Digital Masters
UK-based duo 2Cellos tell Tim Woodall how the power of the internet took them from a single video upload to a six-album deal and stadium tour – Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic are featured in this month’s The Strad magazine with their signature (and now famous) Luis and Clark cellos. If you get the magazine you’ll know more about this dynamic duo who are taking the cello world and the music world by storm!

Less than a year ago, a pair of Croatian cellists posted a YouTube video showing off their shredding, percussive take on the Michael Jackson song “Smooth Criminal.” That almost immediately led to a multialbum deal with Sony Masterworks and a slot on an Elton John tour that continues through a two-month run in Las Vegas starting next month.

Now Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic, who perform as 2Cellos, have reprised the concept of their “Smooth Criminal” video—the dueling players faced off in a ballroom—on the high-school musical TV series “Glee.” The cameo, on a Jackson tribute episode airing Jan. 31, marks the first time the singing-centric show has showcased instrumentalists.

After a self-titled debut album that sold 133,000 copies and included renditions of Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses and U2, the next test for 2Cellos will be to move beyond the “shtick” of a high-concept cover band, says Sony Classical International President Bogdan Roscic. Repertoire has not yet been decided for a follow-up record, but Mr. Roscic expects the duo to include vocalists, other instrumentalists and original compositions.

—John Jurgensen

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204542404577156802762808124.html?KEYWORDS=cello

“Fundamental to our vision for the new collection galleries is an emphasis on how contemporary art develops new meaning in our current moment and continues to be in dialogue with the art that came before,” said Jen Mergel, the Museum’s Robert L. Beal, Enid L. Beal and Bruce A. Beal Senior Curator of Contemporary Art. “Introducing the idea that ‘all art has been contemporary,’ we hope to build curiosity, context and exchange about contemporary culture as an unended story in which we all actively participate to shape understanding. The galleries will become a resource for audiences to revisit again and again to engage with an art experience that is truly ‘con tempos,’ with the times.”

The Luis and Clark Violin is in good company sharing the space with works by El Anatsui, Mona Hatoum, Kara Walker, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, and more. Click here for more information about the MFA exhibit.
Luis and Clark instruments are individually hand-made and endorsed for their resilience and sound by leading musicians the world over. Click here to learn more.

By Trish Crawford
Entertainment Reporter
Article and video originally from Toronto.com

Milton, MA, August 2, 2011- July 29, Luis and Clark, maker of the worldʼs finest carbon-fiber stringed instruments, celebrated their 1,000th sale.

Seen everywhere from the 2009 Presidential Inauguration to the Discovery Channel, Luis and Clark Carbon Fiber Instruments are owned, used and endorsed by many of the worldʼs leading musicians including Yo-Yo Ma, Kurt Masur, and Steven Ansell.

The popularity of Luis and Clark Instruments is due to their resilience, sound, and affordability. The carbon-fiber used in their production is stronger than steel and lightweight. It allows the instruments to withstand greater variations in temperature and humidity than their traditional wooden counterparts, all without comprising sound quality.

René Morel, a Manhattan based dealer of fine stringed instruments, described the sound of Luis and Clark instruments in a 2009 New York Times article as being “as close as you can get to a traditional top cello like a Stradivarius without being one.”

Luis Leguia, a former Boston Symphony Orchestra cellist, is Luis of Luis and Clark. It was his idea, inspired by the sound transmission qualities of fiberglass boat hulls, to produce these innovate instruments. He created the first prototype in 1990 out of fiberglass, and then later partnered with carbon expert, Steve Clark. The result is the individually produced instruments, as they are known and lauded today.

Download the PDF of this press release here.

2CELLOS (Sulic & Hauser). (PRNewsFoto/Sony MASTERWORKS, Stephan Lupino)

NEW YORK, April 19, 2011 — Living in a small town in Croatia, 24-year-old music students, Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, are living a dream come true – and quickly! After posting a self-made music video of them performing Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” on their cellos, the longtime friends received more attention than they ever expected.

