Wood Violins.
For the second year in a row, this fangirl was honored to spend a few moments on camera with the surreal Mark Wood and his lovely wife, Laura Kaye. The famed electric violinist and former member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mark Wood to talk about his breathtaking line of electric violins and his music and his nonprofit, children’s music and string educational program, Electrify Your Strings.
Wood Violins.
In 1968, at the age of 12, Mark developed the first solid body electric violin. At the time, there wasn’t a remotely comparable on the general market. Over the years, he has designed and produced ten different models including the “Spaceolin” which is equipped with neon lights outlining the body of the instrument. The bow is also outlined in neon and the effect when performing in darkness is a memorable experience. Especially when he breaks out the heavy metal!
By 17, Mark became a classical music student at Julliard School of Music on a full scholarship but soon started to focus on regenerating electric string instruments, fulltime.
Over his outrageously successful career, Mr. Wood has thoroughly engrained his energy into the music industry through performance, research and development, and education. The amount of information available on his contributions to the arts and music industry is staggering. He is a gracious and humble man, more than happy to share his knowledge and experience at the shear ask of a question.
Mark Wood Violins is a regular exhibitor at NAMM; Mark performs and demonstrates his collection at his booth, and you can usually find him performing at an after event or two. This year Mark and Laura returned to the exceedingly popular, Ultimate NAMM Night, at the Anaheim Hilton, adjacent to the convention center. In past year’s they have performed with their children’s orchestra and rock orchestra. The diversity of Mark’s instruments, talents, and dedication to the education of music, is unprecedented.
Information on Mark Wood Violins, Mark Wood Music, Laura Kay Music, and their Electrify Your Strings program is intensive and readily available throughout the internet. Please visit one of the following websites to read more. When Mr. Wood, Ms. Laura Kay and their orchestra tours through your town, be sure not to miss the Wood family Experience.
Mark Wood Violins: www.woodviolins.com
Mark Wood Music: www.markwoodmusic.com
Laura Kaye Music: www.laurakayemusic.com
Electrify Your Strings (education program): http://www.electrifyyourstrings.com
You can also keep up with Mark Wood, Laura Kaye and Mark Wood Violins on various social media sites by searching @WoodViolins and @MarkWoodMusic. Their music and CD’s are available for purchase on most reputable music services sites, and of course, you can find performances and demonstrations on his YouTube channel by searching “Mark Wood” and “Laura Kaye Music.”
By: Siege / BackStage360
Images: Bill Towner / BackStage360
Wood Violins.
Mark Wood, C.J. and Laura Kaye at the Mark Wood Violin Booth. Namm 2019
Wood Violins.