Stringfever to Bridge Classical and Contemporary Music at UCPAC

Traveling all the way from London for an American tour, Stringfever will be making a stop at the Union County Performing Arts Center on March 4, 2017 at 8 PM, for a night of unique musical entertainment.

Lacking the body of a traditional stringed instrument, and instead sporting a vibrantly colored framework attached to the neck, Stringfever's custom-made Violectra instruments (five and six string electric violins, cello and viola) provide the string quartet with a variety of sound qualities to choose from. In a heartbeat, these performers can go from the classic instruments to breathtaking quasi-electric guitars combined with the long, drawn out notes of violins. The choice to play Violectras, as well as a diverse repertoire of songs, are testaments to the fun and creativity Stringfever are dedicated to bringing to their performances.

The four members of Stringfever are three brothers, Giles, Ralph and Neal Broadbent, and their cousin, Graham Broadbent. Both Giles' and Ralph's classical training come from the Royal Academy of Music, while Graham's comes from the Royal College of Music (both located in London). After their schooling was complete, Giles and Ralph played in orchestras for Sunset Boulevard and Phantom of the Opera, in Germany and England respectively. After that, the two brothers and Graham played in the orchestra for My Fair Lady, while also adding their talents to recordings by artists such as Dido and Paul McCartney. Neal's plans were to go to a music college as well, until his brothers and cousin involved him in their crazy idea to form a string quartet. From playing in the streets of London both before and after the group was formed, to performing on the Graham Norton show and going on tour, these musicians have perfected an act enjoyed by all ages.

Audiences have come to look forward to a few key elements of each Stringfever performance. First, at some point in the show, Stringfever performs a film themes medley comprised of twenty songs from major motion pictures, which audience members will be encouraged to try and identify. Throughout this segment, the band showcases its sense of humor with quotes from each movie, delivered as close to the actual delivery as the band can manage. Second, all four members of the band, as well as two volunteers, play on the same cello in an inspiring take on Maurice Ravel's famous "Boléro." Two of the men hold the notes while simultaneously bowing, the third bows at the same time and the fourth plucks notes. If that sounds confusing, it is. And who could forget Stringfever's signature finale, "The History of Music in Five Minutes," which includes not twenty, or thirty, but forty songs in one continuous medley. From 70s funk to horror movie themes, to rock and roll and back to classical, the range of these four gentlemen is truly something to hear to believe.

Another important facet of this particular Stringfever show at UCPAC is the opportunity for patrons to not only witness the strength of the arts community in Rahway, but to also support its youngest members. 30 select students from all six Rahway district schools (Madison, Grover Cleveland, Franklin, and Roosevelt Elementary schools, the Rahway 7th and 8th Grade Academy, and the Rahway High School) will be performing as the opening act for Stringfever. The All City Elementary Orchestra will play one selection, followed by one song each from the 7th Grade and 8th Grade Orchestras, then the Rahway High School will play one selection, and finally, all four orchestras will come together alongside Stringfever to play them into their set. On Sunday, the day after the performance, Stringfever will be holding a workshop for Rahway orchestra students at the UCPAC's Fazioli Room from 12:30 PM-1:30 PM. It's sure to be an irreplaceable experience that will have them learning from professionals within the field.

Tickets for Stringfever range from $20 to $35 and can be purchased online at ucpac.org, over the phone by calling (732) 499-8226 or in person at the box office. There are also three Dinner and a Show options: patrons can choose $56-$59 tickets that include dinner beforehand at Luciano's Italian Ristorante (1579 Main St), Patria Latin Bistro (169 W Main St) or The Irving Inn (1449 Irving Street), all of which are in Rahway. Box office hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 AM- 5 PM, with extended hours of 11 AM- 8 PM on Thursdays. The Union County Performing Arts Center is located in downtown Rahway at 1601 Irving Street and is easily accessible to major roads and public transportation.

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