This Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 and Sept. 21, Monta Vista Saturday Night Live, hosted by literature teacher Mark Carpenter, will be showing in the auditorium. While a large component of the show is the comedy sketches –– written and directed by students ––the musical performances are also integral. Musical performers play in the middle of the show, providing a break between the skits. Everything about this year’s MVSNL musical guests is untraditional, from their structure down to their style of playing. For the first time ever, the musical guests are not a band, but a duo of violinists. Juniors Michael Ligier and Andy Wang, under the name No Strings Attached, will perform at both shows.
Junior Megan Chandler was part of the committee that decided who were going to be the musical performers for this year’s MVSNL. This year, they decided to try something new other than rock bands, which have performed for MVSNL in the past.
“No Strings Attached isn’t exactly a band, but they give an astounding performance nonetheless, Chandler said, “We’re very happy that we chose them.”
While most associate the violin with classical works from the likes of Vivaldi or Bach, Ligier and Wang’s style is unconventional, taking a step away from the classical music normally played on the instrument. They add a new spin by playing their own renditions of popular songs. The duo made their debut at the Blacklight Rally last year with their version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” as well as their own version of the Star Wars theme. The duo’s untraditional style not only introduces listeners to the extent of which the violin can be applied to different genres, but also expands Ligier’s and Wang’s capabilities.
“I think that the style that we’re performing the songs and the way we’re playing using our instruments is not the usual,” Wang said.
“I think it’s good to go out of the classical style because it brings a different sort of technique to it and increases your range,” Ligier added.
No Strings Attached will be performing at MVSNL in the auditorium on Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21. Tickets are $10 presale and $12 at the door.