Within days, the video became a viral sensation and received millions of views. It got the attention of Sony MASTERWORKS who signed them to a record deal. Concurrently, they received a phone call from legend Elton John who invited them to join him on his European tour this summer.

“I feel so blessed that all of this is happening – a record deal with Sony MASTERWORKS and a tour with Elton John – who would have imagined?!” relays Luka Sulic.

Their debut album is slated for a July 2011 release and will feature Sulic & Hauser’s unique spin on hits by Guns N’ Roses, U2, Trent Reznor and Kings of Leon among others.

Of the repertoire Stjepan says: “Both Luka and I love classical music and have studied it for years, but we are really excited to put our own take on classics by some of our favorite pop and rock artists.”

Luka and Stjepan will make their first national TV performance as 2CELLOS on The Ellen DeGeneres show on April 25th.

Luka and Stjepan are both very accomplished musicians who have been playing the cello since childhood. Both recently completed their studies at the acclaimed Royal Academy in London. Luka Sulic has performed all over the world at renowned venues such as London’s Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus.  He has won a series of international prizes including first prize at the VII Lutoslawski International Cello Competition (Warsaw, 2009).  Stjepan is also a very talented cellist and has performed around the world in most European countries, South Africa, New Zealand and the USA, with debuts in London’s Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, South Bank Centre and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. In his short career, he has already won twenty-one first prizes in national and international competitions including the prestigious Adam Cello Competition in New Zealand 2009 and VTB Capital Prize for Young Cellists 2009.

To view “Smooth Criminal” by 2CELLOS (Sulic & Hauser) click here.

For more information please visit www.2CELLOS.com.

Sony Masterworks USA comprises the Masterworks Broadway, Masterworks, Masterworks Jazz, RCA Red Seal and Sony Classical imprints. For email updates and information please visit www.SonyMasterworks.com.

SOURCE Sony MASTERWORKS

By now we all probably know that Yo Yo Ma did NOT play his carbon fiber cello at the Inauguration and we didn’t hear the real notes he actually did play. But Mr Ma does play a carbon fiber cello and did play one at the Washington Mall for 10 days in 100-degree heat during a Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2003. He said that in heat like that he could control the strings on his carbon fiber cello in a way not possible on a wooden cello, and joked that the instrument could probably even double as a barbeque.
Because the instruments are virtually unbreakable, they are perfect for travel (easily checked as baggage with a really sturdy case) and extreme weather conditions. There are amazing weather stories. A cello owned by Kaaren Makas, (37 years principal cello, New Orleans Philharmonic, Emeritus principal, Louisiana Philharmonic) survived the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina, needing only new strings, bridge and soundpost, to be as new after spending two weeks under water.

