Vyvienne Long Caterpillar Sarabande
Vyvienne Long
Caterpillar Sarabande (2010)

Vyvienne Long is a Dublin born classically trained cellist, pianist and singer songwriter who started her career playing in various chamber music ensembles around Europe before being recruited by Irish singer songwriter Damien Rice to tour with his band.

Somewhere along that great tour, I discovered fun and exhilaration in singing and playing the cello at the same time, and the audiences seemed to get a kick out of it too which only encouraged me.

After “Birdtalk”, a first EP in 2006, she released Caterpillar Sarabande in 2010, a wonderful collection of beautifully crafted songs chamber pop style, drawing also on Jazz or classical minimalism.  In addition to elaborate strings and brass arrangements on songs like Tactless questions or Freakscene, the other striking element of Vyvienne Long’s music is the absence of guitars as backing or lead instruments, a definite challenge in the realm of pop music.

“Let go” is a beautiful, ethereal and still unreleased song recorded in July 2011 for John Kelly’s always excellent JK Ensemble on Irish radio station Lyric FM.  March 2013 saw the cellist touring with Romanian string ensemble The Balanescu Quartet during which newly composed material was recorded live for an imminent release which should include “Let go”.

Vyvienne Long
Vyvienne Long – California – 2007

photo credit: Ko:(char *)hook via photopin cc