Michael Mulryan – violin, djambe, cowbell, vocals
Hometown – Marin County, CA
Michael began studying the violin in the 3rd grade, for the Oak View School Orchestra. Within his first year of playing, the conductor suggested that he audition for Marin Symphony’s, youth music program, Workshop For Strings, with Hugo Rinaldi as it’s music director. He passed the audition. In the spring of 1969 he began taking private violin lessons with Charles Meacham who was the concertmaster of the Marin Symphony Orchestra.
1971- Accepted into the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra
1973- Accepted into the Orchestra Piccola, a chamber orchestra under the direction of Hugo Rinaldi.
1975 and 1976 – Attended the Aspen Music Festival at Aspen, Colorado
1977 – Selected as concertmaster of the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra
1977 – Began private lessons with Roy Milan, the concertmaster of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.
1978 – Took part in the summer music program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
1978 – Received a four year scholarship to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
Numerous solo performances between 1971 and 1978-
Michael put down the violin in 1981 to join the military. He Settled in Phoenix Arizona after being honorably discharged from the Air Force. He began playing the violin again in 1997. Michael embarked on the long road back to technical proficiency on this difficult instrument playing by ear along with his favorite records, now CD`s. Revered influences include U2, Afro Celt Sound System, Anoushka Shankar, Joe Sample, Peter Gabriel, Keb Mo, Lightn`n Hopkins, J.S. Bach, L. Beethoven, G. Dead…
