Flyer art by Zina Saunders

Download the 2013 NYC Musical Saw Festival Flyer
Full page DOWNLOAD HERE
Two on a page DOWNLOAD HERE
Four on a page DOWNLOAD HERE

When: Saturday, June 1st, 2013, 2pm
Where: Trinity Church, 31-18 37th Street (37th Street at 31st Avenue), Astoria, NY

How to get there:
Parking: Street
Public Transportation:
* ‘R’ subway train to Queens: Get off at the Steinway St, Station. Exit near intersection of Broadway and Steinway Street. Walk (2 blocks) west on Broadway towards 38th street. Turn right onto 37th St. Church is at the end of the block.
* ‘N’ or ‘Q’ subway train to Queens: Get off at the ‘Broadway’ stop. Walk on Broadway to 37th street (6 blocks). Turn left onto 37th street. Church is at the end of the block.
View Larger Map

Admission: $10

What:
Please check back here for updates.

* NATALIA ‘SAW LADY’ PARUZ, founder & organizer of the Musical Saw Festival, will present the musical saw as an ensemble instrument in music composed for film and TV

* Premier of new compositions for the musical saw by composers Ady Cohen and Scott Munson

* A musical saw art exhibit
Paintings by: Lisa Alonso Canellas, Shoshana Kertesz Hoyt, Yirmi Pinkus, Zina Saunders, Heidi Younger, Aaron Porter, Jamie Isenstein, Kenly Dillard, Rodney Bauer, Miriam Paskalski, Barrett Cobb, Alyssa Steele, Young Joo, Michael Watson, Kauri Sievers

* Musical saw poetry: poet Willa France will recite her poetry about the musical saw.

* Solos by musical saw players from around the world

* The ‘Chorus of the Saws’ (all participating musical saw players playing together, accompanied by piano).

* Musical saw workshops
Musical saw player Olivier Doucet of Canada will teach a workshop about his unique technique. Points in the workshop:
Advantage of moving both ends of the saw
Approach of bowing based on fundamental physics (from light and fast to slow and heavy)
Fundamental difference between violin bow and musical saw bow
How to jump from note to note without glissando
How to avoid scratching sound
Edge modification & conditioning
Staccato on the saw
Modulating the sound level of a high note after playing a low note

Musical saw player Doc George of NY will teach a workshop about the hammered musical saw.
Musical saw player Mike Waldeck Jr. of West Virginia will teach a workshop about miking the musical saw
Musical saw player Thom Eno of Michigan will teach a Beginner Saw workshop (for people who have never played saw before) – covering how to hold the saw, picking a good saw and some basic theory with demonstrations and a chance for everyone to try to play a saw or two.

The musical saw player who travels the farthest in order to attend the festival is considered the “guest of honor”.

NYC Musical Saw Festival souvenir T-shirts will be available for purchase:
* new design (M, L, XL, – $20 each, XXL – $25)
* old design (only L available – $20 each).

Time Magazine’s report of the last Musical Saw Festival:

Musical saw players wishing to participate in the festival :
If you would like to participate as a saw player (whether as a soloist, a participant in the ‘Chorus of the Saws’ or to take the workshop) or as a member of the audience, please contact us through the ‘Contact’ page and send us your name, e-mail address and whether you are a saw player or not.

If you wish to sponsor the NYC Musical Saw Festival – please contact us.

Non musical saw musicians participating in the festival:

Composer ADY COHEN is a film composer who composed for the musical saw in his score for the award winning animation film ‘Strings’.
He also composes music for the stage, TV and the concert hall. He is the winner of the 2012 ACUM (Israeli ASCAP) Award for Best Score for a Children’s Film, and the 1998 Israeli Academy Award for Best Film Score. His career ignited with the help of the late Maestro Leonard Bernstein, who has been Ady’s patron and sponsored his studies at New York University where he graduated with Honors as a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Ady has composed over 30 film scores, among them: “Passover Fever”, “Song of the Siren”, “Dangerous Acts” and more. He has written the music for numerous theater plays, among them “The Imaginary Invalid”, “Night in Tel Aviv”, “Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson”, and dance performances, as well as for TV films and series, such as “The Ex List” (Channel 2, sold to NBC), “When Shall We Kiss” (Channel 10, sold to HBO Europe), “Custody” (Channel 2), “Deus” (The Children’s Channel) and more. His talents are also employed by the advertising industry in TV, cinema and radio commercials and jingles.

Composer SCOTT MUNSON’s music has been performed throughout the world in concert halls, TV and on radio. He composed numerous pieces for the musical saw, including the musical saw solo in the Fox Searchlight movie ‘Another Earth’.
In 2007 his work “The Undeterred” for piano, voice and musical saw, premiered at Carnegie recital hall and was later repeated at New York’s Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts. His ballet “Stand Back” (with musical saw part) has been performed numerous times by members of the Eric Hawkins Dance Company. In 2009 the ballet company Eidolon performed choreography to two of his works for musical saw at the Joyce Theatre Soho. His two works for musical saw and string quartet were played at a concert in Israel in spring 2010.
Mr. Munson’s music has been heard on many TV stations including CBS, MTV, FOX,CNN, Bravo, A&E, The WE Channel, The History Channel as well as on radio stations such as XM Radio, WBAI, Radio Marabu (Germany), Radio Centraal (Belgium) and others. In 2006 an hour long radio program dedicated to the music of Mr. Munson along with an interview with the composer aired on Radio Kol Hamusika in Israel, the most prestigious classical radio station in that country.
He has won numerous awards, commissions and grants including first place in National Public Radio’s (NPR) “All Songs Considered” contest for his original arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and a “Meet The Composer” grant for his composition “Fantasy” for trumpet and vibraphone.

DANIEL RADTKE (Conductor) has conducted a wide repertory from Medieval through Modern music with the Goliard Chorale and Chamber Orchestra, The Astoria Symphony, The Most Precious Blood Concert Choir and Orchestra, The Bronx Concert Singers, The Brooklyn Consort, The Canby Singers, The Saint Joseph?s Chorale and Orchestra. As a singer, he has performed as a member of The Greg Smith Singers, The Manhattan Chorale, The National Chorale, The Juilliard Choral Singers, The New York Choral Artists, The Temple Emmanuel Choir, Musica Sacra and Voices of Ascension. As a member of the Commission on Music for the Brooklyn/Queens Diocese, has performed as conductor, cantor and organist and has directed workshops in Song Leading and Conducting. He began his professional career in 1973 as a member of the U. S. O. performing for American troops in Europe. He is an honors graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Steven’s Point where he frequently performed leading roles in musical theater, opera and dance productions. He has been the Music Director at Most Precious Blood parish in Astoria for the past 23 years. Dan has been a long time advocate of the music of Scott Munson. He has commissioned and conducted premiers of many composers dating back to 1980.

LAWRENCE ZOERNIG (Cello) has been principal cellist of many New York symphony and chamber orchestras, including New York Chamber Orchestra, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Bachanalia, Opera Manhattan and the New York Scandia Symphony.
He has appeared with well-known dance ensembles including the Paul Taylor Dance Company and the David Parsons Dance Company. He has appeared as soloist and chamber musician at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall in New York and the Phillips Collection and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
His Scandia Quartet was invited to play for former US President
Jimmy Carter and his wife, Roslyn, at the Carter Center in Atlanta,
Georgia, and for the Prince and Princess of Denmark at the Hans Christian Anderson Centenniel Celebration.
As a concert artist on the international scene, Mr. Zoernig has
been presented at the Teatro Amazones in Manaus, Brazil and the World Expo in Seville, Spain and has also performed extensively on Cunard Line cruise ships throughout the world, as well as on the National Tour of the award winning hit Broadway show, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”.
Meet the Composer Foundation provided Mr. Zoernig with a
grant for his work as a composer of music for cello.
He received a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School.

ELAINE OLSCHESKY (Flute) residing in Astoria, Queens, is active in many areas of the classical music business, holding positions as a performer, music instructor and arts administrator. She received her Master’s Degree in flute performance from New York University where she studied privately with world-renowned flutist, Keith Underwood, and new music/extended technique classes with Robert Dick. She earned her Bachelor of Music in performance from Ithaca College where she studied with Kelly Covert. Ms. Olschesky’s previous engagements include a solo concerto world premiere with the Astoria Symphony, two concerto soloist performances with Goliard Concerts, and principal flute/piccolo concerto soloist with the Queensborough Orchestra. She has also performed with the Light Opera of New York, the Julliard School, Ohio Light Opera, Vertical Player Repertory, Christ Church Festival Orchestra, and with the New Music and Dance Ensemble at NYU’s contemporary music festival in Genova, Italy. Ms. Olschesky was the conductor and chamber music coach for NYU’s Wednesday Night Orchestra, and she has held several arts administration positions as the Administrative Director of Goliard Concerts, Orchestra Manager for NYU’s Symphony Orchestra, and additional positions with MidAmerica Productions and Interlochen Center for the Arts.

