‘Falling’ in love with music with Strings Attached

The nearly dozen-member music ensemble Strings Attached is bringing audiences along for a journey into autumn through its upcoming concert “Fall… In love with music with Strings Attached.”

The 11-member group will perform 12 pieces from different genres including rock, pop, and classical in its program which begins by wishing summer goodbye, before delving into autumnal anthems and spooky tunes. Strings Attached performs its fall concert on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Great River.

“We start out saying goodbye to summer, and then we do falling leaves and autumn dances, then a little beer-drinking song, and then we get scary,” said violinist and group director, Barbara Llobell.

The program starts with “A Summer Song” by Metcalf, Noble, and Stuart, before transitioning into “Autumn’s Dance” by Fiona Hickie and the “Maple Leaf Rag” by Scott Joplin. The group then performs other genres like folk and rock, including The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and Queen’s “Under Pressure,” before playing more Halloween-themed pieces like “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg and “Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

“We try to do every different genre,” Llobell said. “From Bach to Bowie.”

Strings Attached features violin, viola, cello, flute, percussion and guitar players who often take turns singing, like violinist John Kuegel for “Blackbird” and violist Gabby Albanese for “Haunted” by Taylor Swift.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s high ceilings provide great acoustics from any seat in the room, which was relieving for the group to hear during this week’s dress rehearsal, since they practice only once at their venue before the show.

Strings Attached practices weekly inside violinist Llobell’s home alongside their “mascot,” Llobell’s dog Finn. Without a conductor, each member of the group listens to themselves and each other more closely, with different members counting the group off, or calling out where they feel retouches are needed.

The group’s small size and informal atmosphere have led to strong communal bonds. This includes a fun and “chaotic” group chat, barbecues and picnics, and even laughing at themselves when something might go wrong during a rehearsal.

“This is such a fun group; there’s so many different personalities,” said violinist Danae Butler. “We’re a motley crew and I love it!”

Most members knew each other before joining Strings Attached, which Llobell formed with other musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic as a needed artistic outlet, through outside connections, including the Bay Area Friends of the Fine Arts Symphony Orchestra.

During Saturday’s concert, like all of their performances, Strings Attached encourages audiences to take in the music and get up and dance when it calls to them. “The fact that we have so much inherent joy in what we do, I think that passes out into the audience as we play,” said percussionist Yvonne Sing.

“We are community, the definition of it,” added cellist Claire Yannacone.