Barrage (group)
Encyclopedia
Barrage is a violin
-based, modern worldbeat
ensemble
headquartered in Calgary
, Alberta
Canada
. They are well known, most notably for their innovative blend of violin music and high-energy choreography
during their performances. The group's live shows have toured in 27 countries, and their concert specials have been featured on television networks around the world.
Barrage plays an eclectic mix of material from a multitude of genres including, but not limited to, Celtic
, Swing, Bluegrass
, Jazz
, Rock
, Calypso
, Pop
, Canadian fiddle
and Latin
, as well as contemporary versions of traditional material from countries including China
, Ukraine
, and India
. The group primarily performs in theaters and performing arts centers
, but also performs at festivals
and for corporate events
.
Since 2006, Barrage has been heavily involved in youth music education
in North America
through their "Energize Your Strings!" program.
Barrage originally consisted of seven violinists, along with a four piece backline
made up of bass guitar
, acoustic/electric guitar
, drum set and percussion. In it's early days, the group gained attention for pushing the violin's musical boundaries in their attempts to change the public's general perception of what is considered acceptable music to be played using the instrument. Barrage's early performances concentrated solely on experimenting and exploring new musical ideas. Over time, the seven violinists began incorporating choreography
and several forms of dance
into their shows while playing the violin at the same time, thus creating unique visuals to match the various music styles they were performing. Barrage quickly evolved into it's present-day hybrid cross between a theatrical music production and a musical ensemble
show.
A second cast of Barrage was created in 2001 and was based in London, England. For a short time, two entirely different casts of Barrage were touring and performing in different parts of the world simultaneously. The two casts were later amalgamated, reverting back to a single, eleven member Calgary-based cast.
, Canada
, China
, Costa Rica
, Denmark
, El Salvador
, England
, Finland
, France
, Germany
, Guatemala
, Honduras
, Hungary
, Ireland
, Italy
, Mexico
, Monaco
, Netherlands
, New Zealand
, Norway
, Poland
, Scotland
, Singapore
, South Korea
, Sweden
, Taiwan
, and the United States
. The group has also frequently toured regionally in North America
and Europe
using the self-titled "'Barrage" show name. In some Asian countries, the group has performed using the name "Dancing Violin Barrage". On average, Barrage tours for over 30 weeks of the year.
In addition to their extensive touring, Barrage has performed as a resident show at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World Florida
, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California
, and Chime-Long Paradise
in Guangzhou, China.
, one live album
, one greatest hits album, several music videos
, and two concert DVDs
. They have also published a series of music books
. Barrage's concert DVD's "The World on Stage" (1999) and "Vagabond Tales" (2003) were both broadcast multiple times nationally across the United States as prime-time
concert specials on PBS. The group has also been featured on a variety of television networks worldwide including BBC
(U.K.), CBC
(Canada), CCTV
(China), and the Disney Network
in both filmed and live performance specials.
Barrage has been the topic of several biographical documentaries
throughout their existence including "Live in Europe" (1998), "The making of Vagabond Tales" (2003) and "Dig a Little Deeper" (2005), all of which continue to air periodically on television networks around the world. Two of Barrage's music videos, "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and "Running Horses", have received airplay in rotation on various music television networks. The group has also produced other music videos and performance clips made specifically for Youtube
.
Barrage released their first album, "Live in Europe" in 1998, recorded live at multiple venues during Barrage's tour of Europe
that year.
Their self-titled album "Barrage
", released in the year 2000, was the group's first studio album. It contains many original songs from the group's "A Violin Sings, A Fiddle Dances" tour. Barrage's second studio album "Vagabond Tales
" was released in 2003 in conjunction with the launch of the group's "Vagabond Tales" tour, containing many of the songs that were featured in the show.
In 2008, Barrage released "Scrapbook", a greatest hits album containing popular and well known songs from the group's shows and previous recordings. Also in 2008, Barrage's third studio album "High Strung" was released, containing music performed by Barrage during their "High Strung" tour.
