Well-Strung
{{short description|American string quartet}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Well-Strung
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| genre = classical music fused with contemporary pop songs
| years_active = {{start date|2012}}–present
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| website = {{URL|well-strung.com}}
| current_members = Edmund Bagnell, Christopher Marchant, Daniel Shevlin, and Trevor Wadleigh
| past_members =
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Well-Strung is an American string quartet based in New York City that is known for fusing classical music with modern pop music. The band was formed in 2012{{cite journal |url=http://www.out.com/entertainment/music/2012/11/08/our-newest-fascination-well-strung |title=Our Newest Fascination, Well-Strung |first=Andrew |last=Villagomez |date=February 28, 2013 |journal=Out |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019184117/https://www.out.com/entertainment/music/2012/11/08/our-newest-fascination-well-strung |url-status=live }} by band member Chris Marchant and producer Mark Cortale.{{cite web |url=http://well-strung.com/about.asp |title=About |website=Well Strung |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019184058/http://well-strung.com/about.asp |url-status=live }} The band consists of four members, who all identify as gay:{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/08/02/well-strung-far-flung/ |title=Well-Strung and far-flung |first=Mariah |last=Cooper |date=August 2, 2017 |newspaper=Washington Blade |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019184110/https://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/08/02/well-strung-far-flung/ |url-status=live }} first violinist Edmund Bagnell, second violinist Christopher Marchant, cellist Daniel Shevlin, and violist Trevor Wadleigh.{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/well-strung-string-quartet_n_2903162.html |title=In 'Well-Strung: The Singing String Quartet,' Hunky Gay Stars Play Britney, Mozart (PHOTOS) |first=Chris |last=Wong |journal=HuffPost |date=March 19, 2013 |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=June 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607170719/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/well-strung-string-quartet_n_2903162.html |url-status=live }} The band has performed arrangements of hits by artists including Adele, Britney Spears, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, P!nk, and Rihanna, arranged with classical songs by composers like Bach, Dvořák, Mozart, and Vivaldi.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/arts/music/well-strung-the-singing-string-quartet-at-west-side-y.html |title=They're Not Quite 'N Sync |first=Stephen |last=Holden |date=March 6, 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019184057/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/arts/music/well-strung-the-singing-string-quartet-at-west-side-y.html |url-status=live }} They have also performed covers of songs from films.{{cite news |url=https://www.ebar.com/arts_%26_culture/music//281557 |title=Gay string quartet Well-Strung goes to the movies |first=David-Elijah |last=Nahmod |date=September 10, 2019 |newspaper=Bay Area Reporter |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009201502/https://www.ebar.com/arts_%26_culture/music//281557 |url-status=live }} The band performs their own arrangements.{{cite journal |url=https://people.com/celebrity/blank-space-well-strung/ |title=You Have to See Well-Strung's 'Blank Space'/Bach Mash-up |first=Lydia |last=Price |date=August 6, 2015 |journal=People |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019181901/https://people.com/celebrity/blank-space-well-strung/ |url-status=live }}
History
The concept for the band originated in 2010 when Marchant and Cortale met in Provincetown. They held auditions in New York City to round out the quartet and debuted at Joe's Pub in New York City in the spring of 2012. In their first year, they performed over 100 shows.
The band has toured internationally, including at the Vatican. They played at a gala for Barack Obama.{{cite web |url=https://www.markcortalepresents.com/well-strung |title=Well-Strung |website=Mark Cortale Presents |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019182133/https://www.markcortalepresents.com/well-strung |url-status=live }} They also played for Hillary Clinton, for whom they had written "Chelsea's Mom", a playful reimagining of the 2003 Fountains of Wayne hit song "Stacy's Mom" that had gone viral.{{cite web |url=https://www.pridecenterflorida.org/about/press-releases/diversity-honors-2017-pr-well-strung-announced/ |title=Critically Acclaimed Singing String Quartet Well-Strung Announced as Headline Entertainment for Third Annual Diversity Honors Presented by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday, May 6, at Hard Rock Live |date=April 3, 2017 |website=The Pride Center at Equality Park |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019185320/https://www.pridecenterflorida.org/about/press-releases/diversity-honors-2017-pr-well-strung-announced/ |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |url=http://people.com/celebrity/group-parodies-stacys-mom-for-hillary-clinton/ |title=Chelsea's Mom Has Got It Going On in Hilarious Hillary Clinton Parody Video |last=Kimble |first=Lindsay |date=June 8, 2015 |journal=People |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=8 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208064232/http://people.com/celebrity/group-parodies-stacys-mom-for-hillary-clinton/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/A-WELL-STRUNG-CHRISTMAS-to-Put-Pop-Classical-Spin-on-Holiday-Favorites-at-54-Below-20171108 |title=A WELL-STRUNG CHRISTMAS to Put Pop-Classical Spin on Holiday Favorites at 54 Below |date=November 8, 2017 |website=BroadwayWorld |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=8 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123400/https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/A-WELL-STRUNG-CHRISTMAS-to-Put-Pop-Classical-Spin-on-Holiday-Favorites-at-54-Below-20171108 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/boston/article/Well-Strung-Performs-for-Hillary-Clinton-After-Chelseas-Mom-Goes-Viral-20150706 |title=Well-Strung Performs for Hillary Clinton After 'Chelsea's Mom' Goes Viral |date=July 6, 2015 |website=BroadwayWorld |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=March 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316090256/http://www.broadwayworld.com/boston/article/Well-Strung-Performs-for-Hillary-Clinton-After-Chelseas-Mom-Goes-Viral-20150706 |url-status=live }} They have performed with celebrities including Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, Audra McDonald, and Deborah Voigt.