Mark W. Dudrow, a cellist in Colorado, has another remarkable story at the other weather extreme. In a major blizzard, he had to abandon his jeep in deep drifts and white-out conditions to walk the final 3 miles to his home. He says, “I could not bear to leave my cello in the car due to risk of theft or being demolished by a snowplow… besides who wants to be snowed in without their cello?” He continues, “My Luis and Clark cello is housed in a molded SKG case, so I flipped it over on its face and dragged it like a sled, with the molded part of the case that protects the strings and bridge acting as a sort of keel/runner.
When we finally made it home I let it sit for an hour or so while the snow melted off into a pool on the greenhouse floor. Upon opening the case I found that drifting snow had gotten inside and there was water running down the face of the cello. So I dried it off with a paper towel and sure enough, it was not only playable, but still perfectly in tune!!!!! Now that I can feel my fingers again, I am going to go play it!”
Julia Adams, violist in the Portland (ME) String Quartet agrees. She says, “Here in Maine, especially in the winter months, our fine wooden instruments have many problems adjusting to changes in temperature and humidity. The carbon fiber Luis and Clark eliminates those worries completely.” Price is another consideration. ACMP cellist Wayne Benjamin (Chicago, IL), who has owned his carbon fiber cello for about a year and a half, writes, “When you compare the price of these carbon fiber cellos
(circa $7000) to the wood instruments available for a similar price, such as an Eastern European or Chinese “student” level cello, I think the choice is unambiguous. The carbon fiber cello, to me, sounds as good as or better than instruments currently selling for $30-75,000.”
The carbon fiber cello is the brainchild of Luis Leguia, a cellist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for over 40 years, who then, as he says, “Got bitten by the sailing bug.” A comparison between the way old wooden boats were crafted and the manufacture of ultra-sophisticated boats in carbon fiber prompted him to wonder what a cello would sound like in such a medium. He made the first few cellos himself, and then teamed up with Steve Clark, a master in the production and fabrication of carbon fiber
products and chairman of Vanguard Sailboats (an industry leader in supplying boats, accessories and services to the small sailboat market) for production. The coincidence has a certain serendipity that the new company, exploring new technology for instruments, should be named Luis and Clark and bring to mind the famous explorers, Lewis and Clark, who searched for the Northwest Passage in the early 19th century.
What’s it like to play? Luis says, “It’s lighter and responsive, and very strong. I wanted a cello that would sound great. I wanted the tone of a Stradivarius or Montagnana cello and I wanted it to carry out over orchestra when you play a concerto. And I wanted it with a beautiful quality. In the final result, you can see it’s not a wood cello but the quality is beautiful, the power and reverberation is just superb, and the depth of it I find wonderful. I’m extremely pleased.”
Wayne Benjamin now plays it exclusively, saying “It’s so easy to play. It’s not at all moody like a wood cello because the carbon fiber is totally inert and doesn’t react to temperature or humidity. The body is narrower front to back than a wood cello, so it is closer to the player and easier to bow and finger and its continuous curve on the sides (similar to a guitar) make it very comfortable to hold with no digging into ones knees. The cello speaks VERY fast – the notes just fly off of it. The response is really amazing. I can play this cello for hours without encountering arm, shoulder or back problems. On my wood cello I need to take an Advil break after about 30 minutes.”
Violinist Laura Goldberg bought a carbon fiber violin after performing with Luis and his “carbon fiber choir” ensemble in August, 2007. She says, “I bought it because it is a lot of fun to play! The tone is exciting and robust, and the design is cool and modern. The experience of playing on the carbon is different from traditional violins made of wood. The “feel” of the neck on the traditional violin is not the same as the smooth, slippery feeling of the carbon, so shifting positions feels very different. The instrument “speaks” a bit differently, too. The tone of the carbon is more direct and immediate than the wood. Also a bit brighter and stronger.”
ACMP Board Member Linda Rosenthal (Vn, Juneau, AK) says, “My husband Paul, the Artistic Director of the Sitka Summer Festival, and I each have a Luis and Clark violin and we also own a Luis and Clark viola. Paul uses them in performances.
In fact, he’s quoted on Luis’s testimonial page as follows: “The Luis and Clark violin is not only a terrific solo violin, but it spent the entire month of June performing chamber music with Stradivaris, Guarneris, Amatis and many other superb traditional instruments. It takes its place completely naturally in the company of great string instruments.”
It is quite an experience to hear the carbon fiber choir. Outside the Hall, if you hear them before you see them, you have no idea that unusual instruments are inside. The appearance is dramatic — all the performers play carbon fiber instruments, and all wear white shirts with black skirts or pants to contrast with and highlight the rich black sheen of the instruments. On Friday, January 30, 2009, the choir performed in New York City The program, designed to show off the versatile range of the instruments, included Villa Lobos Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 for 8 celli and soprano, and Bachianas Brasilieras No.1 for “cello orchestra,” the Edward Elgar Elegy, and Concerto Grosso No 1 by Ernst Bloch. Performers included the cellists Luis Leguia himself, Peter Sachon who is currently playing his carbon fiber cello in the Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific, and Mihai Marica, principal cello in the New Haven Symphony, who won the distinguished first prize and the audience choice award at the 2006 Dr. Luis Sigall International Competition in Viña del Mar, Chile, playing his carbon fiber cello. And the remark of the day? Musician to Luis: “Do you still recommend Windex to clean them?” Response: “Absolutely!”