The group's latest album, "Winter's Tale" was released in 2009. It is Barrage's first holiday album, containing their unique arrangements of holiday classics. The album also contains collaborations with Danish vocalist Stig Rossen.
to their touring. The current cast frequently works in American schools with its "Energize Your Strings!" program. This program includes a day-time workshop and an evening concert, usually in the school's auditorium or sometimes held at the local performing arts center.
fitted with custom wireless L.R. Baggs acoustic bridge pick-up
amplification systems during their performances. They exclusively use specially designed "Barrage" model carbon fiber Codabows
. Vocals have always been a part of Barrage's performances, and all musicians in the group sing during the shows. Drum set, acoustic/electric guitar and bass guitar have been mainstay backline instruments used by Barrage throughout their existence. From 1996-2005, the backline featured a strong percussion and melodic mallet instrument
presence, however this element of the group has since been removed. Barrage has also been known to use piano
, keyboards, mandolin
, upright bass, tin whistle
, low whistle
, harmonica
, bagpipes
, and other instruments at various times in their shows.
Barrage's repertoire is varied and extensive, and includes many musical styles. The group's musical director, Dean Marshall, has composed and/or arranged all of Barrage's musical material throughout it's entire history.
, England
, Germany
, New Zealand
, Scotland
, Wales
, and the United States
.
From 1997 to 2005, Barrage was made up of seven violinists along with a guitarist, bassist, drummer and percussionist. The current cast of Barrage consists of five violinists with a guitarist, bassist, and drummer.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
-based, modern worldbeat
Worldbeat
Worldbeat is a music genre that primarily refers to a blending of Western pop music with traditional/folk or world music influences...
ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
headquartered in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They are well known, most notably for their innovative blend of violin music and high-energy choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
during their performances. The group's live shows have toured in 27 countries, and their concert specials have been featured on television networks around the world.
Barrage plays an eclectic mix of material from a multitude of genres including, but not limited to, Celtic
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
, Swing, Bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, Calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
, Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, Canadian fiddle
Canadian fiddle
Canadian fiddle is the aggregate body of tunes, styles and musicians engaging the traditional folk music of Canada on the fiddle. It is an integral extension of the Anglo-Celtic and Québécois Frenchfolk music tradition but has distinct features found only in the Western hemisphere Due to...
and Latin
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
, as well as contemporary versions of traditional material from countries including China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The group primarily performs in theaters and performing arts centers
Performing arts center
Performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is used to refer to* A multi-use performance space that is intended for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre....
, but also performs at festivals
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
and for corporate events
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
.
Since 2006, Barrage has been heavily involved in youth music education
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
through their "Energize Your Strings!" program.
Early History
Barrage began as a musical entertainment concept created in Calgary, Alberta in 1996 by musicians Dean Marshall and John Crozman. Together with Jana Wyber, Brian Hanson, and Anthony Moore, they formed Barrage's executive production and creative team, known as "5 to 1 Entertainments".Barrage originally consisted of seven violinists, along with a four piece backline
Backline (stage)
The term backline used to refer just to audio amplification equipment that stands behind the band on stage, including amplifiers for guitars, bass guitars and keyboards. In the US, backline has expanded in recent years to include the instruments that the musicians play, from guitars and bass...
made up of bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, acoustic/electric guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, drum set and percussion. In it's early days, the group gained attention for pushing the violin's musical boundaries in their attempts to change the public's general perception of what is considered acceptable music to be played using the instrument. Barrage's early performances concentrated solely on experimenting and exploring new musical ideas. Over time, the seven violinists began incorporating choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
and several forms of dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
into their shows while playing the violin at the same time, thus creating unique visuals to match the various music styles they were performing. Barrage quickly evolved into it's present-day hybrid cross between a theatrical music production and a musical ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
show.
A second cast of Barrage was created in 2001 and was based in London, England. For a short time, two entirely different casts of Barrage were touring and performing in different parts of the world simultaneously. The two casts were later amalgamated, reverting back to a single, eleven member Calgary-based cast.
Tours and Live Performances
Barrage has embarked on several major concert tours which have included "A Violin Sings, A Fiddle Dances", "Vagabond Tales", and "High Strung". These tours each spanned several years in length, and collectively played to audiences across 27 countries including BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The group has also frequently toured regionally in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
using the self-titled "'Barrage" show name. In some Asian countries, the group has performed using the name "Dancing Violin Barrage". On average, Barrage tours for over 30 weeks of the year.