KATHLEEN DITMER (French Horn) M.A., Western Illinois University; B.M., Hartt College of Music. Studied with Paul Ingraham, William Capps, James Jacobs. Former faculty member, pre-college divisions of Manhattan School of Music and Hartt College of Music. Currently teaches privately, at the Wharton School of Music, and at select summer band camps nationwide. Well-known French Hornist with a wide variety of solo, chamber music, orchestral, brass band and jazz band credits in New York and New Jersey as well as throughout the U.S. Extensive career includes performances with the Metropolitan Opera, American Ballet Theatre, Long Island Philharmonic, Queens Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Nashville Symphony, New Jersey Symphony and St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble. Broadway credits include Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. Recordings with Odyssey, Audio Media, Sound Stage Productions, LSI Studios, Nashville Sound Studios, and Opryland USA Show Orchestra.

ALEXANDR ANISIMOV (Violin) was born in Russia in 1975 into a musical family, and started his musical studies at the age of six. He graduated from the Russian State Music Academy and also has got the postgraduate Diploma with Prof. Shisman.
Since 2000 he has regularly performed as a soloist and conductor with various orchestras in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan (Tatarstan), Ufa (Bashkortostan), Astana (Kazakhstan) and others. Since 2010 to 2012 Alexander has worked in the National Symphony Orchestra (Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia) as a concertmaster, soloist and a second conductor.
Alexander was the first performer of works by contemporary composers and composes himself. In 2009 Alexander was admitted to the Association of Russian Composers. For his achievements in performing arts, he was awarded a grant from the Russian Musical Association, TV prize “Person of the Year”, and Orenburg Governor’s Prize.
He has also been the prize winner of the following International competitions: “Citta di Moncalieri” (1999, Italy); “Hopes, Talents, Masters” (2004, 2007, Bulgaria); “Valtidone Competition” (2005, Italy) and others. He was awarded prizes in various categories: “Solo performance (Violin)”, “Chamber Ensemble”, “Composition”.
In 2011 Alexander has received his PHD.

MARK WADE (Bass) A graduate of New York University, Bassist Mark Wade is an active freelance player. Credits include the Janecek Philharmonic, Orchestra of the SEM, The Antara Ensemble, Orchestra of the Bronx, DiCapo Opera, Key West Symphony, Light Opera of New York, and The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He played on Broadway for “It A’int Nothin But The Blues”. Jazz credits include Jimmy Heath’s “Four Black Immortals” project, Stacy Kent, Bill Warfield, and The Natchez Music Festival. He is a founding member of the Queens Jazz OverGround.

JEFFREY ELLENBERGER (Viola) Violist/violist/mandolinist/conductor Jeffrey Ellenberger graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Erick Friedman. He will receive his masters degree in conducting from Rutgers University in Spring of 2014. He has performed as the concertmaster of the Bar Harbor Festival Orchestra, and played on Broadway with “Les Miserables”, and with the Brooklyn Philharmonic and New York City Opera. In the pop world, he has performed for Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Harry Connick Jr. This is his 8th season as conductor of the New York Mandolin Orchestra, which perhaps will soon feature a soloist performing on the saw!

JULIANNE KLOPOTIC (Violin) Founder of Light and Sound Concerts, a new music series residing in Brooklyn, NY. She received degrees with honors from the North Carolina School for the Arts, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Mannes College, with post graduate studies at Juilliard. Appearing as a performing artist in NYC and abroad, she is winner of the Artists International Solo Competition, grant recipient of the Mikhashoff Trust for New Music, NY Women Composers Society and has been nominated into both National and International Who’s Who of performers. In addition, to her classical performance is her innate ability to work with and record 20/21st century chamber music; including works of living composers and arranging for songwriters/bands. Recordings Ms Klopotic can be heard: A&M, Arista , American Federation of Microtonal Music, 4-Tay, Colombia, Durtro, Electra, Geffen , Equal Vision, Naxos, Pitch, Polygram, Restless, Socialist, Stockholm , Sony Classical, TTP, Touch and Go and Universal records.
Julianne has played with and arranged for strings and saw on the album ‘Dogs’ with Nina Nastaia. (track-Stormy Weather) You can learn more about Julianne by visiting her Light & Sound website at www.lightandsound-concerts.org

CARLOS BAPTISTE (Violin) was born in London England of Caribbean parentage. At the age of seven he began his Violin studies and continued them at the Yehudi Menuhin school and the Royal Academy of Music in London. During his studentship at the Academy, Mr Baptiste was the recipient of the Academy’s highest honors in Violin performance including the Concerto competition in which he performed the Concerto in D major by Tchaikovsky.
Mr Baptiste came to New York City to continue his studies at the Mannes College of Music as a scholarship recipient. Carlos Baptiste currently makes his home in New York City and he makes regular appearances as a soloist and chamber musician. He is also founder of the critically acclaimed African-American group “Diaspora Chamber Players.”

NUNO ANTUNES (clarinet) was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and began his music studies at the C.N.R. of Leiria at age 11. Mr. Antunes continued his education at ANSO (Lisbon), and earned his MM at Manhattan School of Music.
Mr. Antunes’ appearance in competitions has resulted in several prizes, including the R.D.P. Young Musicians Prize and the Portuguese Young Clarinetist Competition. Having a recognized versatility in several different musical styles, Nuno Antunes has performed extensively as a recitalist, chamber musician and in various professional orchestras, both in the U.S., Mexico and Europe.
His love for chamber music led to the creation of The Gene Project, a unique combination of clarinet, bassoon and harp. He is also a member of Ensemble 54 clarinet quartet. Mr. Antunes had his NYC debut as a soloist in 2007 at Musica Bella Concert Series and he gave a recital at the XX International Clarinet Meeting (Lisbon, Portugal).
Mr. Antunes is the principal clarinetist of the Miami Symphony Orchestra and a member of IRIS orchestra.
Nuno Antunes teaches clarinet at the Horace Mann School and is on the faculty for Praxis Youth Leadership Orchestra and for New York Summer Music Festival

FRANCISCO SALAZAR (Violin) Born in Caracas Venezuela, Francisco Salazar began his violin studies at age 6, and at age 8 made his debut as a soloist with orchestra. Since then he has performed extensively as a concert violinist, and has toured all over the world with the Simon Bolivar Orchestra of Venezuela which he joined at age 14. Having already established himself as one of the top performers in his native country, Francisco decided to come to the United States to attend The Juilliard School where he obtained his B.M and M.M degrees as a scholarship student of Margaret Pardee. Since coming to the States Francisco has continued the success that started early on in his native country, and has performed as a soloist and a chamber musician to rave reviews by music critics in prestigious venues such as Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie’s Weill, Kimmel Center, and many others.
Currently Francisco resides in New York City, is a member of the Harrisburg Symphony, concertmaster of a variety of ensembles in NYC, and maintains a busy schedule as a soloist and chamber musician.

JUDY DIMINO (piano) is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, serving in the choir, the handbell choir, as an assisting minister, and as a substitute organist. Judy is a graduate of Queens College, now known as the Aaron Copland School of Music, with a B.A. in Music Education.
Judy was a pianist for the Committee Of Police Societies Chorus and Runner-Up in the International Piano Recording Competition 1982 She received the Presiding Bishop’s Certificate of Church Music from the Leadership Program for Musicians at The Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, Long Island in 2004. Judy has taught piano, guitar and accordion in various locations in the Queens area. Judy recently received a Certificate in Church Music from Westminster Conservatory, Princeton, New Jersey.

ROMULO BENAVIDES (Violin) studied with the late Emil Friedman in his native Venezuela and obtained his Bachelors degree from The Juilliard School. As Concertmaster of Arcos Juveniles de Caracas, he performed as soloist in the United States, Spain, Dominican Republic and throughout Venezuela, and in 1985, he won 1st Prize at the Juan Bautista Plaza Violin Competition in Caracas. He went on to perform as soloist with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, Carabobo Chamber Orchestra and the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra. In New York City he has performed with the Carpentier Quartet, Ensemble America, Frank Valiente Tango Quintet, and with Mauricio Najt and Alberto Quiroga. Benavides performs as the first violinist of the Dali Quartet and is Concertmaster and featured soloist of the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. He has recorded for New World Records and performed in master classes for Itzhak Perlman at Brooklyn College and for Peter Winograd at The Aspen Music School.

