Vivant! teamed with World Accordion Champion, Grayson Masefield to perform an exciting and interesting program for an appreciative audience recently in Kansas City. For this celebration concert, the festive stage was decorated in turquoise and silver balloons, turquoise being the color of the day.
Masefield took the stage and his energetic presentation and virtuosic passagework wowed the crowd. He shared some interesting tidbits about the works he performed to the delight of the audience.
Vivant! kept things lively by presenting fresh new works and arrangements by their musical director, Karen Fremar, while rolling out their new CD, Whatever You Do. Vivant! is loaded with hot percussion and brass which supports the accordions and a unique blend of interesting electronic sounds on keyboards. Vivant! members include:
Dee Sligar, Bass Keyboard;
Gail Overly, Accordion;
Julie Silfverberg, Accordion/Keyboard;
Karen Fremar, Accordion/Keyboard;
Sarrah Cantrell, Percussion/Mallets/Keyboard;
Janne Silfverberg, Trombone/Percussion.
Hannah Cantrell assisted the group as auxiliary percussionist for this concert.
Fremar explained that “Sterling Illusions”, a new work for trombone, vibraphone and accordion, was commissioned by group trombonist, Janne Silfverberg, and was premiered the previous week at his senior trombone performance recital. “Herricks Road”, the recent work commissioned by the American Accordionists’ Association for Faithe Deffner’s Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented by Vivant! in a new setting that employed additional percussion, accordion, bass, and keyboard strings and woodwinds.
Following Masefield’s variety program segment, Fremar took a few moments to interview him–asking him to share with the audience some of the special aspects of his concert accordion, and also to describe a typical day in his training regimen in France. “We hit the first note at 6 a.m.,” Masefield told the astonished audience, “and after a break of a couple of hours for lunch, we practice into the evening, with a lesson at 9 or 10 p.m. each evening.” Vivant! then presented Masefield with a Vivant! T-shirt and a Kansas University hat, making him an “Honorary Vivanter,” as the crowd erupted into cheers and warm applause.
Both Vivant! and Masefield left their audience enthused and wanting more as they were greeted with several standing ovations and encore requests. The final treat of the afternoon of musical surprises was an impromptu duo of International Entertainment Champions Masefield and Fremar with Vivant! backing them in an electric version of Piazzolla’s Libertango.
The after concert CD Signing Event found many friends and relatives greeting Vivant! and fans meeting and requesting autographs from Grayson Masefield on their programs and from Vivant! on their new album. Then more than 80 balloons were trailed by a loyal Vivant! Crewmember, who was followed by several in the group from the concert venue to a restaurant on the Country Club Plaza, where, to the enjoyment of many onlookers, the colorful balloons were released by Vivant! members and Grayson Masefield into the sky to bring a joyful end to the fun and memorable day. Vivant! and Masefield, along with many friends and family then enjoyed traditional Kansas City Barbeque and visited late into the evening.
The program for the April 18, 2010, 3 p.m. “Vivant! and World Accordion Champion, Grayson Masefield Concert Celebration and CD Rollout for Whatever You Do” was held at Unity on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Works programmed were as follows: Program
Prophetic Dream…………………….Viatcheslav Semionov
Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman, K. 265…..Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Hommage a Paco……………………..Franck Angelis
GRAYSON MASEFIELD, Accordion
Sterling Illusions for Trombone, Vibraphone and Accordion……………Karen Fremar
JANNE SILFVERBERG, Trombone
SARRAH CANTRELL, Vibraphone
KAREN FREMAR, Accordion
Herricks Road……………. Karen Fremar
King of Siam……………….Rodgers & Hammerstein 2nd (Arr. Fremar)
Something Wonderful • March of the Siamese Children •
Getting to Know You • I Have Dreamed • Shall We Dance?
VIVANT!
INTERMISSION
Pondichery Tango…………………. Jérôme Richard
Tico Tico……………………………… Zequinha Abreu
Oblivion………………………………. Astor Piazzolla
Notes Vagabondes…………………. Claude Thomain
La Tempete…………………………… André Astier
GRAYSON MASEFIELD, Accordion
September…………White, McKay & Willis (Arr. Fremar)
Jammin’……………..Karen Fremar
St. Louis Blues…….W.C. Handy (Arr. Fremar)
Whatever You Do..Karen Fremar
Respect………………Otis Redding (Arr. Fremar)
VIVANT!
For a complete report and photos of the concert and weekend activities, visit www.vivantsound.com
