Rockin' out, havin' fun with Bridge and Wolak

SEELEY LAKE – While one would not question a clarinet playing Benny Goodman's "Tattletale" and "Flying Home," adding an accordion to the duet created a whole new listening experience. This was what the Seeley Lake Elementary and Swan Valley School student bodies experienced at the Bridge and Wolack informance April 28. Later that day, they played at Seeley-Swan High School and a community concert in Swan Valley.

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolack brought their humor and musical brilliance to the students along with "fun" facts including there are 200 languages spoken in Toronto and 72% of the world's maple syrup is made in Canada. Wolack said, "If you choose to be performing artists, at some point you will get to travel and perform your art to other people. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to be an artist and live in one city all your life without going and performing anywhere. We go around the world and meet such nice people like yourselves."

They also taught a lot of fun facts about their instruments.

Bridge introduced his digital accordion. While it plays like a regular accordion, there are no moving parts inside "it is a computer shaped like an accordion," Bridge said. A bunch of sensors monitor the pressure he is putting on the bellows, how hard he strikes on the buttons and it adjusts the sound accordingly.

"He can watch a movie while he is playing his music," Wolack joked followed by laughter from the students. "See he is watching the Simpsons again."

"It is a lot of fun to play this because we can play literally any sound," Bridge said.

In addition to the bass notes with his left hand, the computer added percussion. The right hand played the melody as well as adding several other sounds and effects.

Wolack demonstrated the range on the clarinet. He also introduced the students to circular breathing while playing an original piece adapted from Johann Sebastian Bach that Bridge called "Rock Bach."

"You didn't take very many breaths in that song," Bridge said to Wolack. "You know it is written for a cello and a cellist does not have to stop when they are playing in order to breathe. You just kept blowing [the clarinet]. It is as if you can hold your breath forever."

Wolack taught the students "his magic trick" and how to circular breathe while playing his clarinet. He sustained the melody while pushing air out his cheeks while simultaneously breathing in through his nose. He said everyone does it while brushing their teeth.

Bridge challenged the students to hold their breath longer than Wolack could play. Wolack played continuously for more than a minute and half. The students erupted in applause as Wolack continued to play on and on.

The final vote was which instrument was harder to play – the accordion or clarinet. The students were split, half thinking the clarinet was harder and the other half thinking it was the accordion.

"They are both hard but for very different reasons," Bridge said.

Wolak pointed out that without a power supply there would be no way to play the digital accordion. However, he does not have all the lights or a screen with his instrument.

The Bridge and Wolack concert wrapped up the 2021-2022 Alpine Artisans 2 Valleys Stage concert series. Next season will resume at the end of the summer with Shakespeare in the Parks.

 

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