Fiddle-fest: Chelsea’s Weber returns with world-famous Barrage

By Sheila Pursglove
Special Writer

When Kiana June Weber steps on stage at Chelsea High School Oct. 6, she’s on familiar turf – playing in concert with the Chelsea House Orchestra.

But this time, Weber is appearing as the newest member of Barrage, the internationally renowned group of musicians performing a “high-octane fiddle-fest” with an eclectic mix of music, song and dance. Barrage has entertained millions around the globe, playing at international festivals, concerts, special events and TV appearances.

Weber, a Chelsea native raised on her parent’s small farm south of Chelsea, started playing piano at 5, and the violin at 7.

“I started playing violin because a couple of my friends did, and I begged my parents to let me start lessons for about a year before I started,” she says.

“At 14, I picked up guitar, and I sang in choirs throughout my schooling. I also participated in theatrical productions, particularly musicals.”

Both her parents are teachers at Emerson School in Ann Arbor, and Weber attended Emerson from kindergarten through middle school.

Her first musical touring experience was Michigan Children of SCORE.

“I believe this really shaped who I am as a musician,” she says. “The group was a touring children’s choir that featured a unique blend of singing, playing instruments, percussion, and strings. Every member was expected to be a multi-instrumentalist.

“I really loved the group and I definitely grew a lot as a musician from the experience.”

Weber started playing fiddle music around the same time she began learning Suzuki violin – and it quickly became what she really loved about the violin. Playing guitar also added to her interest in other kinds of music.

“Based on old family videos, I think my parents would support me in saying that from an early age I loved music you can dance to,” she says. “No matter if it’s world groove or traditional rock--it just has to have that energy, that hook.”

Weber first saw Barrage in concert during her middle school years

“I was just so awestruck,” she says. “I could not believe people could do that with the violin – they were having fun, dancing, singing, and yet the music was incredible!

“I decided then that as soon as I was old enough I would audition for the group. Looking back I don’t think I really understood what that meant, but the drive stuck.”

At Chelsea High School, she played as a member of the Chelsea House Orchestra.

“I gained more than I can really put in to words,” she says. “I learned so much about music, performing, even just life, while still having a great time with my friends.”

After graduating from CHS in 2007, she was asked to stay and help out the group as assistant director.

Weber has completed her first two years at the University of Michigan, where she is an honors college student in the school of LSA and a dual major in music performance and music education in the school of music theatre and dance.

“In college I began to really buckle down and study classical music, technique, and theory, but I also tried to diversify myself by playing in a couple bands,” she says.

She formed a Celtic band with a couple of musicians who had played in the Saline Fiddlers, and performed in a female trio called Daughters of Newgrass, playing a fusion of Celtic, bluegrass, and folk music with modern and original influences.

She also played electric violin with an indie rock band called Charlene Kaye.

“At school I branched out by taking jazz theory classes, participating in a free improvisation group, and playing in jazz combos,” she says. “I was even asked to perform as a featured soloist with the school's jazz band.”

Weber, whose brother Tristan is a senior at CHS and a talented musician on guitar and cello, saw Barrage a few times through high school and college, and the group continued to be a driving influence for her.

Over the summer, she heard the group was holding auditions – and took the plunge.

“I had always told myself I would audition, and I had nothing to lose,” she says.

Fate smiled on this fiddler.

“Sometimes on the road, or on stage I have moments where I get all in a stupor and I just can’t fathom that this is my life right now,” she says. “I can hardly understand that I’m being paid to be on stage with all of the these amazing musicians.

“I feel so honored.”

Her love for music is somewhat hard to describe, she says.

“I think what really fascinates me is that music can affect people emotionally in some completely inexplicable way. My mind is very rooted in science – in fact science was what I thought I would do with my life for a long time – but music seems to defy its rules.

“It just doesn’t make sense that playing a series of pitches could move somebody to tears while a different grouping of pitches could make somebody want to get up and dance. And because of this innate and inexplicable connection that music has with human emotion, music can communicate emotions from across cultural, linguistic, and temporal barriers.

“I also just love music because it’s a lot of fun. It’s fun to play, fun to listen to, and fun to perform and interact with an audience.”

Sheila Pursglove is a freelance writer. She can be reached at bingley51@yahoo.com.