UCC - Violins erupt at General Synod 28 assembly

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> Violins erupt at General Synod 28 assembly

> Written by Jeff Woodard
> July 2, 2011

When General Synod 28 planners were asked "Who ya
gonna call?" to follow Leonard Pitts'
inspirational keynote speech Saturday morning in
the Plenary Hall of the Tampa Convention Center,
they chose a couple of bona fide barrier-busters.

Nuttin' But Stringz - a.k.a. teen brothers Damien
and Tourie Escobar - took the stage and promptly
smeared the myriad lines that define musical
genres. Passionately blending classical violin
sounds with popular, hip-hop and rock, the duo
from South Jamaica, Queens, N.Y., showed why they
have won two Emmys, released a platinum album and
earned a third-place finish on "America?s Got Talent."

The brothers? physical appearance onstage ?
animated hip-hop movements complemented by the
often-intense facial expressions of classical
musicians ? proved as uniquely fitting a blend as their musical sound.

"Sometimes you just have to stop," said Damien,
23, after their first number, "and remind yourself where you came from."

Their roots include older brother Tourie, now 25,
bringing home a violin at age 8. Damien, then 6,
wanted to play it, but his mother said he was too
young. By age 10, Damien was accepted as a child
prodigy to the Julliard School of Music. Tourie later joined him there.

"I  had no idea when I went to Julliard that only
big people went there," said Damien.

Before long, the brothers were playing for pocket
change on the New York City subway. Their "debut"
was a cover of Usher?s monster hip-hop hit "Yeah!"

Before their set Saturday was over, the brothers
had played "Broken Sorrow" ? the first song they
wrote ? "Suka 4 Her," a rendition of Bach?s
popular wedding Canon, and Vivaldi?s Concerto in A Minor.

> "Vivaldi would have never played on the
> subway," a grinning Tourie told the audience.

The brothers? climb was not without its

challenges; both dropped out of school at one
point, but returned and regained their focus. "We
drew on the violin as a truly life-saving force," said Damien.

By the time they released their  LP "Struggle
From the Subway to the Charts" in 2006, they
were confident they were on the right track to stay.

Among Nuttin' but Stringz's other high-profile
guest appearances have been those on talk shows
hosted by Ellen Degeneres, Craig Ferguson and Jay
Leno, as well as a spot on "Good Morning,
America." They have also performed at the
world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem and as
featured guest artists on ?Dancing With the Stars."
        one     Latest News
?Suncoast Saturday? ends with celebration of possibilities
Pitts challenges UCC to make headlines for social justice
Meagan McGlover inspires GS28 workshop to health and wellness

> Contact Information
> Jeffrey Woodard
> Writer/Reporter, UC News & StillSpeaking Magazine

> Office Of General Ministries
> 700 Prospect Ave.
> Cleveland,Ohio 44115
> 216-736-2211
> woodardj@ucc.org