Student trio launches first music video
Simply Three, a string trio developed by ASU School of Music alumni and current students Zack Clark, cello, Nicholas Villalobos, double bass and Olivia Lemmelin, violin, just recorded a unique string cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”
They teamed up with videographers Jeremy Whited and Jake Groves of I Do Films to film their first official music video released April 23 via their YouTube channel. The video takes place at a remote desert location near Casa Grande, Ariz., where the run-down, desert environment sets a perfect scene for the passion found in the song.
When Clark and Villalobos met in 2001 in the Phoenix Symphony Guild Youth Orchestra, they could not have imagined where their association would lead. Their shared passion for music led them to form their own chamber music group. In search of offering unique musical performances, they started to play songs by the Beatles as a duet. Little did they know, this yearning for something different would turn into something special. After collaborating as a duet, they determined they needed a violinist to help round out their arrangements. Lemmelin joined the group in 2010 because of her enthusiasm for chamber music, and Simply Three was born.
Olivia, Zack and Nick began arranging a variety of music, custom fit for their unique instrumentation. In 2011 they recorded and released their debut album which sold internationally in Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and across the United States. As Simply Three’s repertoire began to grow, so did their desire to share it with others. The trio began to reach into the community and teach high school students across Arizona. They performed free concerts and shared their story to help inspire and educate young musicians.
Along with their community outreach, Simply Three started to search for a way to publish their arrangements and educational materials. In 2012, with the guidance of Herberger Institute faculty Linda Essig and Lynne Aspnes, the trio received a grant from the ASU Herberger Institute Pave Program in Arts Entrepreneurship to help fund their endeavors. In the fall of 2012, Deanna Swoboda, assistant professor in the ASU School of Music, began mentoring and guiding the group. With Assistant Professor Swoboda’s help, Simply Three has created a new musical production to help reach more schools in the valley. She also is aiding them in finding a sponsor and agent to eventually offer their show on the national stage.
To view Simply Three’s new video and for more information, visit simplythreemusic.com