In addition to their extensive touring, Barrage has performed as a resident show at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, and Chime-Long Paradise
Chime-Long Paradise
Chime-Long Paradise is a major amusement park in Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Opened on April 12, 2006, Chime-Long Paradise is the largest amusement park in China and boasts the Tenth Ring Roller Coaster, which shares the record for most inversions with Colossus at Thorpe Park in...
in Guangzhou, China.
Albums, Television, Film and Media
Barrage has released four studio albumsStudio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, one live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, one greatest hits album, several music videos
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, and two concert DVDs
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. They have also published a series of music books
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
. Barrage's concert DVD's "The World on Stage" (1999) and "Vagabond Tales" (2003) were both broadcast multiple times nationally across the United States as prime-time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
concert specials on PBS. The group has also been featured on a variety of television networks worldwide including BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
(U.K.), CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(Canada), CCTV
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
(China), and the Disney Network
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
in both filmed and live performance specials.
Barrage has been the topic of several biographical documentaries
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
throughout their existence including "Live in Europe" (1998), "The making of Vagabond Tales" (2003) and "Dig a Little Deeper" (2005), all of which continue to air periodically on television networks around the world. Two of Barrage's music videos, "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and "Running Horses", have received airplay in rotation on various music television networks. The group has also produced other music videos and performance clips made specifically for Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Barrage released their first album, "Live in Europe" in 1998, recorded live at multiple venues during Barrage's tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
that year.
Their self-titled album "Barrage
Barrage (album)
Barrage is the self-titled debut album by the band of the same name. It was recorded by the original cast of Barrage and was released in the year 2000...
", released in the year 2000, was the group's first studio album. It contains many original songs from the group's "A Violin Sings, A Fiddle Dances" tour. Barrage's second studio album "Vagabond Tales
Vagabond Tales
Vagabond Tales is the second album by the fiddle group Barrage. It features a more experimental feel than their previous album, with keyboards and other instruments added to the mix along with the violins, bass, guitar, drums and percussion. The album was released in 2003, in conjunction with...
" was released in 2003 in conjunction with the launch of the group's "Vagabond Tales" tour, containing many of the songs that were featured in the show.
In 2008, Barrage released "Scrapbook", a greatest hits album containing popular and well known songs from the group's shows and previous recordings. Also in 2008, Barrage's third studio album "High Strung" was released, containing music performed by Barrage during their "High Strung" tour.
The group's latest album, "Winter's Tale" was released in 2009. It is Barrage's first holiday album, containing their unique arrangements of holiday classics. The album also contains collaborations with Danish vocalist Stig Rossen.
Recent History
In 2006, Barrage changed their show format, moving away from their relatively large scale theatrical music shows to a slightly smaller scale, education-oriented format. The format change saw the cast decrease in size from 11 members to 8 and included the addition of a major educational componentMusic education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
to their touring. The current cast frequently works in American schools with its "Energize Your Strings!" program. This program includes a day-time workshop and an evening concert, usually in the school's auditorium or sometimes held at the local performing arts center.
Instrumentation and Music
Barrage violinists use acoustic violinsViolin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
fitted with custom wireless L.R. Baggs acoustic bridge pick-up
Pickup (music technology)
A pickup device is a transducer that captures mechanical vibrations, usually from suitably equipped stringed instruments such as the electric guitar, electric bass guitar, Chapman Stick, or electric violin, and converts them to an electrical signal that is amplified, recorded, or broadcast.-...
amplification systems during their performances. They exclusively use specially designed "Barrage" model carbon fiber Codabows
Bow (music)
In music, a bow is moved across some part of a musical instrument, causing vibration which the instrument emits as sound. The vast majority of bows are used with string instruments, although some bows are used with musical saws and other bowed idiophones....
