Erwilian

Erwilian is an award-winning American musical group featuring acoustic instrumentation, led by soprano recorder, violin, and hammered dulcimer. The group blends elements from celtic, world, and folk music into an original cross-genre style classified as New Age. Since its formation in 2000, the group has featured various multi-instrumentalists in its lineup. Current members and primary instruments include founders Scott Melton (guitar) and Jordan Buetow (recorders), Bethel Melton (hammered dulcimer), Malcolm Lee (bass), Matt Garcia (harp), John Hintze (percussion), and Keely Rendle (violin).

Erwilian’s album Midwinter’s Night peaked at #6 on the ZMR (Zone Music Reporter) Top 100 Radio Airplay chart,^[1] and was the #1 Holiday album on ZMR’s year-end Top 100 for 2015.^[2] The group collaborated on Ricky Kej & Wouter Kellerman’s album Winds of Samsara (2014), which won a Grammy for Best New Age Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.^[3] Additionally, the group collaborated on Kellerman’s Love Language (2015), which received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.^[4]

History

2000-2005: Early years and formation

In 2000 Melton, a high school English teacher, approached Buetow, his student, after he performed in a school music concert. Together the duo recruited other students to meet at lunch in Melton’s classroom to experiment with acoustic and folk instruments, which eventually led to performances at seasonal school events.^[5] The group took on the name “Wood, Wind, & Wire,” reflecting its primary instrumentation, but ultimately dwindled in size as students graduated, a catalyst for Melton and Buetow to find musicians outside the school. Melton’s wife Bethel, as well as mutual friends mandolinist Robert Schuweiler and guitarist Scott Milliron, joined the band as a result. In 2002, the group released Troubadours, an album of Christmas music. Over the next three years, the band performed locally in the Seattle area and began work on their next recording project. In 2004, the group renamed themselves Erwilian^[6] and in 2005 released their second album, Renovata.

2006-2014: Midwinter’s Night and Light From Darkness

Through 2006-07 the group added percussionist Jeff Reed, guitarist Bill Bowser, and sound engineer Brian Matheny. 2007 also marked the beginning of Erwilian’s popular series of annual Holiday concerts.^[7] Through 2008-09 the group continued performances throughout the Pacific Northwest, and released live concert album Midwinter’s Night in late 2009. The next three years were spent almost entirely in the studio, and in 2012 Light From Darkness was released. As the group’s sound expanded, Malcolm Lee joined in the summer of 2012 and Matt Garcia joined in the spring of 2014. In April 2014 Reed was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away later that year. Shortly after Reed’s death, Bowser and Matheny departed to pursue other music projects, and by the end of 2014 Erwilian evolved into its current lineup with the addition of John Hintze and Keely Rendle.

2014-present: Award-winning Collaborations, New Album

Following the addition of Hintze and Rendle, the group spent much of 2014-15 developing material for an upcoming album, as well as collaborating on other projects including Ricky Kej & Wouter Kellerman’s Grammy-winning Winds of Samsara (2014)^[3] and Kellerman’s Grammy-nominated Love Language (2015).^[4] The band is currently working in the studio on recording sessions for their upcoming album, which the band has scheduled for release in late 2016.

Musical style and influences

Erwilian became known for using numerous acoustic instruments in their recordings and performances rather than synthesized or electronic substitutes, even for rare instruments. Their collection comprises many different woodwinds, strings, and percussion from diverse genres and cultures including various recorders, whistles, chalumeaux, violin, viola, cello, harp, guitar, bass, hammered dulcimer, mandolin, Appalachian dulcimer, timpani, celesta, harmonium, melodica, accordion, marimba, orchestra chimes, and handbells.

Discography

Erwilian

• 2005 - Renovata
• 2009 - Midwinter’s Night
• 2012 - Light From Darkness

Contributions

• 2014 - Ricky Kej & Wouter Kellerman – Winds of Samsara
• 2015 - Wouter Kellerman – Love Language
• 2016 - Lynn Yew Evers – Elysian

References

External links

• Official Website