the other hand, if you were to ask which slide guitar player is my favorite,then my vote emphatically goes to my friend Derek Trucks. He is the most soulful and his sense of phrasing combined with dead on intonation is unparalleled. His music is free of boundaries and full of fearless spontaneity. What a great player, musician and person.

Tickets still available for Sonny's two shows at The Barns. See below for purchase information.

Sonny Landreth
Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28 at 8 pm at The Barns

Ticket Price: $25
Click here to purchase tickets.

The Ahn Trio: Three Minutes with the Artist

This post was written by Evan Milberg and Graham Binder.

We'd like to introduce you to our new video series, a segment we call, "Three Minutes with the Artist." Designed as a melting pot of questions and live performance footage, this is a great way for you to catch a quick glimpse into the lives, creative processes and performance style of the top acts coming through Wolf Trap.

To celebrate our 2011 Founder’s Day (October 14,) The Barns at Wolf Trap hosted The Ahn Trio, a unique piano/cello/violin trio from Seoul who have been pushing the boundaries of classical music since the ‘80s. They have played all over the world – most recently in a command performance at The White House.

Their co-commission at The Barns, BraziliAHN, featured a wide array of rhythms, tempos and catchy melodies contained within Brazilian popular music. After watching them, it is clear that their unorthodox style, passion, and emotion all fit perfectly with the vivacity of Brazil.

Here's our debut "Three Minutes with the Artist" featuring the Ahn Trio. Check it out and stay tuned for many more!

Wolf Trap News & Notes: Monday, October 24

Today's post is from Graham Binder.

To lead off this week's News & Notes, we have a huge nugget fresh in from the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards, letting us know that The Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts has been nominated for a 2011 Pollstar Concert Industry Award in the category of Red Rocks Award / Best Small Outdoor Venue. Additionally, Pollstar released its 3rd quarter ticket sales and the Filene Center is ranked #2 in total ticket sales amongst worldwide amphitheaters both large and small.

If you missed the ethereal folk duo that is Dala in their 2010 debut at The Barns, they're coming back our way on November 9. For a brief history on the band and a live capture of their recent performance on Folk Alley, NPR Music delivered the goods via "Favorite Sessions."

A Wolf Trap internship goes well beyond simple administrative tasks. You'll work directly alongside a staff member and be given hands-on, substantive work designed to ingrain critical skills across a variety of disciplines. If you're in the market for a Spring internship, the deadline is November 1 so act fast!

As a wrap, take a quick 2 minute glimpse into Wolf Trap's efforts and commitment towards the advancement of early childhood learning through the arts with this piece from CBS WUSA9. Cool school indeed!

Club 66's ROCKtoberFête, Featuring Matt Pond PA at The Barns at Wolf Trap: Come One, Come All!

Today's post is from Kevin Robbins, the Chairman of Club 66.

Life is full of memorable first moments. We all remember first kisses, first cars, first paychecks, and at 7:00pm on Saturday, October 29, we can all add another – the first ROCKtoberFête hosted by Club 66 at Wolf Trap. Allow me to explain the abundance of attractive event elements for you with a series of my favorite catch phrases.

The creation myth. While the name itself can only be explained as the byproduct of the sort of political compromise for which the DC region is notorious (our compromise on a name that conveys a fall festival, with elements of Octoberfest as well as a concert,) ROCKtoberFête was conceived as the official coming out party for Club 66. While we have been a group of young professionals actively supporting the performing arts at Wolf Trap for the past several years, we wanted to throw a big, bumping, barn-burner of a party as the first of what we hope will become an annual event.

Baby, it’s cold outside. To answer your second question, the event will be indoors – at The Barns – not outside at the Filene Center (the outdoor venue where you all have spent countless memorable summer evenings.) For most of you this will be another first – the chance to see another of Wolf Trap’s incredibly unique performing arts venues.

Slip into something a little more comfortable. Several brave souls have actually attempted to Google “Halloween Chic.” While results have ranged from pumpkin carving advice to scandalous nurse costumes, neither is what we had in mind. If you want to wear a costume, be our guest. If you aren’t in the mood, cocktail attire is just as nice.

Mood music. That wasn’t a typo in your invitation. Entertainment will be provided by both a DJ and a 70-minute set from the head-turning indie group Matt Pond PA. If you are unfamiliar with their music, check out Wolf Trap's Sound Cloud page to stream Matt Pond PA tracks in their entirety. Live performance is what we are known for and we wouldn’t dream of hosting an event without some incredible talent.

She’s half your age. Don’t worry if you don’t self-identify as a “young professional.” Many of us aren’t that young and after a few hours of complimentary open bar, none of us will be terribly professional.

Going my way? By popular demand, we are providing a transportation package to get revelers from the Clarendon Metro to The Barns and back again. If you can’t, won’t or just don’t want to drive that evening, please remember to sign up for this option.

Do it for the kids. Lastly, but most importantly, all of the proceeds raised from ticket sales, corporate sponsorship, and the silent auction will benefit The Wolf Trap Foundation’s Education Programs.

So there you have it. Saturday, October 29 at 7:00pm in The Barns at Wolf Trap. Come in costume or come as you are. Come for the food. Come for the live music. Come for the open bar. Come on the Metro. Come for philanthropic reasons. Just make sure you come.

Tonight at The Barns: The Ahn Trio

Tonight we kick off the first performance in Wolf Trap's Discovery Series with The Ahn Trio, three sisters from Korea who have gained widespread recognition in the past two decades (yes, this young trio have been performing for twenty years!). They will grace The Barns stage on cello, violin and piano, bringing their innovative approach to chamber music. We're delighted to welcome them following last night's White House State dinner performance for the President of Korea and his wife.

The three musicians, schooled at Juilliard, take classical music to new level, fusing everything from jazz, pop, and in tonight's performance, bossa nova into their playing. They'll perform a Wolf Trap co-commission, BraziliAHN at the show. The Washington Examiner has more on their unique approach and what you can expect.

They have wowed audiences across the globe gaining attention at last year's Ted Conference, at the Czech GRAMMY's and on MTV to name a few. People magazine has named them three of the "50 Most Beautiful People." They are the kind of artists you'd love to have over for dinner to hear about how they got to where they are, right? Well, tonight you get that kind of opportunity with the Q&A that is part of all Discovery Series performances. We'll be catching up with them on video, so check back next week for their interview. Here's a video from their latest album, Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac.