BIOGRAPHY
'Harlequins and Charlatans' is really fun to say. Go ahead, say it! See, wasn't that delightful?
Amanda Fitch was first inspired to play violin when she was 8 years old. It was a program offered through school that has blossomed into so much more and what has ultimately led her to Seattle. Through music and her violin, she has had opportunities ranging from performing at Disney Land’s Magic Kingdom in 2006, to being a studio musician for the History Channel.
After relocating in 2009 to the beautiful city of Seattle, Washington, she has also studied with acclaimed musician and composer, David Paul Mesler, Michael Lim, and Ron Patterson. Amanda has most notably performed at Benaroya with D.J Cut Chemist as a member of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Anthony Spain.
Currently, she is a performer and teacher across the Seattle metropolitan area, pursuing higher education at the University of Washington, and enjoys collaborating with Cornish College of the Arts graduates Harold Belskus and Jamie Maschler in their project, A Cedar Suede.
Harold Belskus loves making music: from house parties, to international events, to sold-out venues. Starting with electric guitar and drums at 12 years old, by 18 he was playing bass for Seattle rock outfit OFU, had local radio airplay, headlined the Showbox, toured the West, and attended the 2005 MTV VMA’s in Miami on a personal invite by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. Harold left the rock scene in 2006 to explore higher education, solo performance, travel, and to snowboard. Now, with a Cornish College of the Arts Music Degree in Composition and Performance, the background has diversified. Having performed reggae sets in Mexico, hip-hop in Belize, classical music in Guatemala, sacred Indian Kirtan chants in Denver, and gypsy-jazz in Seattle, there is a constant search for something new and exciting.
One noteworthy performance was the inaugural 2009 Ice Music Festival at Beaver Creek, Colorado. World-renowned ice artist Tim Linhart carved a concert hall, complete with beautiful and playable instruments, all out of ice, at 11,000 ft, atop the ski resort. The astonishing 5-day festival sold-out completely, leaving attendees enthralled. As wide and wild as this musical adventure has been, it is only a humble beginning. Self-taught until 2009, Harold now studies classical guitar with Michael Nicolella, composition with Jovino Santos-Neto, and performs, produces, and instructs across the Seattle area. He also performs with accordionist Jamie Maschler in A Cedar Suede: see www.acedarsuede.com for more info.
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