“Appassionata Duo plays songs you know on viola, harp”

Appassionata Duo plays songs you know on viola, harp

Posted: 01 Aug 2010 12:59 AM PDT

By JAMES D. WATTS JR. World Scene Writer
Published: 8/1/2010 2:52 AM
Last Modified: 8/1/2010 2:52 AM

Typically when these two have performed on the same stage in the past — as principal violist and harpist, respectively, with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra — the audiences have listened in rapt and respectful silence.

But that often isn't the case since Cowen and Wiebe have formed Appassionata, a unique viola-harp duo that has been performing at restaurants and bars around town for much of the summer.

"I remember we were playing 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' " Cowen recalled. "And it took me a little while to realize what I was hearing was people singing the words."

He laughed, then said, "That doesn't happen a lot when you're playing a symphony or a string quartet."

Appassionata came about when harpist Wiebe invited Cowen to "read through some music just for fun."

Prior to coming to Tulsa in 2007, Wiebe had performed with a wide range of artists, from orchestras in the United States and England to working with pop artists such as Josh Grobin, from appearing on TV shows such as "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Today Show" to performing as a solo artist aboard the Queen Mary 2 ocean liner.

Cowen, on the other hand,

has spent most of his musical career in his hometown of Tulsa. He started as a member of the Tulsa Youth Symphony, to becoming the youngest principal musician in the Tulsa Philharmonic when he earned the principal violist position in 1990, to his current jobs with the Tulsa Symphony, Tulsa Opera and Tulsa Ballet orchestras.

However, the only rock music Cowen can recall playing was years ago when he appeared on the morning show on radio station KMOD.

"I played ZZ Top's song 'Tush' with another guy who was playing kazoo," Cowen said, laughing at the memory. "And I've also done things like play with a klezmer band. But I really think of what we're doing here, regardless of whether it's a pop song or a classical piece, as chamber music.

"And to tell the truth, I'm still in awe of the way these two instruments sound together," he added. "It's really a neat sound that's unlike anything else I'd been involved with. And it's pushed me as a player, because I have to work on my articulation. I can't always do things the way I would if I were part of a string quartet."

They take requests

For Wiebe, working with Cowen in Appassionata is also an unusual experience.

"When you're a harpist, typically you're either playing in an orchestra or you're a soloist," she said. "There are a number of works out there for harp and flute, and a few for harp and violin. But there isn't a lot of repertoire for harp and viola out there waiting for us."

"We also are open to requests," Cowen said. "We encourage people to submit song requests to our Facebook page, and we'll see what we can do to add it to the next show."

Wiebe does much of the arranging for the duo, whether adapting classical works for the two instruments or reworking songs by artists as diverse as The Beatles ("We always get requests for more Beatles," Cowen said), Bon Jovi, Coldplay, Guns N' Roses and Green Day.

"We try to be true to the song itself, and not get too creative in the arrangement," she said. "It's sort of the point of doing these shows in wine bars and restaurants — you want people to recognize the melody of a song, since it's being played on not the usual instruments.

"And some of the songs that seemed the easiest to adapt to this format were songs you wouldn't expect to work at all, like 'Sweet Child of Mine' by Guns N' Roses," she said, smiling.

Wiebe's arrangements also give the two room to switch roles within a song — having the main melody line move from viola to harp and back again, for example.

While the shows Appassionata does in venues such as the LXI Wine Bar, which has been their mainstay gig for much of the summer, focus on pop and rock music, Cowen and Wiebe occasionally slip into the set list a classical piece.

"It will be something that fits in with the other music we're playing — short dances, pieces that have a strong rhythmic quality," Wiebe said. "However, we usually try to keep the pop shows and classical recitals separate."

Cowen and Wiebe plan to continue working as Appassionata, although they figure the demands of playing for the Tulsa Symphony, Opera and Ballet will mean few, if any, weekends free.

"We just want to keep having fun and playing good music," Cowen said.

Appassionata Duo performances

Pop-rock shows Aug. 7 — TiAmo's, 302 S. Cheyenne Ave., 8-10 p.m. Aug. 13 and 27, Sept. 3 and 14 — LXI Wine Bar, 5982 S. Yale Avenue, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 5 — Bodean's Seafood, 3323 E. 51st St., 6-8 p.m. Classical recitals Sept. 8 — "Music Sandwiched In," Aaronson Auditorium, Fourth Street and Denver Ave., noon-1 p.m. Sept. 30 — Harwelden, 2210 S. Main St., 7:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 13 —"Brown Bag It" series, Tulsa PAC, 101 E. Third St, noon-1 p.m. For more information, or to make a song request, go to tulsaworld.com/appassionata.

Original Print Headline: Strings and songs to sing

James D. Watts Jr 581-8478
james.watts@tulsaworld.com

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