Cellist and Northwest BachFest Artistic Director Zuill Bailey came into the KPBX studio to chat about this weekend's concerts at Barrister Winery featuring the crossover string trio Simply Three.
Simply Three—cellist Zack Clark, violinist Glen McDaniel and bassist Nick Villalobos—were in Spokane last June for BachFest's Music in Manito series and are returning at Bailey's and audiences' request.
Bailey himself will kick off the Saturday evening concert with a performance of Édouard Lalo's Cello Concerto in D minor that's been transcribed for cello and piano — in other words, an orchestral work turned chamber piece. Local pianist Greg Presley will be the second half of the cello–piano duo.
The latter part of the Saturday program will see Simply Three performing their original works in a largely 'unplugged' format.
On Sunday, Simply Three will perform a more pop- and rock-oriented setlist of their instrumental interpretations of songs by Adele, Coldplay, Queen and the Gershwins. These string adaptations and the accompanying videos have made Simply Three a hit on social media like YouTube.
During the interview, Bailey talked about his efforts to make BachFest a place to "expect the unexpected" and the rewards of bringing a work like the Lalo concerto into a more intimate setting. The Lalo marks the twentieth originally orchestral piece that Bailey has presented in a scaled-down format for BachFest audiences.
The Northwest Bachfest's two February concerts take place tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 24) and Sunday, February 25. As noted above, each concert has a different program. Both are at Barrister Winery in downtown Spokane.
Tickets and more information are available at the Northwest BachFest website.
