By Crystal Hayduk
Fiddler Diana Ladio has come full circle. The Chelsea native and her Moxie Strings bandmates, cellist Alison Lynn and percussionist Fritz McGirr, performed at Beach Middle School on Jan. 27 for the orchestra students.
“I started playing in the orchestra in fifth grade, with Mr. (Jed) Fritzemeier as my teacher, just like you,” Ladio told the sixth through eighth grade students at the start of the “informance,” (a performance interspersed with educational information).
In fact, all three members of the trio are the product of public school music programs, which they credit for inspiring them to study music performance in college. Currently, their band performs and teaches around the United States.
In addition to co-founding the Moxie Strings and serving as the frontwoman for the group, Ladio also joined the Kansas City Celtic rock band, the Elders, last year. She toured Ireland with them in the fall.
During the presentation, students learned that any music genre can be performed on string instruments. “We were classically trained, but now we perform all kinds of music,” said Ladio. “Mr. Fritzemeier and Mr. (Nathan) Peters foster musical exploration. You’re so lucky to have them here.
“Choosing to play a string instrument may be the coolest thing you’ve ever done,” Ladio told the students.
Moxie Strings performed five songs, each demonstrating a specific genre of music or performance technique.
Students also had the opportunity to ask questions, through which they learned about song writing, improvisation, the role of the “backline” (rhythm), and ideas for practicing at home.
Student Amelia Hallsell was intrigued with Ladio’s five-string fiddle, while Katie Limoges liked the audio effects pedals and the different sounds the instruments could make when the pedals were applied.
Student Haley Hilgendorf took away an important performance tip by observing the trio. “You should smile and look up during a concert, no matter what,” she said. “Don’t look at the ground.”
One student asked, “Why are you called Moxie Strings?”
Ladio said that the word “moxie” means “enthusiasm, drive, and vigor,” all words that describe their music and their band.
Beach Middle School Orchestra Director Nathan Peters said, “I wanted the students to see musicians playing different styles of music on their classical instruments, and to meet Diana, since she is a former Chelsea School District student who now performs music around the world. I’m really grateful to have them here.”
And Ladio was grateful to be back in the place where it all began. “We reference Mr. Fritzemeier in all of our clinics that we teach,” said the former member of Chelsea House Orchestra (CHO), the district’s extracurricular music performance group that just celebrated its 20th anniversary. “Being in CHO helped me to think outside the box.”
The kids were thrilled to hear the Moxie Strings, with their particular brand of energy. Said one young fan who stayed after for an autograph, “You guys are really awesome.”