. Vocals have always been a part of Barrage's performances, and all musicians in the group sing during the shows. Drum set, acoustic/electric guitar and bass guitar have been mainstay backline instruments used by Barrage throughout their existence. From 1996-2005, the backline featured a strong percussion and melodic mallet instrument
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
presence, however this element of the group has since been removed. Barrage has also been known to use piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboards, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, upright bass, tin whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
, low whistle
Low whistle
The low whistle, or concert whistle, is a variation of the traditional tin whistle/pennywhistle, distinguished by its lower pitch and larger size. It is most closely associated with the performances of modern Irish musicians and groups such as Riverdance and Davy Spillane, and is increasingly...
, harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, and other instruments at various times in their shows.
Barrage's repertoire is varied and extensive, and includes many musical styles. The group's musical director, Dean Marshall, has composed and/or arranged all of Barrage's musical material throughout it's entire history.
Personnel
The cast of Barrage is a group of young professional musicians from a variety of musical backgrounds. The cast has been made up of several different musicians throughout it's history. Current and past members have come from many countries around the world, including CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
From 1997 to 2005, Barrage was made up of seven violinists along with a guitarist, bassist, drummer and percussionist. The current cast of Barrage consists of five violinists with a guitarist, bassist, and drummer.
Current Cast
- Kristina Bauch (Canada - Violin/Piano)
- Charles Bullough (Canada - Drums)
- Lindy Donia (USA - Violin/Vocals)
- Tim Harley (Canada - Bass Guitar)
- Taylor Morris (USA - Violin)
- Daniel Pentecost (USA - Violin/Bagpipes/Whistles)
- Phil Smyth (USA - Guitars/Violin)
- Kiana Weber (USA - Violin)
Former Cast Members
- Seonaid Aitken (Scotland - Violin/Lead Vocals)
- Sarah Bennet (USA - Violin/Vocals)
- Stefan Defilet (England - Violin/Vocals)
- Denis Dufresne (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
- Scott Duncan (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
- Tommy Emmerton (Wales - Guitars)
- Alicia Enstrom (USA - Violin/Vocals)
- Bob Fenske (Canada - Percussion/Mallet instruments)
- Errol Fischer (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
- Carly Frey (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
- Ben Gale (England - Percussion/Mallet instruments)
- Jason Graham (Canada - Guitars)
- Allison Granger (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
- Mitchell Grobb (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
- Benjamin Gunnery (England - Violin/Vocals/Whistles)
- Matthew Harney (England - Violin/Vocals)
- Jessica Hindin (New Zealand - Violin/Vocals)
- Annette Homann (Germany - Violin/Vocals)
- Hidayat Honari (Canada - Guitars/Vocals)
- Jason Hurwitz (USA - Violin/Vocals)
- Naseem Khozein (USA - Violin/Vocals)
- Roxanne Leitch (Canada - Violin/Vocals/Whistles)
- Kent Macrae (Canada - Drum set)
- Jonathan McCaslin (Canada - Drum set)
- Matt McDonough (England - Drum set)
- Miranda Mulholland (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
- Lynae Oliver (USA - Violin/Lead Vocals)
- Clinton Pelletier (Canada - Guitars)
- Thomas Sidebottom (England - Violin/Vocals)
- Corinna Smith (USA - Violin/Vocals)
- Aaron Young (Canada - Guitars/Mandolin)
- Leah Zeger (USA - Violin/Vocals)
- Joshua Zubot (Canada - Violin/Vocals)
Creative Team / 5 to 1 Entertainments
- Dean Marshall (Musical Director/Artistic Director/Executive Producer)
- Brian Hanson (Choreographer/Artistic Director)
- John Crozman (Management/Executive Producer)
- Jana Wyber (Management/Executive Producer)
- Anthony Moore (Management/Executive Producer)
Discography
- (1998) Live in Europe
- (2000) BarrageBarrage (album)Barrage is the self-titled debut album by the band of the same name. It was recorded by the original cast of Barrage and was released in the year 2000...
- (2003) Vagabond TalesVagabond TalesVagabond Tales is the second album by the fiddle group Barrage. It features a more experimental feel than their previous album, with keyboards and other instruments added to the mix along with the violins, bass, guitar, drums and percussion. The album was released in 2003, in conjunction with...
- (2008) High Strung
- (2008) Scrapbook
- (2009) Winter's Tale
Film
- (1999) The World on Stage (Full length concert DVD)
- (2003) Vagabond Tales (Full length concert DVD)