13 Low-Strung Cellists Rock The Stage

From stage right: Christian Phanhthourath (Social Media Manager), Laec Lorentzen (Co-music Director), Yuki Heeger, Mateo Vidali, Justin Kim, Norah Fong (President), Nicholas Boettcher, Sarah Lee, Madeline Buchowski, Josef Bell, Edward Kong, Vien Le (Co-music Director), Lishore Kumar (Tour Manager). Ruby Szekeres Photo.

The Milford Arts Council (the MAC) may now offer an array of live music performances, but in recent memory, none stood out quite as much as a group of 13 rock rebel cellists ready to shred on the stage. 

Bathed in the blue and green light of the MAC’s small stage, members of Low Strung added their own special twist to the cello Friday night, accompanied by the rumble of trains shaking the floor and applause that filled the room over and over again.

This is the third time that Low Strung has played at this venue since forming in 2006 (the group, which comprises Yale undergraduates, is a rotating door of members, and new cohorts build on existing repertoire). Welcoming the group back, MAC Executive Director Paige Miglio said she was glad to see them again, and noted “the obvious uniqueness of having 13 cellists on stage.”

The love seems mutual. Low Strung has toured all over, including recently in Thailand, Canada, and the American Midwest and West Coast. But something keeps them coming back to Milford, a little town tucked into the Southern Connecticut shoreline. Or as Lishore Kumar (a.k.a. El Diablo) put it Friday, “this is our favorite gig.”

Last Friday, it was easy to see why. As 13 cellists took the stage, a sold-out crowd whooped and cheered excitedly, ready for whatever might come their way. As the group dipped into their far-ranging set, they didn’t disappoint, with arrangements of songs that ranged from Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” to Alice In Chains’ “Man In The Box” to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” 

When a take on Britney Spears’ “Toxic” made the cut, it was a reminder that many of these songs make sense on the cello, which can enhance the shrill, dramatic riffs and deep, soulful bridges that appear in popular music. Amplified by 13 cellos, the sound was rich and resonant, soaking the MAC in layers of sound.  

That was true five numbers into the set, as Low Strung took on a cover of Metallica’s “The Unforgiven II” inspired by a similar arrangement from the Finnish rock cello trio Apocalyptica. It was true again as musicians launched into Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer,” manipulating sound to create the beat of a drum, a base line, eclectic guitar and a singer. 

And it worked: the audience was delighted. By the time Low Strung finished with an arrangement of  The Who’s “You Won't Get Fooled Again,” attendees started to stomp in unison, clamoring for an encore. Unfortunately, it was time for Low Strung to pack up.

“Music really brought us together even though we each [have] different majors, my favorite part of Low Strung is the people,” said Kumar, a sophomore at Yale studying economics. Currently, Kumar is also the group’s tour manager. 

Members Christian Phanhthourath and Norah Fong agreed. “It’s the most legit community," Phanhthourath said. When they aren’t rehearsing or studying, the 13 like to chat and bond over boba, their go-to spot being The Whale Tea on Whitney Avenue. 

The current members look forward to the future, all honored to be playing where music is about being fun, still being able to start their separate journeys.

“We’re just really happy to be here,” Fong said. No matter how far they go, they always come back for more.

This article comes from a graduate of the 2024 Cohort of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative. Ruby Szekeres is a junior at the Sound School.