Time Magazine

Assemblymember Aravella Simotas Presents Citation of Honor to NYC Musical Saw Festival
Queens Times

Assembly Member Aravella Simotas presented the Queens based NYC Musical Saw Festival with a citation of honor for “9 years of artistic excellence in Astoria ”.. In her speech at the festival, which took place on July 16th, Simotas said she has a love and appreciation of music since she used to play the clarinet, and she finds it so wonderful that the NYC Musical Saw Festival takes place at the Hellenic Cultural
Center in Astoria and she hopes it will continue to do so for many
years to come.
The festival presented 37 musical saw players who came from
as far away as India , Japan , Germany and Sweden , and as
nearby as Astoria and Sunnyside. Amongst the many performances
in this concert which lasted 4 hours was a world premier of a
composition commissioned by the festival from composer Eyal Bat.
The composition, titled ‘Courts of Heaven’, was written for four
musical saws and piano. This is a historical first for the art form
of playing music on a carpenter’s handsaw, since it is the first time
a composer set out to write for this particular instrumentation. The
piece resembled a fuge form and showcased both harmony passages
as well as individual solo lines. Pianist Judy Dimino provided gentle accompaniment to the otherworldly choir of saws.
Natalia ‘Saw Lady’ Paruz, founder and organizer of the annual festival, presented a few pieces from her new album ‘I Saw the Future’: ‘ Bend ’ and ‘Ars Longa Vita Brevis’ – two piece for string quartet and musical saw by Scott Munson as well as ‘Air on the G String’ by J.S. Bach. ‘I Saw the Future’ is available f rom www.cdbaby.com/Artist/NataliaParuz
The Trinity Handbell Choir, directed by Richard Walker, accompanied Paruz on two classical pieces – Gymnopedie/Satie and Pavane/Faure.
Poet Willa France recited two of her poems about the musical
saw and 12 visual artists presented their paintings inspired
by the musical saw. A little girl named Lillian Carver, daughter
of the “Singer & Saw” duo who presented a comical skit revolving around the musical saw, was so inspired by the art exhibit that
she asked for a piece of paper and during the concert she drew her
own impression from the concert, depicting the music as heavenly
through a visual of the ‘Saw Lady’ playing on a cloud.
Many musical saw solos and duos followed as well as the ‘Roe
Family Singers’ – a band featuring the musical saw. Music ranged
from Liszt & Beethoven to pop classics such as ‘Mona Lisa’ & ‘Bessame Mucho’, to religious tunes such as ‘How Great Thou Art’ to movie music such as ‘Pure Imagination’ from Willy Wonka.
The concert ended with the ‘Chorus of the Saws’ – all saw players playing ‘Over the Rainbow’ together. Eerily mesmerizing, 37 saws playing together is certainly an unearthly sound unlike any other.
After the concert saw players were treated to four workshops that
ranged in difficulty from beginner to advanced. To celebrate the success of the festival, ‘Opa’ Greek restaurant received an influx of
diners carrying musical instruments that evening. The festival,
which is made possible in part with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Queens Council on the Arts, was also supported by local merchants such as Maria’s Hair Salon and Imagination Hairdesigners, who displayed the festival’s poster in their storefront windows.

Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi Natalia–
I hope you have had the chance to crash! What a wonderful event you created. I enjoyed every performance and thought the final saw “orchestral” numbers were terrific. I could see everyone taking cues from you. And I also observed so many playing styles, more than i could have imagined.
Best, Willa
(NY)

Hi Natalia,
Each year my pilgrimage to the saw festival brings new musical surprises, new friends and new techniques that I can try and work on. The talent and diversity in style that was demonstrated by those who participated reflected their dedication to the musical saw and many hours of practice. This, I believe, is the result of the encouragement and the promotion by you through the saw festival. It brings like minded musicians together. Thank you for all the efforts you put into planning this superb festival. I for one look forward to attending again in 2012.
Best wishes,
Stew
(PA)

Hi Natalia,
I hope you have had a chance to relax after another successful festival. Sarah and I had a great time.
Thanks,
-Nathan
(NY)

Nathan’s daughter, Lillian, was inspired by the art exhibit at the festival and drew this drawing at the festival:

Natalia,
It was an honor to be at the saw festival this year. It was great. Thanks for all your dedication to our unusual but beautiful instrument, the musical saw!
I hope you get some time to recover from this years event. You did a wonderful job with it all and Anne and I wish you the best in the future. It would be awesome to attend again in the future.
Until we meet again,
Rev. Harris | Minister of Music
(North Carolina)

Dear Natali Paruz!
Thank you so much for your festival and perormances!
I was the pianist who came up to you before the concert with my mother.
I wanted to ask if i can set up a lesson with you if you have time.
Sincerely and all the best,
Maxim
(NY)

Hi, Natalia. Thank you so very much for all of the time, love and energy that you put into yesterday’s festival.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and take good care!
Many hugs,
Jeff
(PA)

congratulations! …on a wonderful event this saturday.
it was lovely playing with you!
warm regards,
RG. (violinist)
(NY)

Natalia,
Thank you so much for putting together this festival. It was fun and informative and I indeed thought the workshops very interesting and helpful. It was fun joining you for dinner and getting to know you a little bit. I hope to be able to come again next year and will keep working on the “Dyer” Song Blade.
Yours Truly,
David
(OH)

The festival was awesome, everyone did a great job, I think the rate this is going you are going to need a bigger place. I enjoyed everyone, of course my most favorite is my husband Steve and Stew, they brought tears to my eyes, I was so proud of them. Thanks for all you do, you are one unique lady, and so is your husband, I know he did alot of work also to pull this off.
Charlene
(PA)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Great event. I loved it. Dinner in the restaurant was fun too!
-Paul
(NY)

Natalia:
Great job and a wonderful time at the festival.
Thanks for making this gathering such a success
Bob
(NJ)

Great time today and our friends enjoyed it very much!
Pat
(NY)

I didn’t realize the musical saw is so versatile!
Debbie
(audience)

Excellent as usual
Aaron
(visual artist)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Wonderful
Inez
(audience)

Stunning!
Kaylee
(audience)

Splendid, great, superb
Joseph
(audience)

Excellent!!!
Leslie
(audience)

Super!!!
Virginia
(audience)

Beautiful
Aime
(audience)

Wonderful time
Steve & Charlene
(PA)

Wonderful day!
Stew
(PA)

Looking forward to the next Saw Festival! It was an awesome experience.
Cynthia
(audience)

Flyer art by Zina Saunders

Download the 2011 NYC Musical Saw Festival Flyer
Full page DOWNLOAD HERE
Two on a page DOWNLOAD HERE
Four on a page DOWNLOAD HERE

When: Saturday, July 16th, 2011, 2pm.

Where: Hellenic Cultural Center, 27-09 Crescent Street (corner of Newtown Avenue), Astoria, NY 11102-3142
The entrance to the festival is on Newtown Avenue.

Parking: Street
Public Transportation: N/Q Train to 30th Ave (walk on 31st street one blockto Newtown Avenue. Make a left onto Newtown Avenue. Walk almost 4 blocks to the Hellenic Cultural Center).

Admission: $10

What:
NATALIA ‘SAW LADY’ PARUZ, founder & organizer of the Musical Saw Festival, will present the musical saw as an ensemble instrument in contemporary and classical music, with participation of a string quartet and a handbell choir.

* Premier of 2 new compositions for the musical saw by composers Scott Munson and Eyal Bat (piece for four musical saws and piano), commissioned for the Musical Saw Festival.

* A musical saw art exhibit
Paintings by: Zina Saunders, Heidi Younger, Aaron Porter, Miriam Paskalski, Jamie Isenstein, Kenly Dillard, Barrett Cobb, Alyssa Steele, Young Joo, Michael Watson, Kauri Sievers, Claude Bonang

*Musical saw poetry: poet Willa France will recite her poetry about the musical saw.

* Solos by saw players from around the world

* The ‘Chorus of the Saws’ (all participating musical saw players playing together, accompanied by piano).

* Musical saw workshop
 
The musical saw player who travels the farthest in order to attend the festival is considered the “guest of honor”.

NYC Musical Saw Festival souvenir T-shirts will be available for purchase:
* new design (M, L, XL, – $20 each, XXL – $25)
* old design (only L available – $20 each).

Non musical saw musicians participating in the festival:

TRINITY HANDBELL CHOIR, directed by Richard Walker

LAWRENCE ZOERNIG (cello), has been principal ‘cellist of many New York symphony and chamber orchestras, including New York Chamber Orchestra, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Bachanalia and Opera Manhattan. Mr. Zoernig premièred Lars-Erik Larsson’s Concertino for ‘Cello and String Orchestra at Trinity Church with the New York Scandia Symphony, for which he is also principal ‘cellist. He has also recently performed the Cello Concerto by Johan Svendsen with the Scandia Symphony.
As a chamber musician, he performs frequently with the Goliard
Ensemble and Bachanalia. He has appeared with such noted artists as
violinists Nina Beilina, Sidney Harth and Mark Peskanov, clarinetist
Charles Neidich, guitarist David Starobin, and well-known dance
ensembles including the Paul Taylor Dance Company and the David
Parsons Dance Company. He has appeared as soloist and chamber musician at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall in New York and the Phillips Collection and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C..
His Scandia Quartet was invited to play for former US President
Jimmy Carter and his wife, Roslyn, at the Carter Center in Atlanta,
Georgia, and for the Prince and Princess of Denmark at the New York
Public Library’s Hans Christian Anderson Centenniel Celebration.
As a concert artist on the international scene, Mr. Zoernig has
been presented at the Teatro Amazones in Manaus, Brazil and the World Expo in Seville, Spain and has also performed extensively on Cunard Line cruise ships Queen Elizabeth II, Caronia, Vistafjord, Sagafjord, and Royal Viking Sun throughout the world.
Lawrence Zoernig recently returned from the National Tour of the
award winning hit Broadway show, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”.
Meet the Composer Foundation recently provided Mr. Zoernig with a
grant for his work as a composer of music for cello. Additionally, he
maintains an active teaching schedule and is presently a faculty
member of the Sylvan Academy of Music in Closter, NJ.
Lawrence Zoernig was born in 1960 in Sioux City, Iowa. He began
studying ‘cello at age eight. He attended the National Academy of Arts in Champaign, Illinois, an arts-centered boarding school. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Alan Harris, and a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School where he studied with Harvey Shapiro. At Juilliard he also worked extensively with Felix Galimir, Joel Krosnick, John, Cage, Albert Fuller and Jaap Schröder.
He has also coached with members of the Guarneri, Juilliard, Budapest,
Tokyo, and Hungarian Quartets.
He plays a Stradivarious model ‘cello made by Tim Hulley of Ottawa,
Ontario, completed in 2004.

