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Laurel Parks

Laurel Parks is a violinist, composer and instructor who’s enjoyed an exciting career as a musician. She has performed with artists such as Sarah McLaughlan, Disturbed, Amy Grant, Josh Groban and Evanescence. Her music is signed to two record labels: Second Nature Recordings (USA) and Arctic Rodeo (Germany). In addition to traveling through Europe with the Americana band “In the Pines,” Parks has toured all over Asia with the Mantovani Pops Orchestra. She has recorded strings for Hulu and Universal Pictures in addition to laying string tracks for countless bands and corporate clients.

Laurel’s heart lies in composing music. She is passionate about creating interesting melodies that go to unpredictable, yet listenable places. She currently writes, records and concertizes with “The Wires,” a modern string duo that writes its own tunes. She also co-writes music for the alternative Indie-folk band “Of Tree.” Parks also owns and teaches “Drunken Fiddles” – a workshop for adult beginners who want to learn to play the fiddle with a twist. She is the founder of the online music school “Fiddle Life,” which teaches fiddle and cello to adults at the beginner and intermediate levels. When she’s not involved with something music related, you can find Parks obsessed with reading books, listening to podcasts, meditating, running and doing yoga.

Laurel Morgan Parks

Sascha Groschang

Sascha Groschang has performed extensively across the United States and Asia. She has appeared at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall numerous times, and gave her solo debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in 2009. She has been a soloist and lecturer at the Thailand International Composition Festival, performed for the King of Malaysia with the Kuala Lumpur International Festival Orchestra, and traveled all across China on two tours with the Mantovani Pops Orchestra. She has shared the stage with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Michael Bublé, Peter Gabriel, Josh Groban, Sarah Mclachlan and has extensive recording experience, including sessions for NBC, Atlantic and Rhino Records. As a freelance musician in and around Kansas City, Sascha is an avid performer and composer of new music, improv, non-classical styles and baroque cello. She frequently collaborates with groups such as the KC Chorale, Spire Chamber Ensemble, the New Theatre, Owen/Cox Dance Group, the Coterie Theatre, Quixotic Fusion, and Bach Aria Soloists. The Kansas City Star writes, “Cellist Sascha Groschang[‘s] solos will haunt you with their plaintive longing”.

Sascha is co-founder, co-composer and cellist of the string duo, “The Wires” which explores unorthodox styles through original compositions. She currently teaches traditional styles through the online fiddle school, “Fiddle Life,” and is is currently principal cellist of NewEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and principal cellist of the Saint Joseph Symphony. She has formerly been on faculty at Missouri Western State University as instructor of cello and member of the faculty piano trio, and was a founding member of the Opus 76 String Quartet.

She holds performance degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory and Mannes College of Music in New York City, with further studies in chamber music at The Juilliard School and traditional styles from the Folk Alliance International Workshops. Major teachers include Fred Sherry, Martin Storey, Carter Enyeart, and Peter Sukonic, with lessons and masterclasses with Lynn Harrell, Colin Carr, David Garingas, Eric Kim, Timothy Eddy, Joel Krosnik and Paul Katz. She lives in Kansas City with her husband, two young daughters and two fluffy Persian cats.

For more information on Sascha’s current projects, please visit www.cellolady.com.