Ann Marie Calhoun

Ann Marie Calhoun (née Simpson) is a violinist who was born in Virginia (U.S.) to a "hillbilly dad", [ [http://www.annmariecalhoun.com/ Ann Marie Calhoun ] ] who plays banjo, and a "Chinese mom", [ [http://www.annmariecalhoun.com/ Ann Marie Calhoun ] ] who plays piano.Citation | last = St. George | first = Donna | title = A Shining Moment In Grammy Spotlight: Talent Took N.Va. Violinist to 'Music's Biggest Night' | newspaper = The Washington Post | pages = B01 | date = 2008-02-14 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021303498.html] She is married to Brian Calhoun, an acoustic guitar-builder and co-owner of [http://www.rockbridgeguitar.com Rockbridge Guitar Company] . She is still often referred to as Ann Marie Simpson or Ann Marie Simpson-Calhoun.

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Emerging talent

Calhoun began taking violin lessons at the age of three. As she says: "I actually don't remember learning how to play, because I started when I was three. I feel like I've always known." [ [http://www.readthehook.com/Stories/2007/04/26/FACETIME-Ann%20Marie%20Calhoun-B.rtf.aspx "FACETIME- Jethro lull: Local gal all over the place"] interview by Vijith Assar, published April 26, 2007 "The Hook".] The first "hint of her talent" came at the age of four when she and her father were watching a Redskins game on television. After the band played "Hail to the Redskins" he suddenly heard it again, only this time on the violin: "She picked it up through her ears, and it came out through her fingers instantly. I knew she had a gift then."

She began playing bluegrass music with her siblings in the Simpson Family Band when she was still quite young. As her father states: "When she was 14, I started taking her to the fiddle contests and she won just about every one." An example of her early winnings includes the Fiddler's Grove Ole Time Fiddler's Contest of 1999 where she was the second runner-up in the Junior Bluegrass Fiddle category. [ [http://www.fiddlersgrove.com/99winners.htm 1999 Winners] Fiddler's Grove Ole Time Fiddler's Contest.]

Music training

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quote="My mother, a classically trained pianist, signed me up for violin lessons. My father, a bluegrass banjo player, couldn’t wait for me to learn some fiddle tunes. After I learned my first minuet, my father taught me how to play 'Turkey in the Straw.' I delighted in the contrast of musical styles, and I began supplementing my formal training in the classical violin with fiddle lessons from my father.” [ [http://magazine.clas.virginia.edu/x6971.xml "Last Look: Starving artist"] by Ann Marie Calhoun, posted February 17, 2006 "University of Virginia Arts and Science Magazine".] |source=Ann Marie CalhounAs a teenager she was a youth fellow with the National Symphony Orchestra, a program that took her to the Kennedy Center weekly and provided private lessons with violinist William Haroutounian. Early on she was conflicted as to what style of music to pursue.

Calhoun attended college at the University of Virginia, where she double-majored in Music and Biology. While studying there she shared her bluegrass fiddle talents with Walker's Run in Charlottesville, Virginia. From 2001 to 2003 she was part of the bluegrass fusion ensemble Old School Freight Train. She also takes part in Gary Ruley and Mule Train with other members of Walker's Run.

Before dedicating herself completely to her musical career, Calhoun taught science and strings at the Woodberry Forest School, in Madison County, Virginia. She is "taking a leave from this school to pursue music." [ [http://www.annmariecalhoun.com/ Ann Marie Calhoun ] ] She has also been a noted violin and fiddle teacher in both Northern Virginia and Central Virginia.

Career successes

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quote="Unlike many of her fiddlin' friends from the Classical world, Ann Marie has cultivated considerable improvisational abilities but still retains her music theory and the ability to play set parts and orchestrations.” [ [http://www.myspace.com/annmariecalhoun MySpace page] ] |source=Ian AndersonIn 2004, she recorded the violins on the album "Stand Up" for Dave Matthews Band. In 2005 she toured Italy with the North African/American band Kantara. In 2006 she was invited to tour with the progressive rock band Jethro Tull as a guest soloist. She admits: "I had to Google 'Ian Anderson' when he first contacted me." [ [http://dmme.net/interviews/calhoun.html "Interview with ANN-MARIE CALHOUN"] "Let It Rock" interview October 2006.] Quote_box
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quote="She faced some harrowing musical challenges with determination, focus, confidence and respect, and she always delivered gracefully . . . But the most captivating aspect of her playing is how her enchanting personality emanates through her fingertips and into the notes.” [ [http://www.myspace.com/annmariecalhoun MySpace page] ] |source=Steve VaiShe began to tour with Steve Vai in June 2007. At the 50th Grammy Awards on February 10, 2008, Mrs. Calhoun was the winner of the "My Grammy Moment" contest and played live with the Foo Fighters during the broadcast. Said Steve Vai about her performance at that event: "She should have been the one who had a full performance on the show, because she would have stunned people." She has performed with Ringo Starr on Larry King Live, with Widespread Panic multiple times, with the band Switchfoot, on the Craig Ferguson's The Late Late Show, and at the Los Angeles House of Blues.

She stepped into the recording studio with The Hooters in late February 2008.

Recordings

*"The Eclectic Bluegrass Collection", Various Artists, fiddle
*"Stand Up" (2005) Dave Matthews Band (violin), RCA, ASIN: B00082ZSP2.
*"Speak Out: Pickin' on Ben Harper a Bluegrass Tribute", Various Artists, Group Member, fiddle, 2005
*"Pickin' on Wilco: Casino Side", Old School Freight Train, fiddle, 2004.
*"Old School Freight Train", Old School Freight Train, fiddle, 2002.
*"Gary Ruley and Mule Train", Gary Ruley, fiddle.
*"Live at the Troubadour, Volume I", Gary Ruley, fiddle.
*"Live at the Troubadour, Volume II", Gary Ruley, fiddle.

Articles, reviews, interviews, etc.

* [http://www.readthehook.com/Stories/2007/04/26/FACETIME-Ann%20Marie%20Calhoun-B.rtf.aspx The Hook] "FACETIME- Jethro lull: Local gal all over the place" interview with Vijith Assar, April 26, 2007.
* [http://magazine.clas.virginia.edu/x6971.xml University of Virginia Arts and Science Magazine] , "Last Look: Starving Artist" by Ann Marie Calhoun, posted February 17, 2006.
* [http://www.fiddlersgrove.com/99winners.htm Fiddler's Grove] Ole Time Fiddler's Contest, 1999 winners.
* [http://dmme.net/interviews/calhoun.html Let It Rock] interview, October 2006.
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021303498.html The Washington Post] "A Shining Moment In Grammy Spotlight: Talent Took N.Va. Violinist to 'Music's Biggest Night'" February 14, 2008.
* [http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2008/02/14/FACETIME-Calhoun-B.rtf.aspx The Hook] , "Calhoun's coup: Local violinist shines at the Grammys", February 2, 2008.

References

ee also

*Bluegrass music
*The University of Virginia
*Charlottesville, Virginia
*Lexington, Virginia
*Gary Ruley and Mule Train
*Steve Vai
*Jethro Tull
*Ringo Starr
*Violin

External links

* [http://www.annmariecalhoun.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/annmariecalhoun Musician's MySpace page]
* [http://www.annmariecalhoun.blogspot.com/ Musician's blog]
* [http://www.garyruleyband.com/disc.htm Gary Ruley] official website/discography
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3vfixqualdhe~T4 Ann Marie Calhoun] at Allmusic