OLIVIER FLUCHAIRE (violin), won his first international competition at the age of 11. Two years later, upon receiving his Premier Prix from the Grenoble Conservatory, he entered London’s prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School. At the Menuhin School, he had the privilege of studying with Lord Menuhin himself and in 1991, performed J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins with Maestro Menuhin at the Montpellier Opera House, France. By the time he arrived in America in 1992, he had already concertized in Austria, England, France, Belgium, Lithuania and Russia.
Mr. Fluchaire gave his New York recital debut in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2001 as winner of the Artists International Competition. Following engagements with the French Philharmonia Orchestra, Bachanalia Orchestra, Jupiter Symphony, Hunter Symphony, Orchestra of the Bronx and the Camerata Lisy, he has recorded for the Vox and Keuka Labels, as well as Radio France, MDR Leipzig, “The Listening Room with Robert Sherman,” WQXR-FM, National Public Radio and the BBC Television, Bronxnet Television, National Educational Television and France 3 Television.
Olivier Fluchaire has performed chamber music concerts alongside members of the Guarneri, American, and Emerson string quartets, as well as Martin Canin, Nina Beilina, Mark Peskanov and Anthony McGill and is a founding member of the New York String Quartet. An ardent champion of new music, he has premiered works by standing composers such as Toshi Ichiyanagi, Samuel Adler, Nils Vigeland, David Keberle, Mathew Harris, Gerald Chenoweth, Lethat Klein and Elias Tanenbaum.

RACHEL GOLUB (violin) is a violinist, vocalist, string arranger and session artist of many colors and sounds. She has been seen on stage with artists ranging from Sting, Elton John and Lady Gaga to Jay-Z, Andrea Bocelli, Florence Welch, Joss Stone and Suzanne Vega.
As an arranger and session artist, her performances can be heard on recordings with EarthRise SoundSystem (Makyen Ghrir Allah, Ajnabee), The Walkmen (Lisbon), Ryuchi Sakamoto, Breaking Benjamin (Without You), Modern English, Average Superstar, Lucy Woodward, Seth Glier (The Next Right Thing), Chris Caffery, and many others. As her alter-ego, Go-Ray, she and writing partner Duke Mushroom recently released ‘The Yoga Sessions: Go-Ray & Duke’, featuring Duke’s beats and Go-Ray’s strings and vocals, on Yoga Organix/Black Swan.
In New York, Rachel can be heard leading improvising ensembles like Ensemble Sospeso and the Club Foot Orchestra, often accompanying silent films, and performing with the Sirius Quartet or members of FLUX. She is a frequent player with Elliott Sharp’s Orchestra Carbon and Syndakit, and was featured in 2010 at the Whitney Museum’s Christian Marclay Festival.
As an orchestral player she is often onstage with Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New Jersey Symphony, American Ballet Theatre, Opera Orchestra New York, Sympho, and other symphonic engagements ranging from Star Wars in Concert to Pierre Hughye’s antarctic orchestra for ‘A journey that wasn’t’. Other regular chamber music engagements include North/South Consonance, Lost Dog Composers’ Collective, Lincoln Center Present’s educational programs, and Musica Viva. Rachel was the violin soloist with the Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre’s klezmer band for their production of ‘On Second Avenue’ and the BQE Project’s The Golem, featured live on WNYC on several occasions.
Rachel is featured on White Swan, EMI and Chesky Records, and in Universal and Warner Bros. pictures including ‘Music & Lyrics’.

BORIS DEVIATOV (viola) – Boris Deviatov earned his Master’s Degree and Doctorate of Music from the Lvov State Conservatory, Ukraine. As a member of the Leontovych String Quartet, one of the leading string quartets from the former Soviet Union, Mr. Deviatov has appeared in the major concert halls of North America, South America and Europe. He also participated in numerous international festivals, including Mostly Mozart, Music Mountain, and the Newport Music Festival.
His chamber music performances include collaborations with such distinguished artists as Yuri Bashmet, Ruggiero Ricci, Ruth Laredo, Vladimir Spivakov, and Samuel Sanders. Mr. Deviatov is the winner of several competitions, both as a violist and conductor, the most notable being first prize in the All Soviet Union Viola Competition. He has concertized throughout the Soviet Union and Europe as a music director, conductor and soloist of the Ivano-Frankovsk Chamber Orchestra.
Here in the United States, he performs as a member of the Lumina String Quartet and the New York Chamber Symphony. He is a principal violist of the Bachanalia Chamber Orchestra and the String Orchestra of New York City. Mr. Deviatov has recorded for Greystone Records, Koch International Classics, The Musical Heritage Society, and Melodia (USSR).

Musical saw workshop:
Open to musical saw players only (not open to the public at large).
The workshop will take place after the concert.
Musical saw player Adam Wirtzfeld of MN will teach the technique of Multiphonics – playing two notes at once on the saw, using overtones.
Musical saw player Doc George of NY will teach a workshop about the hammered musical saw.
Musical saw player Joel Eckhaus of ME will teach a workshop about the “long bow” technique.
Musical saw player Gene Nichols of ME (Associate Professor of Music, University of Maine) will teach a workshop about ‘A Lumberjack Song’ for saw and chamber orchestra.

Last year’s Musical Saw Festival:

Musical saw players wishing to participate in the festival :
If you would like to participate as a saw player (whether as a soloist, a participant in the ‘Chorus of the Saws’ or to take the workshop) or as a member of the audience, please contact us through the ‘Contact’ page and send us your name, e-mail address and whether you are a saw player or not.

The festival is made possible in part with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Queens Council on the Arts.

Making music with a saw and violin bow may sound like a niche interest, but the NYC Musical Saw Festival at the Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria Saturday proved it is one with an international appeal that only seems to be growing.
Festival organizer Natalia “Saw Lady” Paruz, a 17-year saw player who lives in Astoria, said the event began with four musical saw players and now, eight years later, has grown to 30, with players coming from as close by as New York City to as far away as Japan.
This year also featured the debut of both a new song composed specifically for the musical saw, “Seen and Unseen” by Eyal Bat, and the debut of Paruz’s new band, Ameriklectic, which played compositions in which the musical saw is the featured instrument. Paruz said she is already planning to record with her new band and to hold next year’s festival at a larger venue.
“Astoria has sort of become a pilgrimage place for musical saw players,” Paruz said.
Paruz’s passion for the instrument, which has led her to multiple concert and media appearances from a solo in Carneige Hall to an appearance on MTV’s “Andy Milonakis Show” to NPR’s “Prairie Home Companion,” has made her a lightning rod for other fans of the instrument.
Before she became a musician, Paruz was a dancer but was hit by a car while walking on the street.
“That put an end to my dance career,” Paruz said, “and I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life.”
When she took a trip to Europe with her parents a short time after being hit, she saw a man playing a saw, which she said was the first time she had felt excited about something since the accident. When she started playing, it began as a hobby, but her neighbors heard her playing and asked her to play for a charity function.
Word of mouth spread, first to other venues that wanted Paruz to play for them, which led to Paruz playing the musical saw and other musical instruments such as handbells professionally, then to other musical saw players. Eight years ago, a musical saw player from California contacted Paruz and wanted to come to New York to meet Paruz. She said yes, but only if the other, local musical saw players Paruz knew could meet the Californian as well.
This was the birth of the first musical saw festival. In subsequent years, more and more musical saw players wanted to meet with Paruz, and what began as meet-ups turned into an annual event that now takes all year to plan. The small theater was packed at the Hellenic center at 27-09 Crescent St.
“They just unanimously decided I should be the one to put on the festival,” she said.
Paruz said the musical saw is played by placing the handle between the legs for stability, then using the left hand to bend the blade from the tip as the right hand runs a violin bow along the non-serrated edge. The more the saw is bent, the higher the notes. Any saw can be played this way, although most saws made for music have no teeth or have teeth that are decorative and not sharpened.
“I’ve been playing for 17 years and I’ve never hurt myself,” Paruz said.
Lisa Mayer, a former Hillcrest resident who played at the festival with her husband and Kew Gardens native Sruli Dresdner, said the saw’s use as a carpenter tool and a musical instrument is one of its appeals.
“It’s utilitarian and artistic,” she said.
WooYoung Park, who came from Osaka, Japan, to play at the festival, said the sound of the musical saw is also a prime appeal.
“The sound is beautiful and unique,” she said. “It’s a free sound.”
Paruz said that for her the music has become a way for her to meet people of all ages, religions and backgrounds, in addition to sounding beautiful.
“It’s angelic and otherworldly and spiritual,” Paruz said. “It has a magic to it.”

