Event

moira smiley & VOCO

moira smiley & VOCO is a visionary blend of voices - redefining harmony singing with the power & physicality of folksong, the avant-garde fearlessness of Béla Bartók and the delicious, vaudevillian accompaniment of cello, banjo, accordion and body percussion. Moira Smiley leads an ensemble of extraordinary musicians who share a passion for spreading powerful, emotional music with lush four-part vocal harmony, cello, accordion and banjo. Their original, improvisation-built songs are steeped in Appalachia and Eastern Europe.

moira smiley & VOCO...push the envelope of vocal music every which way. I can't recommend this group strongly enoughgo there and be amazed." Kennebec Journal, ME

Named #1 a cappella group in the U.S. in 2007, VOCO is the energy of street singing and the elegance of a string quartet. VOCO is sweet, hard-driving Americana mixed with crooked eastern European dance and dissonance. It's all rounded out with body-stompin' percussive movement and joyous, magnificent, hair-raising harmonies - music that mourns and dances at the same time. Brilliant discord, playfulness, and spontaneity pervade the performance.

The night celebrates Arts Education with an opening vocal performance by Methow Valley School District students, who are working with professional musicians through Methow Arts' Artist-in-Residence program.

Moira Smiley will also lead a workshop for teachers and community members supported by National Endowment for the Arts.