The band has appeared on The Today Show three times and with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live.{{cite news |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/hunky-quartet-mash-kelly-clarkson-mozart-2D79392430 |title=Hunky quartet mash up Kelly Clarkson, Mozart |date=March 18, 2014 |work=Today |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=8 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123501/https://www.today.com/popculture/hunky-quartet-mash-kelly-clarkson-mozart-2D79392430 |url-status=live }} Shows have been directed by Donna Drake and Richard Jay-Alexander.{{cite journal |url=https://cabaretscenes.org/2019/01/06/well-strung-a-well-strung-christmas/ |title=Well-Strung: A Well-Strung Christmas |first=Marilyn |last=Lester |date=January 6, 2019 |journal=Cabaret Scenes |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009195324/https://cabaretscenes.org/2019/01/06/well-strung-a-well-strung-christmas/ |url-status=live }}
Two of the band's members, Marchant and Wadleigh, competed in The Amazing Race 30 in 2018.
The band also has played multiple times at Ravinia Festival north of Chicago, most recently in 2019.{{cite web |title=Show History |url=https://www.ravinia.org/ShowDetails/1619/well-strung |url-status=live |access-date=July 6, 2022 |website=Ravinia Festival |archive-date=August 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813142837/https://www.ravinia.org/ShowHistory/2019 }}
Style
The group often crafts its own arrangements that combine the two styles of music, such as the group's cover of Taylor Swift's Blank Space layered with excerpts from Bach's Partita No. 3, or the mash-up of Lorde's Royals with composer Karl Jenkins's Palladio.{{cite web |url=https://www.thecut.com/2015/03/meet-new-yorks-buffest-poppiest-string-quartet.html |title=Meet New York's Buffest, Poppiest String Quartet |last=Whitford |first=Emma |date=March 27, 2015 |work=The Cut |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=8 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123355/https://www.thecut.com/2015/03/meet-new-yorks-buffest-poppiest-string-quartet.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Well-Strung-a-crossover-ensemble-12198334.php |title=Well-Strung a crossover ensemble |last=Biancolli |first=Amy |date=September 15, 2017 |newspaper=Albany Times Union |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=9 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209002922/https://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Well-Strung-a-crossover-ensemble-12198334.php |url-status=live }}
During live shows, the group often shares personal anecdotes with the audience between songs, resulting in part-cabaret, part-concert performance.{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/hunks-string-quartet-well-strung-article-1.1275244 |title=The four hunky guys of Well-Strung are a cross between a boy band and a string quartet |last=Salamone |first=Gina |date=February 28, 2013 |newspaper=New York Daily News |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=8 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208064230/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/hunks-string-quartet-well-strung-article-1.1275244 |url-status=live }}
Albums and appearances
The group regularly plays in cities across America and has toured internationally, playing approximately 120 shows a year.{{cite news |url=http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20171225/bandmates-team-up-for-amazing-race |title=Bandmates team up for 'Amazing Race' |last=List |first=Madeleine |date=December 27, 2017 |newspaper=Cape Cod Times |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=8 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123414/http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20171225/bandmates-team-up-for-amazing-race |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/cast/215804/ |title=The Amazing Race Cast: Trevor Wadleigh & Chris Marchant |work=CBS |accessdate=6 February 2018 |archive-date=2 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202205704/http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/cast/215804/ |url-status=live }} Since its formation, Well-Strung has held regular summer residences in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where the group was started.
Well-Strung has recorded three albums: Well-Strung (2013),{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/artist/well-strung/1009551585 |title=Well-Strung |website=Apple Music |accessdate=October 19, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019183640/https://music.apple.com/us/artist/well-strung/1009551585 |url-status=live }} POPssical (2015), and Under the Covers (2018).{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/String-Quartet-Well-StrungTo-Release-Third-Album-This-Fall-Featuring-PopClassical-Mash-Ups-20180717 |title=String Quartet Well-StrungTo Release Third Album This Fall Featuring Pop/Classical Mash-Ups |date=July 17, 2018 |accessdate=July 6, 2022 |website=BroadwayWorld |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019183407/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/String-Quartet-Well-StrungTo-Release-Third-Album-This-Fall-Featuring-PopClassical-Mash-Ups-20180717 |url-status=live }} POPssical debuted at #8 on Billboard's Classical Crossover Chart. They have also released two singles: a mash-up of Green Day's "21 Guns" and Pachelbel's Canon, and an arrangement of "Silent Night".
References
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External links
- [http://well-strung.com/ Well-Strung Official Website]
- [https://www.facebook.com/wellstrungnyc/ Well-Strung] on Facebook
- [https://twitter.com/Wellstrungnyc Well-Strung] on Twitter
- [https://www.youtube.com/user/WellStrungNYC/Well-Strung Well-Strung] on YouTube
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Category:American string quartets
Category:American gay musicians