Musical Saw Festival Opens With Mayoral Proclamation

All participating 26 musical saw players playing together.
Photo Harris Graber

The eighth annual New York City Musical Saw Festival welcomed 26 musical saw players from around the globe to the Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria on August 7. A proclamation from Mayor Michael Bloomberg was read to open the event.

Ameriklectic, a local 10-piece band, featured the musical saw (played by festival founder Natalia “Saw Lady” Paruz) as the lead instrument in jazz compositions by Scott Munson. Two musical saw trios were presented at the festival, “Moscow Nights”, played by three musical saw players from Osaka, Japan. A ragtime piece by composer Eyal Bat, commissioned by the festival, with musical saw players Chelsea Winter, Sharif Vakili and Paruz, with piano accompaniment by Judy Dimino, had its world premier.

Musical saw player Paul Gherson parodied the lyrics to George Gershwin’s “Summertime”.

“Summer time, and the living is easy,

Bows are swinging, and vibrations are high…

Oh, but sawyers are few, and Natalia’s still looking,

The Carpenter’s Union she invited to try!”

Hip Hop poet Mason Granger presented a poem about the musical saw and musical saw player Doc George Hiller played his amplified musical saw attached to guitar pedals that alter the sound in various ways, making it sound like a Jimmy Hendrix guitar. A workshop where advanced musical saw players dispensed information to beginners followed the concert. At the workshop, two aspiring musical saw players drew their very first note from a saw.

Mark Grant, who has composed for the musical saw, said: “As a composer I learned a little more about the musical saw just by listening at the festival, especially to the [Eyal Bat] trio at the beginning of the program but also to other parts of the program. I was also pleased to get acquainted with Scott Munson’s work as a composer and arranger–his stuff is first class all the way, a ‘good listen’ and very well put together for the band, including the musical saw as a lead.”

“I’ve been wanting to go to the festival for five years, since I started playing the musical saw, and this is the first time I was able to be in New York City for the summer,” said one of the musical saw players.

“I liked meeting like-minded musicians from across the world and the U.S., and I learned a lot from the workshop, where we could talk freely about problems with our own playing, saws, bows, etc.,” said another. Heidi Younger, one of the painters exhibiting works at the festival, said, “I loved the festival! It was a very happy event. I am sorry I haven’t attended in previous years.”

Jeffrey Dayton, an audience member from Long Island, said, “To finally get to see what I have only read about is an experience I will never forget. I will cherish the memory for a lifetime. Every one of the performers was made to feel like they were the star of the show. No talent was too small.”

“Kudos to Queens Council on the Arts for support of the 8th annual NYC Musical Saw Festival: SawLady + gang is amazing,” Clyde Fitch, who lives near the Hellenic Cultural Center, twittered after the festival.

Three people residing in the vicinity of the Hellenic Cultural Center, where the festival took place, said they were inspired to dig into their toolboxes and try to fiddle with a saw when they returned home from the festival.

Audience members are invited to leave comments about the festival at www.MusicalSawFestival.org.

For more information about the annual New York City Musical Saw Festival, held in Astoria every summer, and to see videos from the event, visit www.MusicalSawFestival.org

NYC Musical Saw Festival
8th Annual Musical Saw Festival Held At The Hellenic Cultural Center In Astoria

Musical saw trio. Photographer: Pat Merino

The 8th annual Musical Saw Festival was held at the Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria. This fine art dates back to 17th century when woodcutting musicians around the world simultaneously began developing the saw as a musical instrument. In time a number of companies started manufacturing saws to cater to this part of the market.
The art form emerged in places as far away as Sweden, France and Japan; but we understand that America has emerged as the center of the art form. The Musical Saw Festival held in Astoria is the world’s largest and the following report captures some of its flavor.

Twenty-six musical saw players graced the stage of the Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria, home to NYC’s 8th Annual Musical Saw Festival. Some played solo acapellas, while others were accompanied by piano, guitar, vocals and even by a four-string washbasin. ‘Amerikletic’ is a local ten piece band which includes the festival’s founder, Natalia ‘Saw Lady’ Paruz. ‘Ameriklectic’ played a few Scott Munson jazz compositions which were a huge hit.
Three musical saw players traveled from Osaka, Japan to participate in the festival. Another group, including saw players Chelsea Winter, Sharif Vikili and Natalia Paruz played a ragtime jazz piece composed by Eyal Bat which was commissioned by the festival. Judy Dimino accompanied them on the piano.

All participating musical saw players. Photographer: Pat Merino

Saw musicians are not without a sense of humor. Paul Gherson provided alternative lyrics to Gershwin’s Summertime which brought chuckles from the audience. Hip Hop poet Mason Granger recited a poem he’d written about the musical saw. And Doc George Hiller played Jimmy Hendrix style tunes on his amplified saw which he has creatively attached to guitar pedals to create new sounds.

One member of the audience, Jeffrey Dayton of Long Island, remarked, “To finally see what I have only read about is an experience I will never forget. I will cherish this memory for a lifetime”. Segments from the program were broadcast by CBS and Reuters. The program received some funding from the Queens Council Of The Arts.

What musical saw players said about the 8th annual Musical Saw Festival:

Natalia, I had a GREAT time today!Thank you for doing this- I WILL be back next year (and I’d love to perform). I had such a blast at this year’s Musical Saw Festival!! I’ve been practicing the saw every day since the Fest!
Take care, Werner (MD)

Had a blast. Hope to return someday.
All the best,
Henry (CO)

26 musical saw players participated at the 8th NYC Musical saw Festival. Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi Natalia,
just wanted to say, congratulations! I know it took so much to put the festival together, and I think it was a wonderful success. The workshop also was amazing. Thank you for all your work, and I hope you get a break now!
All best,
Tine (NY)

Hey Natalia
I wanted to thank you for organizing such a wonderful festival, we had a great time. I especially like the Ameriklectics, what wonderful compositions and arrangements!
I’m sorry that I couldn’t stay for the workshops, I’m sure there was lots of great knowledge being passed along.
I hope the festival was a success for you as well.
All the best, I’ll see you next year if not before!
Jeff (NY)

Musical saw players performing in the ‘Chorus of the Saws’. Photographer: Pat Merino

I had a wonderful time at the festival…I’ve been wanting to go for 5 years since I started playing and this is the first time I was able to be in NYC for the summer. You did an amazing job of putting everything together and sharing your beautiful sawing.
Caroline (NY)

Natalia,
The 8th annual saw festival was, as others, a most enjoyable day. I saw it as a day of opportunity in which we had the chance to play or to listen to others play with their diverse styles. I liked meeting like-minded musicians from across the world and the US, and I learned a lot from the workshop where we could talk freely about problems with our own playing, saws, bows, etc. Also, it was enjoyable to walk to a local restaurant there and dine with you, your husband and our saw playing friends. It was a great day! Thank you and your helpers for the efforts you put into arranging a wonderful experience. I look forward to next year’s event.
Best regards,
Stew (PA)

Thank you so much for the opportunity to get to play at the saw yesterday, and thank you for the kind compliments!
Nicole (NY)

‘Chorus of the Saws’ – all musical saw players playing together. Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi Natalia:
You really did an AWSOME JOB in putting everything together. I enjoyed myself immensly & Stew couldn’t get done thanking me for driving & staying for the workshop & for Dinner.
Sincerely,
Steve (PA)

Hi Natalia,
Thanks for sending me all the information re: the Saw Festival and also inviting me to attend. I also want to thank you for the specific directions you gave. I was able to ride on the train, get out and walk directly to the venue without any problems. That was terrific. It was such a great experience to be there. I had the opportunity to meet you and other Saw players. The workshop was very meaningful and helpful to me. I am sure you recognized how excited I was when I struck my first note. I will be practicing daily so that I can improve my skills on the Saw. So you can expect a few emails from me when I have questions. It was also nice meeting your husband, say hello to him.
Thanks again. Have a great day!
Floyd (WA)

I thought that the Sawfest was terriffic.
Doc George (NY)

Hi Natalia
We really enjoyed this festival and trip.
We are so happy to join you.
We met many wonderful saw players.
Your band was so cool!
That was very exciting.
Hopefully,we wanna join your festival every year.
If next year’s date has been set,please tell me.
The sooner we can get cheaper flight.
Take care,
WooYoung (Japan)

Natalia, what an honor and a joy to have been a part of the saw festival today and to have finally met you and experienced your talent in person. You are an extraordinary person, full of life, love and enthusiasm!
Thank you for creating this event. Thank you for the workshop and the chance to get some great coaching. And thank you for posing for a picture with me!
I am already looking forward to next year’s festival and any other events that may be going on in between now and then. Enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to the next time I see you.
Fondly,
Jeff (PA)

I had the best time 2day & can’t wait 4 next year where I will play a solo!
Jenn (NY)

It was such a wonderful experience, thank you for inviting us!
Jeffrey
the Venn Diagrams (NY)

Hi, Natalia. I hope you remember me from the festival and the workshop. I asked you to pose for a photo with me downstairs at the end of the workshop and of course you did!
I have only being playing since March 9, 2010 and was too shy and not confident enough to do a solo in August. Since the festival and the workshop, I have been playing my heart out amost every day. I have improved so dramatically that I cannot wait to register for a solo next summer. I really have YOU to thank for my inspiration…..so thank you!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff B. (PA)

Musical saw trio. Photographer: Pat Merino

Audience reactions:

I loved it Natalia! Your festival was a very happy event. I am sorry I haven’t went sooner.
Heidi Y.

