In physics, string theory is the study of what the world is made of and why we are here. In music, however, String Theory, is the combination of Alan Jossul on guitar and Blaine Dunaway on violin.
The duo will play at the McMillan Arts Center on Jan. 30.
Born and raised in the Comox Valley, Alan Jossul has been playing and teaching guitar for most of his life. He has a performance history (solo and collaborative) spanning 20 years, including various appearances at Vancouver Island Musicfest and Sunshine Festival in Powell River. His musical style influences abound, covering a full gamut of genres from classical music to heavy-metal. He has also picked at the banjo, bass and a few other instruments and managed to make a few of these stringed things sing.
After years of developing his fingerstyle technique, he enrolled in Vancouver Island University’s Jazz Performance Program to broaden his horizons.
When he isn’t teaching or out with his dog, he is generally on a stage performing or in an audience appreciating and keeping the art of live performance alive and kicking.
Blaine Dunaway is a performer, teacher, composer and conductor. He also has a B.A. in music (jazz) from Western Washington University. Blaine has taught music in public schools throughout B.C. and Manitoba and has taught at the college level in B.C. and Alberta.
As a composer, his compositions range from String Quartets to 15-piece bands to meditation tracks. Blaine has worked as a studio recording artist in many studios across the country. As an improvising violinist and trumpet player, there are dozens of albums with his touch adding to the magic in many different genres, from jazz to classical, folk, world music, blues and pop.
Dunaway has also played in most of the finest big bands in Western Canada. He has performed with jazz orchestras including Hugh Fraser’s Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation, Tommy Banks’ Orchestra, Gary Guthman Orchestra and in the Royal Canadian Engineers Band.
Showcasing the other end of his musical ability, Blaine has been a member of the Pro Musica Orchestra, New West Symphony, Okanagan Symphony, Sooke Philharmonic and the Victoria Civic Orchestra. He was also Concert Master with the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra.
He now lives in Courtney, BC.
Come watch these musicians make their strings sing Friday Jan. 30 at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for OCAC members. For more information, contact info@mcmillanartscentre.com or 250-248-8185.
—NEWS Staff /MAC