For my next interview, I introduce Michi. We went to the same high school and worked at the Arizona Renaissance Festival together. I ran around with the stage combat troupe; she played instruments and danced. We also went to the same prom.
bryan, michi, adam, jamie
JC: Tell us a little about yourself.
MR: According to the 10,000 hour rule, I am an expert at violin and accounting; I might make it there someday with yoga. Once upon a time I lived in a yurt. My dream job would be as a folklorist, just recording and reporting on interesting traditions around the world.
JC: I’ve heard there’s an amazing link between math and music. I haven’t studied much of either, but have you found that you interest in one moves the other forward?
MR: It’s all just patterns to me; music is patterns with soul. I saw Irish music like another crossword puzzle to figure out or language to learn because its shapes and ornaments were so different from classical music. Some people say this perspective takes the magic out — I think finding patterns makes life more interesting, especially when you start to see connections.
Many folk musicians tend to disagree with this link between math and music; they aren’t often “paper”-trained, so they see it more intuitively. Except drummers. Drummers totally love patterns. “So, you went from a’counting to accounting!” – Antonio Albarran (Gypsy Guerilla Band)
JC: What are the instruments that you play? Are/were you involved with Morris dancing? How did you become a musician?
MR: A) violin/fiddle depending on the outfit. What would I really love to play? The Indian sarod, the Turkish cooking-pot banjo (chumbush), and the musical saw. B) You said we didn’t have to talk about the Morris dancing!!! Except for that one time, when we arrived in England, and there were fireworks and Morris dancers in the middle of the night; it was almost as if they knew we were there. C) I was born this way (maybe not, but it was both nature and nurture in my house).
photo by Jon Baade https://www.facebook.com/WaterStreetBridge
JC: So your family is also musical?
MR: Sure! I use every chance I get to show off my dad’s art:
His sculpture is displayed in various galleries and installations around the country. This one has probably had Regiers the longest: http://www.leopoldgallery.com/artists/art/?at=RegierSculpture
There’s a nice writeup of Dad & Grandpa here: http://www.marymartinart.com/davidregier.html
Mom just retired from school teaching and published a book: http://sujoystrings.com/
JC: Would you like to share some internet links?
MR: As for my stuff, free music links here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/michiregier
- “Videos” are the ones I’ve recorded at home with my looping pedal
- “Playlists” are things other people have captured of me (see “World,” “Water Street Bridge,” “Festivals,” and “Steampunk”)
https://soundcloud.com/fiddlewitch
- Couple of my CD’s are available for free here (shhh)
Non-free music available here:
http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/michi
I use twitter for accounting, live-tweeting silly TV and generally non-music stuff: https://twitter.com/maregier
I’m keeping a blog (sporadically) – https://michimusic.wordpress.com/
Favorite charities:
http://playingforchange.com/ – I just love what these folks are doing. Great message and high production quality.
http://www.hungryformusic.org/ – donated 30 violins to teaching at an orphanage in Mexico. Earned a forever spot in my heart.
https://www.alternativegifts.org/ – great for the family Christmas cards –
and of course, there’s always micro-lending with Kiva.
bryan, michi, jamie, adam in renaissance costumes at the boyce thompson arboretum