Hey Natalia! Enjoyed the festival. Had a great time yesterday. To finally get to see what I have only read about is an experience I will never forget. Living out here on the island doesn’t give me many chances to see you as much as I would like to which makes each time very special and that I will cherish it for a lifetime. You are a catalyst to a brighter future for N.Y.C. Thank you for everything.
My friend that played the saw with her father’s saw is already planning for the next saw festival. Bravo!!
Bravo Natalia!! You have performed above and beyond all expectations making everyone feel like they were the star of the show. No talent was too small. Again congratulations.
Jeffrey D.

Great Festival !! Enjoyed it very much
Pat M.

Ameriklectic – 10 piece band featuring the musical saw. Photographer: Pat Merino

Kudos to Queens Council on the Arts for support of 8th annual NYC Musical Saw Festival: SawLady + gang is amazing
Clyde F.

Hi -
I went to the Saw Festival last weekend and was really inspired to learn to play the saw. Do you have any suggestions on how to get started? The festival was awesome. I’ve seen you play a number of times in the subway and have been very moved each time. It was a great surprise to see that the Festival was taking place and just a couple of blocks from my apartment as well! Thanks for putting it on!
Best,
Charles

26 musical saw players performing together. Photographer: Harris Graber

Dear Natalia,
Just a word to say that I very much enjoyed the Saw Festival yesterday in Astoria. As a composer I learned a little more about the saw just by listening, especially to the trio at the beginning of the program but also to other parts of the program. I was also pleased to get acquainted with Scott’s work as a composer and arranger– his stuff is first class all the way, a “good listen” and very well put together for the band, including the saw as a lead. Bravo to both of you! (and what hard work to put the whole program on….)
Again, great fun yesterday, and nice to see you and Scott,
Cheers,
Mark G.

Hi Natalia!
just wanted to tell you how much I really appreciated the 2010 Musical Saw Festival. Thanks so much for bringing everyone together. What a wonderful day of such great SAWING!
Cheers!
- Matt

Ameriklectic – band with musical saw as the lead instrument. Photographer: Pat Merino

Reactions of musicians who participated in the Musical Saw Festival, who are not musical saw players:

Natalia and Scott,
Thank you for inviting me to participate in the wonderful concert yesterday. I’m very impressed with the high quality of music, and I am one of many who now see the musical saw as a more serious instrument. I’m looking forward to the recording and future projects with AmeriKlectic.
Rob S.

Hi, Natalia:
It was very nice to be part of this festival this year!
Amazing to see so many Saw Players at the same time.
Great for you to have all this media coverage. It’s great motivation and exposure for the Saw Festival.
Congratulations for this successful 8th Annual Saw Festival.
Thanks!
Sandra

Thank you for asking me to play!! I had a GREAT time! Congratulations
Amy

Ameriklectic band featuring the musical saw. Photographer: Pat Merino

The Musical Saw Festival was so fun today! Scott Munson’s new group Ameriklectic was amazing!
There were some really good players this year too. Very impressed with the ladies from Japan! I don’t think I ever heard Scott play before. Man his group was good!
Judy

Hey Natalia,
I had a great time at the festival Saturday, and many thanks to you for letting me do my thing on stage. If there’s an audience anywhere on Earth that poem was meant for, it was right there.
Mason G.

Hi Natalia,
I really had a great time playing at the festival.
Cynthia

The sound of multiple singing saws. Photographer: Pat Merino

Reactions of people who saw the Musical Saw Festival on TV:

Hey, Natalia!
I’m already gathering money so I can go and join you next year!
I saw a report in portuguese television about this year’s festival… I see it all went well! Congratulations once again!
Yours truly
Edgar

Flyer art by Zina Saunders

Download the 2010 NYC Musical Saw Festival Flyer
Full page DOWNLOAD HERE
Two on a page DOWNLOAD HERE
Four on a page DOWNLOAD HERE

When: Saturday, August 7th, 2010, 2pm.
Where: Hellenic Cultural Center, 27-09 Crescent Street (corner of Newtown Avenue), Astoria, NY 11102-3142
The entrance to the festival is on Newtown Avenue.

Parking: Street
Public Transportation: N/W Train to 30th Ave (walk on 31st street towards Newtown Avenue. Make a left onto Newtown Avenue. Walk almost 4 blocks to the Hellenic Cultural Center).

Admission: $10

What:

*NATALIA ‘SAW LADY’ PARUZ, founder & organizer of the Musical Saw Festival, will present the musical saw as a band instrument in jazz/pop/world-music, with AmeriKlectic the band.

* AmeriKlectic – a 10 piece jazz band featuring the musical saw as the lead instrument. AmeriKlectic is an acoustic chamber music group featuring musical saw, vibraphone, strings, horns and rhythm section, performing original music with a disinct sound that seemlessly blends styles from classical and jazz, to pop, newage and ethnic musics.

* World premier of new compositions for the musical saw, commissioned for the Musical Saw Festival, including a piece for three musical saws and piano by Eyal Bat.

* A musical saw art exhibit

* Solos by saw players from around the world

* The ‘Chorus of the Saws’ (all participating musical saw players playing together)

* Musical saw workshop

NYC Musical Saw Festival souvenir T-shirts will be available for purchase – $20 each.

Non musical-saw musicians participating in the festival:

SCOTT MUNSON (composer, vibraphonist) graduated from Rutgers University where he studied composition with Pulitzer prize winning composer Charles Wuorinen, percussion with William Moersch, and jazz theory and jazz improvisation with the legendary jazz musicians Kenny Barron and Ted Dunbar. After graduation he became assistant to composer Charles Wuorinen, working closely with the composer, creating piano arrangements, full scores and performance parts of the composer’s works for performances with the NYC Ballet, the NY Philharmonic, The San Francisco Symphony and other major orchestras around the world.
In 2000 Mr. Munson was composer in residence with the Goliard Chamber Ensemble where he had an opportunity to tour the United States performing his works and giving lectures. Since then, the Goliard Chamber Ensemble has commissioned Mr. Munson numerous times, including a large scale work for string orchestra and voice that premiered in 2004 to an audience of over 600 to great acclaim.
In 2007 his work “The Undeterred” for the unusual combination of piano, voice and musical saw, premiered at Carnegie recital hall and was later repeated at New York’s Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts. His ballet “Stand Back” has been performed numerous times by members of the Eric Hawkins Dance Company. In 2009 the ballet company Eidolon performed choreography to two of his works at the Joyce Theatre Soho. He wrote two works for musical saw and string quartet, which were performed on radio and at a concert in Israel in spring 2010.
His most recent commission, for Flute and Orchestra, was premiered December 2009 by the Astoria Symphony in Astoria Queens NY.
His newly formed 10 piece band ‘AmeriKlectic’ is premiering at the Musical Saw Festival.
Mr. Munson has worked as an arranger, orchestrator and music editor for Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr. and many others. Mr. Munson’s music has been heard on many TV stations including CBS, MTV, FOX, CNN, Bravo, A&E, The WE Channel, The History Channel as well as on radio stations such as XM Radio, WBAI, Radio Marabu (Germany), Radio Centraal (Belgium) and others. In 2006 an hour long radio program dedicated to the music of Mr. Munson along with an interview with the composer aired on Radio Kol Hamusika in Israel, the most prestigious classical radio station in that country.
He has won numerous awards, commissions and grants including first place in National Public Radio’s (NPR) “All Songs Considered” contest for his original arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and a “Meet The Composer” grant for his composition “Fantasy” for trumpet and vibraphone.

ANDREW BEALS (saxophone/flute) joined legendary jazz organist, “Brother” Jack McDuff and the “Heatin’ System” in 1986. Beals became the latest in a long line of Jazz Saxophone greats, including Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Red Holloway, Joe Henderson, Joe Lovano, Harold Vick, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk to work with Jack McDuff’s band. It was marked by a busy performance schedule, which included lengthy tours of North America and Europe. Andrew Beals has appeared as a leader of his own band and as a featured soloist with Jack McDuff, and others, at many renowned Jazz clubs and festivals. Beals was a semifinalist at the 1993 Thelonious Monk Jazz Saxophone Competition; and in 1998 he was awarded the prestigious NYU Jazz Orchestra Scholarship for graduate studies in jazz performance and composition. Andrew is currently an adjunct professor of Jazz Saxophone and Jazz Improvisation at Western Connecticut State University(W.C.S.U) and a woodwind instructor at the Greenwich Music School. He received his Bachelor of Arts Music degree at Livingston College and Rutgers University, and has a Master of Arts Music Degree from New York University. His teachers were Paul Jeffery, John Stubbelfield, Frank Foster, George Garzone (saxophone), and Jim McNeely (composition).

