During a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s, award-winning musician Caroline McCaskey wowed fans while performing a peculiar version of the American Nation Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.
Over the summer, the classically trained musician took to the Oakland Athletics’ RingCentral Coliseum and performed the National Anthem in front of thousands. The kicker? She played it on a musical saw.
While it is a normal tradition for sporting events to showcase performers taking on The Star-Spangled Banner, most individuals typically sing the identifiable tune. However, McCaskey walked out onto the field holding only two items: a handheld saw and a bow. From there, she sat down and bowed the song perfectly, much to the surprise of viewers around the world.
So, how exactly does one become familiar with the musical saw? McCaskey’s journey to learning the musical saw came at the age of 13 after being classically trained as a violinist and violist. She pursued music in college and initially earned a Master of Music in Viola Performance at Lamont School of Music and is actively studying for a degree in vocal jazz at American River College.
A look into Caroline McCaskey’s CRAZY musical background
From her educational background, McCaskey has gone on to accomplish what every musician dreams of. Recognized for her ability to play the fiddle, she earned a U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship title in 2019. In addition, she has performed in both the San Francisco Symphony and the Colorado symphony.
According to her website, the multifaceted musician is described as, “A native daughter of the genre-bending West Coast music scene, Caroline McCaskey is equally at home in the regional traditional, improvising and classical music worlds.”
But, she doesn’t just share her talents with those attending symphonies. The West Coast-born musician, who has won the International Musical Saw Competition twice, is also a well-known teacher. She leads multiple workshops at Fiddlekids Summer Camp in Berkeley, at Rocky Mountain Fiddle Campin Golden Bell Camp, Colorado, and even hosts an online musical saw class. In fact, she promises that anyone can learn the saw and guarantees students will learn “how to create beautiful melodies on the saw, even if you don’t play any other instrument.”
She encouraged students to, “Get out to the garage, dust off the saw, and let’s make some music!” Needless to say, this saw player is making history with her unique and never before seen talents.
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