Thursday, May 08

Trip to perform

NORTH BENNINGTON, Vt. - Ten-year-old violin virtuoso Trip McKee of Great Barrington will make his debut on the Vermont Arts Exchange Basement Music Series concert stage as the opening act for New York City's violin/guitar duo Brazz Tree on Saturday, May 10, at 8 p.m.

Trip (a.k.a. Julien Davies McKee III) has been playing the violin since he was 5 years old (he just turned 10 in February), after telling his parents that he wanted to play the double bass. He now enjoys playing both classical and fiddle pieces, and studies with Eileen Markland at the Berkshire Music School in Pittsfield.

Trip has played his violin with other students at various Berkshire County venues, including The Clark Art Institute, the Cerebral Palsy Telethon, Butternut Arts Festival, the Norman Rockwell Museum and Hancock Shaker Village. He has also opened for Tom Rush and Arlo Guthrie at the Guthrie Center in Great Barrington.

His interest in music includes opera; he attended a performance of "Le Nozze di Figaro" (which remains his favorite) when he was 4 years old and has been hooked ever since. He also enjoys listening to folk, blues and jazz, along with Little Richard and the

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Beatles. This past year, Trip became a member of the Berkshire Children's Chorus.

Trip's other interests include baseball and basketball. He plays on a little league team in Great Barrington and hopes to become a major league baseball player while pursuing his musical interests during the off-season.

Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Tickets for the event are $16 in advance and $18 at the door. Info: 802-442-5549 or vtartxchange.org.