Q&A with BISQ
Welcome to the Boom Island String Quartet Blog. We will be posting occasional updates of all of the adventures we have throughout the year. In anticipation of this week’s recital, we figured now would be a great time to get to know us a little bit better.
Alia Abboud
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Instrument: Cello
Day job: Associate Product Manager
Practice: (Depends what day you are posting it! Haha) I have practiced all but 3 days so far in March
Favorite BISQ piece: So hard to choose one, but Toxic (arranged by our very own Alex Mueller) is one of my favorites!
What should never be requested for String Quartet? Bridal Chorus (“Wedding March”) by Richard Wagner
*editors note. Harsh words Alia. Harsh words.
Musical Role Models: Yo-Yo Ma, Jacqueline Du Pré, Sara Bareilles
What is the coolest thing you’ve gotten to do as a musician? I love the collaborative aspect of making music. When I studied abroad in France I got to perform in a band where each of us came from a different country: Italy, Portugal, Germany, Poland, and the US. Music has an unique ability to bring people together.
Maya Lehmann
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Instrument: Violin
How many days did you practice this month? 5 times so far in March
Favorite BISQ piece: Defying Gravity or I Want It That Way
What song should never be requested for String Quartet? Songs with lots of flats! They are hard for me (Lol)
Musical Role Models: Sarah Chang, Jamila Woods
The coolest thing I've gotten to do as a musician: When my college orchestra was on tour in Argentina, we got to play in a concert hall that was shaped like a whale!
Martha McDermott
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Instrument Violin
How many days did you practice this month? 7
Favorite BISQ Pieces: Orange Blossom Special, Dance, Dance, & Hedwig’s Theme
What song should never be requested for String Quartet? Cupid Shuffle! (but if anyone wants to request the chicken dance, I am so ready for it)
Musical Role Models: Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert, Hilary Hahn, Adele, George Harrison
What is the coolest thing you’ve gotten to do as a musician? Perform with my string quartet at the grand re-opening of the newly remodeled Austin McDonald’s when I was in high school.
Alex Mueller
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Instrument: Viola
How many days did you practice this month? All the days!
Favorite BISQ Pieces: Anything that involves jingle bells, movie music, tangos!
What song should never be requested for string quartet? I don't know, anything in E Major.
Musical Role Models: John Williams, John Powell, Michael Levine, Jennifer Higdon, Alex Shapiro
What is the coolest thing you’ve gotten to do as a musician? Don't know about "coolest". . . some cool things include performing a film score I composed with live orchestra (I played the viola solo), the NFL video we did last summer, performing on soundtrack for a Sci Fi Channel movie "400 Days" that was directed by Minnesotan Matt Osterman (we had no sheet music for the session, got to make sound effects)