It’s Time for Three

Warm up with a stellar string trio performance tomorrow at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Time for Three has been parised for its versatility, spontaneity and gusto … and Asheville Bravo Concerts is bringing them in for one night: Saturday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

To win the tickets, be one of the first two to e-mail ae@mountainx.com with the reason you’d like to attend. Also, if you respond, please be sure you can attend!

Here, a look at the musicians:

Full details, from Bravo:

String trio Time for Three transcends traditional classification, earning a reputation for limitless enthusiasm and broken musical boundaries at their versatile and virtuosic live shows (which curious listeners can hear for themselves on multiple YouTube videos, at and the trio’s MySpace music page: www.myspace.com/timeforthree).

The appeal of Time For Three spans across the generations, for their respect for the classical repertoire and dedication to formal technique are matched by the youthful curiosity with which they bend rules and integrate so many different styles, on a mission to transform, reinvigorate, and grow the Classical audience. Adding elements of blues, gypsy, bluegrass and jazz, these young musicians form a blend all their own, carrying a passion for improvisation, composing and arranging.

Violinists Zachary De Pue and Nicolas Kendall shared a mutual love of bluegrass fiddling when bassist Ranaan Meyer introduced them to jazz and improvisation. The ensemble gained instant attention in July 2003, during a lightning-induced power failure at Philadelphia’s Mann Center for the Performing Arts, when Ranaan and Zach, both performing members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, obliged with an impromptu jam session that included works as far afield from the originally scheduled symphony as “Jerusalem’s Ridge,” “Ragtime Annie,” and “The Orange Blossom Special.” The crowd went wild.

To date, the group has already performed hundreds of engagements as diverse as their music, from featured guest solos with The Philadelphia Orchestra to opening sets for K.D. Lang. They have appeared on many of the nation’s important stages, including the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  Their live performances have been praised by media from the Denver Post (“Kinetic showmanship — fingers on fire, with power and gusto”) to the Chicago Tribune (“The piece de resistance … A roaring ovation!”) and the Indianapolis Star (“Spontaneity of expression, technical aplomb … might be matchless anywhere.”)

This presentation of Time For Three is presented by Asheville Bravo Concerts, the area’s oldest arts non-profit.  Individual tickets range from $20-$60 and can be purchased by calling the Asheville Bravo Concerts office at (828) 225-5887, visiting www.ticketmaster.com, or in person at the Civic Center Box Office. Students receive half-price tickets for all Bravo concerts.