Improvisational five-string violinist and local favorite returns to HopMonk Sebastopol on Sept. 22
Sebastopol native Gabriel Wheaton is launching his first national tour, “Red Fiddler Tour,” which will include almost 30 solo performances across the United States and Canada over the course of six weeks. His program, a mix of original compositions and covers, will include new music.
Wheaton is launching the tour from Northern California, with concerts in Berkeley, Fairfax and Sebastopol. His Sebastopol performance is this Sunday, Sept. 22, at HopMonk.
Wheaton, who is an artist-in-demand on the Los Angeles music scene, is known for performances that draw listeners into the act of spontaneous creation. He uses a looper pedal setup that allows him to record over his own paying in real time. With a bass pedal that transforms his playing range to that of a cello, and a fifth string that adds the viola range to his violin, he can achieve the texture of a full string ensemble.
Upon hearing Wheaton’s recording Single Source (2017) Grammy-award-winner Paul Winter remarked, “What he has done here, all with one instrument, is remarkable. His arrangements and orchestrations are ingenious. He is a superb and soulful player.”
Wheaton considers HopMonk to be the hub of live music in Sebastopol, and said, “It’s equally fun to be there as a performer or an audience member … it’s the perfect launching pad for a journey that will take me across the country.”
When and where: Gabriel Wheaton launches the “Red Fiddler Tour” with a performance at Hopmonk Sebastopol on Sunday, Sept. 22, 4 to 7 p.m. No cover charge.
Cynthia Albers is a professional violinist and longtime music educator in Sebastopol. Wheaton was one of her students.
