Bios.
About The Wires.
The Wires are a modern exploration in string sound. Created in Kansas City, Missouri, Laurel Morgan Parks, violin, and Sascha Groschang, cello, have been composing dynamic and cinematic music as best friends since 2009. Their music is inspired by imagery found in the natural world, folk styles and modern string techniques. Following their debut album in 2012, their 2nd album “Wilder” (May 2019) is an imagined journey that includes depths of the oceanic world, the vast expanse of Celtic hills, the coldness of frozen tundra and a discovery of the cosmos. Their holiday album, “Winter” (December 2020) encompasses a cinematic, yet an intimate timbre, with the classic sounds of the season. “Winter,” their collection of holiday favorites arranged by The Wires along with their original piece, ‘Campbell Street,’ is published by Mel Bay Publications. For two years, The Wires hosted and curated “Sound Currents” on 91.9 Classical KC – a weekly radio program exploring a broad range of new music. Their online school, “Fiddle Life,” (www.fiddlelife.com), teaches adults traditional styles at beginner and intermediate levels. The duo performs at festivals, concert halls, and music venues in the Midwest and beyond.
To Order the sheet music to “Winter,” visit: https://www.melbay.com/Products/31037M/winter–folk-carols-for-violin-and-cello.aspx.
Sascha Groschang
Sascha Groschang, cellist, has performed extensively across the United States, Europe 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 Eagles, Vince Gill, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Michael Bublé, Peter Gabriel, Josh Groban, Sarah Mclachlan, Idina Menzel, Amy Grant and her recording credits include NBC, Atlantic, and Rhino Records. In addition to The Wires, Sascha is principal cellist of NewEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, dedicated to playing the works of living composers. In 2022, she joined the St. Petersburg String Quartet. Their accolades include a Grammy nomination, "Best Record" honors in both Stereo Review and Gramophone, a five-year residency at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and hundreds of concerts on many of North America, Europe and Asia's most prestigious series and festivals. Since joining, the group has performed in Estonia, Kazakhstan, France, Germany, Israel and across the United States. In 2023, Sascha also joined the Fountain City String Quartet, which performs across the Midwest with classical and pop Candlelight Concerts. Sascha lives in midtown Kansas City with her husband, four Persian cats and two daughters. www.cellolady.com
Laurel Parks
Laurel Parks, violinist, has performed and taught around the globe. Her career really began in the early 2000s when her musical project In the Pines got signed to Arctic Rodeo and Second Nature recording labels. Since then she has established herself as a crossover violinist, improviser and educator. In 2015 she started her company Drunken Fiddles which is now located in 7 cities and counting across the Midwest.
Laurel has performed violin with the Eagles, Sarah McLachlan, Josh Groban, Evanescence, Disturbed, and Amy Grant to name a few. Classically she has performed with the Des Moines Symphony and the internationally touring Mantovani Orchestra. For two years, she was also the host ofSound Currentson 91.9 Classical KC, a weekly radio program that explored contemporary classical and crossover music. Her current musical projects include being a composer and musician withThe Wires String duoandOf Tree. Her compositions with the Wires String Duo are published byMel Bay Internationalpublishing. Keeping a regular performing schedule in Kansas City, Laurel has also performed extensively in Europe and Asia and continues to produce innovative concert series in the Kansas City area.