BIM STRASBERG (bass) was born in La Jolla, California and has lived in New York since 1985. He received his B.A. from the University of California at San Diego where he studied with Bertram Turetzky. He later studied bass with John Neves, Todd Coolman, and Dave Holland as well as composition with Jim Whitsitt and Hal Crook.
He has performed with many notable artists including Charles McPherson, Eddie Harris, Terrel Stafford, Dr, Lonnie Smith, Mike Wofford, Johnny Coles, Jack Sheldon, “Papa” John Creach, Scott Hamilton, Mickey Roker, Cecil Payne, Eric Alexander, and Bill Mays. He is currently a member of the legendary Robert “Bootsie” Barnes’ Quintet which features trumpeter John Swana and can be heard on Weldon’s Midtown Blues (Amosaya) and Larry Gillespie’s Contour (Blue Line).

ROB SUSMAN (trombone) has appeared in music festivals in the North Sea, Pori, Vienne, Aruba, Bermuda, Gubbio (Italy), The Canary Islands, COTA (PA), Discover Jazz (VT), Red Bank, OSPAC, NJ Jazz Association (NJ), and What Is Jazz? (NYC).
He has toured the with Chico O’Farrill’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra and Salsa singer La India. He has performed with Branford Marsalis, Clark Terry, Tito Puente, Frankie Ruiz, Ismael Miranda, Liza Minelli, Jay and the Americans, Leslie Gore, Neil Sedaka, The Drifters, Ashford and Simpson and Neil Diamond.
He has been a guest musician on radio’s “Rambling with Gambling” , Television’s “The Vicki Lawrence Show”, and Joe Pesci’s MTV video “Yo Cousin Vinny”. He was a guest faculty soloist with the NYU Orchestra.
He can be heard playing on several nationally televised commercials. He has been a member of the Supper Club All Stars, The Rainbow Room Orchestra, Mike Longo’s NYSAE, Charli Persip’s Supersound and Broadway pit orchestras.
He can be heard on recordings by Swingadelic, Andrea Burns, Science For Girls, The Davenports, Blue Number Nine, The Electric Ladybugs, Peter Buchi, Hemingway, NoNoNonet, Stefanie Seskin, Repercussions, The Marshall Plan Kids, A Mass for Mass Trombones, Janet Speaks French, Fatback, Hagatha, Renar, and the Flipped Fedoras.
He has composed for PBS’s “Reading Rainbow”. His arrangements are performed by top ensembles, such as Boston Brass and brass ensembles under his own direction. His credits include: The Cairo Symphony Orchestra, The N.Y.U. Symphony Orchestra, Johnny Farina (of Santo and Johnny), and The Imani Winds. He arranged the popular swing version of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” that appears on the Pottery Barn CD “Hip Holidays II”.
Rob is the Brass Studies instructor for the NYU Dept. of Music Education. He has given master classes at NYU, Brooklyn College, The Dalton School, and the Moses Brown School. He directs ensembles at The Village Community School, and The Rudolf Steiner School.

TIM MCLAFFERTY (drums) The son of a painter and sculptor, Tim grew up in a free thinking environment where he began playing drums at age four. He’s played drum-set and percussion in numerous Broadway shows, including Urinetown and Grey Gardens, Happiness at Lincoln Center, and the premier of the Philip Glass score for The Bacchae at Shakespeare in the Park.
Active in all genres of music, with a focus on jazz and improvisation, Tim has performed with Karl Berger, Mark Helias, David Liebman, Graham Haynes, Badal Roy, MIck Rossi, Eric Friedlander, Rona Figueroa, and also leads and records his own various groups. A very productive poet and visual artist, his poems have been set by composers Mick Rossi and Scott Munson.

AMY NELSON (trumpet) has performed solos in a variety of venues including the Grant Park Music Festival (Chicago), Great American Brass Band Festival (Kentucky), Grand Celebration of Brass Bands (Iowa), World Music Conference (Holland), Illinois Music Educator Association Conference and the International Women’s Brass Conference. She was awarded first place in both the slow melody and technical solo divisions of the North American Brass Band Association’s national solo competition four different years, placing in the top three nine times over nine years. She placed first in the International Women’s Brass Conference category three trumpet solo competition. Amy is a performing artist for Richard Smith Musical Instruments and plays a Smith Watkins soloist cornet.
Amy served as principal cornet and personnel manager of the Chicago Brass Band, winners of the 2004 NABBA Championship division and the NABBA representatives at the 2005 World Brass Band Competition in the Netherlands. Prior to joining the CBB she was a member of the Illinois Brass Band, six-time NABBA champions, where she served as cornet section leader and personnel manager and was a frequent soloist. She toured England with the IBB and toured America with the Regent Brass Band of London, England. These days Amy can be found in New Jersey performing with the Imperial, Princeton, and Atlantic Brass Bands. She is the principal cornet of the Athena Brass Band.
Amy is currently freelancing in the New York City/Tri-State area. She is a member of the Gramercy Brass Orchestra of New York. She has performed with such Broadway shows as Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the national tour of Evita. Orchestral performances have included work with the Queens Symphony, the American Symphony and the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra. She recently completed a recording project with composer Joseph Dymit of original trumpet works entitled Battlecry (www.piquedamemusic.com). She believes in the importance of music education and works with a program in Brooklyn which provides instrumental instruction for students without access to music in schools.

LAWRENCE ZOERNIG (cello), has been principal ‘cellist of many New York symphony and chamber orchestras, including New York Chamber Orchestra, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Bachanalia and Opera Manhattan. Mr. Zoernig premièred Lars-Erik Larsson’s Concertino for ‘Cello and String Orchestra at Trinity Church with the New York Scandia Symphony, for which he is also principal ‘cellist. He has also recently performed the Cello Concerto by Johan Svendsen with the Scandia Symphony.
As a chamber musician, he performs frequently with the Goliard
Ensemble and Bachanalia. He has appeared with such noted artists as
violinists Nina Beilina, Sidney Harth and Mark Peskanov, clarinetist
Charles Neidich, guitarist David Starobin, and well-known dance
ensembles including the Paul Taylor Dance Company and the David
Parsons Dance Company. He has appeared as soloist and chamber musician at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall in New York and the Phillips Collection and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C..
His Scandia Quartet was invited to play for former US President
Jimmy Carter and his wife, Roslyn, at the Carter Center in Atlanta,
Georgia, and for the Prince and Princess of Denmark at the New York
Public Library’s Hans Christian Anderson Centenniel Celebration.
As a concert artist on the international scene, Mr. Zoernig has
been presented at the Teatro Amazones in Manaus, Brazil and the World Expo in Seville, Spain and has also performed extensively on Cunard Line cruise ships Queen Elizabeth II, Caronia, Vistafjord, Sagafjord, and Royal Viking Sun throughout the world.
Lawrence Zoernig recently returned from the National Tour of the
award winning hit Broadway show, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”.
Meet the Composer Foundation recently provided Mr. Zoernig with a
grant for his work as a composer of music for cello. Additionally, he
maintains an active teaching schedule and is presently a faculty
member of the Sylvan Academy of Music in Closter, NJ.
Lawrence Zoernig was born in 1960 in Sioux City, Iowa. He began
studying ‘cello at age eight. He attended the National Academy of Arts in Champaign, Illinois, an arts-centered boarding school. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Alan Harris, and a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School where he studied with Harvey Shapiro. At Juilliard he also worked extensively with Felix Galimir, Joel Krosnick, John, Cage, Albert Fuller and Jaap Schröder.
He has also coached with members of the Guarneri, Juilliard, Budapest,
Tokyo, and Hungarian Quartets.
He plays a Stradivarious model ‘cello made by Tim Hulley of Ottawa,
Ontario, completed in 2004.

ZAKARIA ENIKEEV (viola), Zakaria Enikeev is the first-ever violist in South of Russia who won an International String Competition Award. In the age of sixteen he gave his first recital with the Rostov Symphony Orchestra conducted by A.S. Mileikovsky, the People’s Artist of Russia. Later on Zakaria often performed as the soloist with the orchestra, playing works of Hummel, Weber, and Bartok. Now Zakaria studies at the Juilliard School. As a soloist and as a chamber musician, Mr. Enikeev has been performing in the most prestigious concert halls of New York, including Alice Tully Hall, Paul Hall, Merkin Hall and Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall. Zakaria Enikeev has served as principal violist of the Juilliard Orchestra on many occasions. Nina Beilina, an eminent Russian violinist, once said about Zakaria Enikeev: “Not only has the young musician a great technique and a command of various styles, he is truly in love with his instrument. You can feel the charm of a refined artistic individuality in his manner.” Awards, honorary titles: Second Prize of the Togliatti International String Competition (Russia, 2002) and the Governor’s Prize For Great Success in Arts and Culture. Finalist of the Stulberg International String Competition (USA, 2003); awarded the Russian Federation Governmental scholarship program For Outstanding Creative Abilities.

