Bowfire

Bowfire is a Canadian musical group from Ontario, featuring multiple violins, led by violinist and composer Lenny Solomon. They perform an eclectic mix of classical music, jazz, bluegrass music, celtic music, rock music, and world music.[1]

Bowfire

In addition to the group's nine violinists/fiddlers, Bowfire also features Toronto-based erhu performer George Gao.[1] One of the group's popular compositions is "Fiddler in the Hood." They also perform covers of well-known tunes, including Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir."[1]

History

Bowfire was formed by Solomon in June 2000.[2] The group gave its first performance the following month at Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany, to a positive audience response. Bowfire was later invited to perform as part of the Governor-General's Awards show.

The ensemble gave a series of performances during the summer of 2001 in New York City, and embarked on a U.S. tour during the 2002-2003 season.

Bowfire's self-titled album was released in 2003.[3] In December that year the group made its Asian debut with performances in Taiwan. In 2005 the band started a youth outreach program.[4] Bowfire continued to tour internationally,[5] and had about 100 North American performance dates scheduled for 2008.[6][7]

Bowfire also filmed an HD concert special in conjunction with WLIW Public Television in New York, which aired on PBS stations throughout the United States. The ensemble continued to tour internationally in 2011.[8]

Members
  • Lenny Solomon
  • Stephane Allard
  • Stephane Cadman
  • Jon Pilatzke
  • Yi-Jia Susanne Hou[7][9]
  • George Gao
  • Shane Cook[7]
  • Bogdan Djukic
  • Ray Legere
  • Wendy Solomon
  • Kelli Trottier

[6]

References
  1. "There's no second fiddle; Bowfire, touring Ontario now, has attracted the very best of Canada's virtuoso string players". Toronto Star - Toronto, Ont. Quill, Greg Mar 20, 2009 Page: E.6
  2. "Canadian group Bowfire blends strings, step dancing". Wichita Eagle, By Bob Curtwright. December 04, 2009.
  3. " Bowfire Bowfire". AllMusic, Review by Rick Anderson
  4. "Local/State news". Kerrville Daily Times via Newspaper Archives. November 09, 2005 - Page 9
  5. "Bowfire's Back". Kerrville Daily Times, via Newspaper Archives. April 10, 2008 - Page 11
  6. "The Bowfire Group: Strings On Fire". All About Jazz, By Gref Henry Waters. May 23, 2008
  7. "Aiken welcomes Bowfire". Aiken Standard, via Newspaper Archives. January 11, 2008 - Page 22
  8. "Fiddler Shane Cook, friends, likenesses and Kyles launch CD". By James Stewart Reaney, The London Free Press, November 6, 2014
  9. "Music review: Violinist Hou exceptional in Flagler concert". Palm Beach Arts Paper, February 21, 2009 By Greg Stepanich
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