Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley King.
Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The Midway String Quartet was founded in 2018 by four friends looking for more opportunities to play together. We met weekly to build our repertoire and chemistry, frequently with a few of our children in attendance. Our first gig was volunteering at the Midway Fourth of July Sunrise Service. Since then we’ve played countless weddings and other functions including a Christmas collaboration with the Midway Camerata at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, an open house at the Park City Hospital to bring awareness to heart health, romantic Valentine’s Day rides on the Heber Valley Railroad, and, of course, the streets of Midway during Swiss Days. Our pinnacle performance thus far was a Wicked themed party at Twenty and Main featuring Kristen Chenoweth.
Our current members are Megan Sage (first violin), Rebecca Quinn (second violin), Ashley King (viola), and Paula Drysdale or Joseph Winters (cello).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Finding your way in both music and business is rarely a straight line, especially when balancing the lives of four musicians with very distinct roles. Over the years, we’ve said goodbyes to founding members due to moves, career shifts, and family priorities. But with those departures, we’ve also been incredibly fortunate to welcome new members who bring an abundance of talent and fresh dedication to the group.
Navigating everything from the pressures of the pandemic and the demands of social media to our own busy schedules has certainly kept us on our toes, but we’re constantly learning to adapt. Honestly, our biggest hurdle has been a local one: finding an experienced cellist who actually lives in the Heber Valley. (We definitely need more cellists in the world!) In the meantime, we’ve embraced some creative workarounds. We even busked at Swiss Days with one of our violinists, Rebecca Quinn, playing the entire cello part on her viola—a feat that takes serious talent, quick thinking, and the exact kind of adaptability we pride ourselves on. Fortunately, we have since welcomed two incredibly talented cellists to the group, meaning our full ensemble is fully staffed and ready to perform.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are proud of our ability to blend four individuals together to make something beautiful, and of the decades of work we have put in individually that have brought us to this point: over 100 years of string experience and several undergraduate and graduate degrees between the four of us. But the best part of playing with a string quartet is weaving work and passion into a beautiful experience for others. That’s what makes a performance great for the listener as well as the performer.
We enjoy playing classical and contemporary music for formal and casual events. While we’ve played a variety of occasions, the majority of our bookings are weddings, and we love that! Wedding planners and reception centers know they can depend on us to always bring high-quality music to their events—not to mention punctuality, professionalism, and a friendly face on what can be a busy and stressful day. For us, the joy of seeing the couple as they walk down the aisle to their favorite song and blend two lives into one is unmatched.
We love adding that extra touch to weddings, but also adding something special to the everyday. There’s nothing better than the moment when the music transcends the present to connect with an individual: when they close their eyes and get lost in the music or start to sing along with a familiar favorite. We live for the times when our music enriches the life of a passerby, creating a connection.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
As performers, technology can never replace face-to-face practice and time together, but a few key tools definitely simplify the logistics. We rely heavily on Instagram for our advertising, and we are incredibly grateful for our social media specialist, Crusan Epps, who keeps us visible since the four of us are pretty out of the loop when it comes to social media trends!
On the performance side, we love digital music apps, like MobileSheets, which allow us to carry our vast library of classical and contemporary arrangements on a single device. And MobileSheets cloud storage was also an absolute lifesaver when my tablet bit the dust and I was able to retrieve my music and playlists on a replacement device.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://midwaystringquartet.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/midwaystringquartet
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/midwaystringquartet
