Fiddlers Crossing Presents The Millington Strings

Fiddlers Crossing is putting a classical note on the end of summer by presenting a string quintet in concert on Friday, Aug. 22. The Millington Strings is a quintet of classical musicians who play their own arrangements of both classical and contemporary music. The group hails from Sacramento, where they perform in different formations – duo, trio, quartet or quintet – depending on the venue and occasion. The concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. in St. Jude's In-The-Mountains Anglican Church, 1200 South Curry Street.

Founder and cellist Stephen Millington studied music at US Davis and has advanced degrees in cello performance from CSU Sacramento. He arranges most of the music for the ensemble, as well as writing some of his own compositions. The repertoire reflects his eclectic tastes -- everything from classical opera and ballet to jazz, pop, folk, Celtic, Latin and movie and show tunes. For this concert, the ensemble will premiere Millington's own "American Suite," a four-movement piece built around contemporary pop music styles.

Millington teaches cello in the Sacramento area, and has given lessons and workshops in Tehachapi through Mountain Music. In fact, Stephen and his wife, Anne, sat in on the very first performance of the Tehachapi Community Orchestra, which took place at the Apple Shed during Mountain Festival in 1997 with Beverly Chapman Roberts conducting. He will be available to give private lessons to cellists of all levels on Saturday, August 23. (Call Mountain Music for an appointment, and be sure to leave your name and phone number.)

Anne Millington is also a cellist, but often plays a quarter-size bass with the group. She studied cello at UC Berkeley and at CSU Sacramento. Both Millingtons spend whatever available free time they can find with their four horses.

The other three members of the quintet are Mark Tammes, First Violin, Paloma Miro, Second Violin, and Michael Frost, Viola. All reside in the Sacramento area.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students, and are available online at fiddlerscrossing.org, as well as at Mountain Music, Tehachapi Treasure Trove, Lucky's Barber Shop, and Tehachapi Furniture Store in Old Towne. For more information, as well as large-family ticket specials, call 661-823-9994.