CYNTHIA MARCUS SMITH (violin) performs regularly throughout the tri state area. She is a violinist and Co-Founder in the Dynamic Motion Company. This ensemble pairs a small group of dancers with a string quartet in live performance. She plays in many New York based orchestras and regularly performs at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Cynthia also is the violinist in the chamber pop band, The Staves.
She has been lucky to perform around the world at the major concert houses of Italy, Austria, Singapore, Mexico, Washington DC, and New York. Cynthia is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory where she studied with Pamela Frank and Shirley Givens.

JUDY DIMINO (piano) is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, serving in the choir, the handbell choir, as an assisting minister, and as a substitute organist. Judy is a graduate of Queens College, now known as the Aaron Copland School of Music, with a B.A. in Music Education.
Judy was a pianist for the Committee Of Police Societies Chorus and Runner-Up in the International Piano Recording Competition 1982 She received the Presiding Bishop’s Certificate of Church Music from the Leadership Program for Musicians at The Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, Long Island in 2004. Judy has taught piano, guitar and accordion in various locations in the Queens area. Judy recently received a Certificate in Church Music from Westminster Conservatory, Princeton, New Jersey.

More information about the 2010 NYC Musical Saw Festival will be added here soon.

Musical saw players wishing to participate:
If you would like to participate as a saw player or as a member of the audience, please contact us through the ‘Contact’ page and send us your name, e-mail address and whether you are a saw player or not.

Last year’s Musical Saw Festival:

The NYC Musical Saw Festival is made possible in part by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts.

Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi!
What an extraordinary thing you did for us all. Thank you! I am so fired up by the Festival! What a great day. Thank you for making it happen.
Bravo again!
Gregor (NY)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Natalia-
I had a wonderful time and can’t stop talking about it. What a treat to perform with 52 other players. I hope it wasn’t a ‘once in a life time experience’ so we can do it again. I have watched the videos that have been posted to You tube and I look forward to the ‘official’ video.
Thanks for the photos
saw on,
Max (TX)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Hello Natalia,
Congratulations on another great saw festival and organizing a new world record. This festival was a blast. It was great to see familiar faces that I remembered and felt friends with after only being around them for a few hours a year ago. There was such a diversity of playing styles , techniques and aesthetics. It was really inspiring to be around other people who are putting their own stamp on saw playing. The workshop in the afternoon was great not only because of the workshop content but for the opportunity to exchange ideas and information with other sawists. The work shop is really valuable to me.
Thanx again for an amazing job putting the fest together.
Terry “SawTrouble” B. (GA)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Dear Natalia,
Hello. This is Kazu. Thank ou very much for all your dedication for the 7th NYC Musical Saw Festival. It was such a great fun. I enjoyed a lot talking to and with many sawists from different places both inland and overseas.
Congratulation for the success of Guiness record! We have to wait a little more to be accepted by the Guiness record authority, but it’s just a issue of time, I believe.
I would like to attend NYC festival maybe on its 10th anniversary, which is gonna be in 2012!
With warmest regards,
Kazu (JAPAN)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi Natalia,
I did enjoy the festival very much. Everyone was very friendly. For me personally, it was great to hear the Cello/Saw duet from Delicatessen. That was the movie that convinced me to pick up the saw.
-Nathan (NY)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi Natalia and Scott, Just wanted to say thanks for all the work you guys did and it showed for a perfect and well planned fest.
Let us know when videos can be purchased.
Dutch (NJ)

Photographer: Harris Graber

WONDERFUL! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have been a part of making musical saw history! I loved it all. Congratulations!
Katrina (NY)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Natalia;
My wife and I want to Thank-You for such a wonderful program. This was our first Saw Festival.
We are from Pennsylvania, I came up to you, dressed in a red & white shirt with white pants, and
asked you when the work-shop was going to be.
Sincerely,
Steve (PA)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi, Natalia,
The festival was GREAT! Kudos to you for all you’ve done. Thanks.
I did get to talk with other saw players. Quite a range of experience and approaches to
saw playing, indeed.
Being part of the Guinness record-breaking event was too much fun. Thanks
for all the effort you are putting into this. I’m sure you’ll let us all know when it’s “official.”
In the meantime, thanks for the photos and thanks for the festival.
Regards,
Ivan (PA)

Photographer: Harris Graber

Hi Natalia,
Many thanks for the email and the pictures, I apologize for not writing sooner and telling you what a good time I had.
It really was the high point of my saw playing career and I was the only one that you asked to give a little background.
Tuesday at Rotary I mentioned to the others at my table that I had helped establissh a guiness world record over the weekend and as the scheduled speaker didn’t show up, the asked me to tell them about the festivle which I gladly did and at church on Sunday during the service when our minister decided to play something on his harmonica, I stood up and related about the woman from the TV station asking what our preacher thought about my playing the saw in. church every Sunday and my reply that sometimes he would play along on his harmonica.
It was a great trip.
So I’m looking forward to next year. California is to far away and even though my son in laws parents live just a few miles from Santa Cruise and I stayed with them the one time I went, it didn’t tave the personal feeling of everyone playing a solo thet your festival had. There was some real good saw players at yours and I enjoyed listening to them as well as listening to the beginners. I learned something there.
I’m hoping there will be a video that I can purchase
Thanks for the pictures, I like the one with my mouth open
Best of Everything
John (PA)

Dear Natalia,
you put a massive amount of work into organizing that Saw Festival and I certainly appreciate your effort. May you be well blessed in consequence. I really appreciated your uplifting spirit and positive affirmations throughout the event.
John K. (Canada)

Dear Natalia,
I attended the recent saw festival in NYC. It again was a memorable event, as it was before. The music was inspiring and uplifting; that alone was worth the trip to NYC. It certainly was a once in a lifetime chance to play for the world book of records, and also enjoyable to talk with my fellow saw players afterward. I’m sure, on your part, it was a labor of love to plan that part of the event and to see it actually come about. Thank you. It’s certainly a time that I will never forget. I did find that the comments by Moses about excellence and practice was a lesson that I was able to carry away and reflect upon since then.
Thank you again for planning the festival and for an inspiring day!
Best wishes,
Stewart W. (PA)

Natalia,
Encouragement is a strong medicine.
My grandson Peter and I both had a grand time at the festival. Thank you for organizing it.
Ken (TN)

Natalia,
Thanks for the photo.  I’ll periodically visit the website to see what all you post over time (I haven’t recently).  I had a fine time, and both my wife and I enjoyed the occasion.  I may not have appreciated all the types/style of music played, but I can appreciate the musicianship/musician behind the efforts.  I think my piece was well-enough received (or maybe they just liked the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra).
Thanks for organizing and executing the festival.  It was one of the very pleasant events of my busy summer.
John (PA)

Hi Natalia,
Things are finally settling back down here again after the chaos of preparing for our little tour out east. The saw festival this year was so great–I’m already excited for next year. I’m so glad people enjoyed the workshop. Take care!
Adam (MN)

Hello Natalia,
the saw-festival this year was very nice. I have get so much input, that`s great. Thank you very much for organisation and for all. You work very professionel and I like the way you performed your playing with the musical saw. The bow right up directly to heaven, that is great. Do you have a date for 2010?
I`m very proud to be there. Thank you very much. I know my english is not the best, but please give an answer to me.
Best wishes.
Ralph (Germany)

Hello Natalia!
This is Susan from PA. My sister Janet and I had a marvelous time participating in the 2009 Saw Festival to break the Guinness Book of World Records. I know our dad, who was a saw player, would be very proud of the accomplishments of his girls. We especially enjoyed sharing our harp/saw duet
with all in attendance. Thank you for all your hard work in putting the festival together. We hope to see you next year.
Susan (PA)

Hi Natalia,
Thank you for all the organizing and a great festival! It was a great experience, and wonderful to meet so many sawplayers from around the world. Keep up the great work!
John (IL)

Audience reactions:

Hi Natalia,
What a wonderful event! Thanks for assembling the saw musicians of the world once again!
Thanks again, congratulations on successfully organizing and achieving that new world record, and have a great summer!
Stay gold -
HANDEL

The 18th was, as your festivals always are,….
AWESOME!!!!!!
Setting a world record for the largest saw ensemble in such a big way pretty much made a statement that the saw is alive and well herein the states as a musical instrument. I enjoyed listening to all the wonderful creative expressions and explorations of the musical saw; and simply seeing how people have progressed from the previous year is always inspiring. I still can’t get over how much Dale’s students have grown since last year!
Hope your continuing to have a productive and fun filled week, and may you always find a reason to smile!
The Mad Soundman of AMS Systems

Excellent – it was awesome. I’m sorry we didn’t bring our cameras, but we got there kinda late so not a great vantage point…
Pax

Congratulations on a successful festival! I thought it was a great even and people I saw were buzzing with the excitement of it. I especially enjoyed the “Over the Rainbow” performance.
- Justin

Hi Natalia,
We had a good time in NYC, much to our surprise. The saw festival was definitely the high point! The only thing Kim and I didn’t like about the festival was that we never got to talk with you. Other than that, it was AMAZING, and we hope we can come back next year, too. Thanks so much for all that you do for the musical saw!

Be well,
K & Q (MN)

My friends and landlady went and said it was great! Kudos!
Carol S. (NY)