Tickets are $18.00 ~ KenesethIsrael.org/MusicArts

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What: the Annual DePue Brothers Band Holiday Family Concert

When: Sunday, December 19 at 5 PM

Where: Keneseth Israel

Tickets: $18 Adults, Students with parents: free

Free Parking:  There is plenty of parking in our well lighted lot right on premises. Totally Wheelchair accessible.

Information:  This is the Annual Holiday Music Event not to be missed: KI Music Arts Community Family Concert starring the DePue Brothers Band playing your favorite holiday music played in many genres: classical, “grassical”, blue grass, soft rock, standard, soft jazz. The four DePue Brothers, all classically trained violinists, have been or are members of major orchestras, such as The Philadelphia Orchestra; as have the banjo, guitars, and bass players. This is the holiday event the whole family can enjoy, either in person or later via stream.  We ask that the audience be vaccinated and masked. There are plenty of seats in the Sanctuary for safe spacing.

DePue Brothers Band:

• Alex DePue began studying classical violin at age five. He won his first university-level competition at age 10, soloing with the Bowling Green State University Symphony Orchestra, and later (age 14) won a competition which entitled him to a performance at NYC’s Carnegie Hall, serving as Concertmaster under the direction of Joseph Silverstein for the National Guild Youth Symphony Orchestra. Despite decades of intense classical training, Alex became interested in fiddling at age seven, and began competing in “fiddle” contests: Michigan State Fiddling Champion from 1994-1998; first-place trophy at the Walnut Valley National Fiddling Championship in Winfield, Kansas in 1999 and 2005; first place in the Halletsville, TX “Gone to Texas National Fiddling Championship” in 2000; first place in the Alabama state fiddle contest in 2006 and 2007; and first place in the California State Fiddle Championship in 2007; also in 2006 “Fiddle King” in Athens, AL (Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention); first place in the Twin Fiddle division while ranking among the Top 10 finalists in the Grand National Championship division.  Alex toured as Musical Director with Capitol Recording artist Chris Cagle from 2000-2006, with whom he still regularly appears in syndication on the Grand Ole Opry, CMT, Great American Country and VH1 Country. From 2007 – 2010, Mr. DePue joined legendary rock guitarist, Steve Vai, for a world tour. Alex’s YouTube videos are from all parts of the globe, and his #1 YouTube hit (featured for three weeks on YouTube’s home-page), “Owner of a Lonely Heart / Smooth Criminal Medley” for solo violin has been viewed and reposted worldwide over four million times.  Although trained in classical violin, Alex has the ability to turn on a dime towards bluegrass fiddling, jazz, rock, and/or any improvisational style available to the instrument.  Alex is also fluent on the viola, mandolin, guitar, bass, clarinet, saxophone, drums and piano.

• Wallace DePue Jr. is the eldest brother of the family, and has an extensive resume that includes the following:  former associate concert master of Philly Pops, co-concert master of the nationally touring Star Wars Orchestra, regular violinist with Naples Philharmonic, and has performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Pennsylvania ballet.  He has his doctorate in Violin Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Texas.

• Zachary DePue is the youngest of the DePue Brothers, but has a rich career history.   He graduated from the Curtis institute in 2002 and immediately joined the first violin section of the Philadelphia Orchestra for 5 years.  He then became a founding member of the famed Time For Three String trio, performing with them for 7 years.  He was the Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony for 11 seasons, and now performs chamber music with his string quartet as well as his brother band throughout the country.  He is a regular guest faculty member at Butler University.

• Jason DePue, violin and mandolin, is a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra first violin section, and is in his 20^th season as such.  Jason has had several recording and concert projects over the years.  He recorded all 6 Bach Sonatas and Partitas, created arrangements for Ravel’s Tsigane for a special chamber version performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and has new album released comprising of all Spanish solo violin repertoire.

• Don Liuzzi, percussionist, is in his 32nd season as principal timpanist of The Philadelphia Orchestra.  He is a founding member of Philork Jazz, and POPG (Philadelphia Orchestra Percussion Group), recorded and produced several discs on his Beat The Drum Entertainment label, including the DePue Brothers Band Weapons Of Grass Construction, and their holiday album When Its Christmas Time.  He has taught for 27 years at the Curtis Institute, and has conducted the Mainline Symphony Orchestra for the past 7 years.

• Kevin MacConnell, bassist, is one of the premier jazz bassists in the Philadelphia Region.  He performs and records with the Paul Jost Quartet, as well as with Philadelphia tenor sax legend Larry McKenna.  He was featured on a PBS special with Denyce Graves, and has worked with a plethora of major jazz artists, both in New York and Philadelphia.  He is also a first call bassist with the visiting Broadway shows at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music, and is an active teacher, having served on the faculties of University of the Arts, and area high schools.

• Michael Munford, banjo, is one of country’s greatest and unsung banjoists for the past 30 years.  In 2013-2014 he was named Banjo Player of The Year by IBMA.  He has performed with Tony Trischka on his Triple Banjo Spectacular, toured internationally with Peter Rowan, featured as a banjoist on the Chris Rock film The Candidate, and for the past 15 years been a regular member of grammy nominated Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen.

• Kevin Hanson, guitarist is a first call guitarist for Philly Pops, and a premier recording guitarist in all the studios throughout the Philadelphia Region.  He is renowned in the Philadelphia jazz scene, as well the visiting Broadway show theaters.  He has performed and toured with The Roots.  He is also on the faculty of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.