The Queen’s Cartoonists are coming to Wheaton College
The Queen’s Cartoonists are brining music from cartoons to Wheaton on Fri., February 17
Photo: The Queen Cartoonists; courtesy of Lindsey Thoeng
“The best cartoons have no words at all - just the image pops out,” said American editorial cartoonist and the creator of the comic strip Shoe, Jeffrey Kenneth MacNelly. The Wheaton College Artist Series is happy to present The Queen’s Cartoonists, a unique ensemble that plays music from classic cartoons and contemporary animation. Their performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 17, at Edman Memorial Chapel in Wheaton.
“I formed this group because I was looking for a way to meet musicians in New York, where I had just moved a couple of years ago,” said pianist and band member Joel Pierson to The News-Review. “I had a number of hair-brained ideas, and this was the one I thought would get the most attention. Within a couple of weeks, I had a whole band together.”
The group’s concerts are so unique that the only way to know for sure how great they are is to attend one of them.
The performances of The Queeen’s Cartoonists are synchronized to video projections of the original films, and the band leads the audience through a world of virtuosic musicianship, multi-instrumental mayhem, and comedy. Their sense of humor plays a great role in their performances as well.
This unique group attracts people of different ages, genders, and familiarity with the concert hall. “Is it possible to create jazz and classical music in the 21st century that appeals to everyone? Even people who normally wouldn’t go to concerts?” Asks the group on its website, and the answer is ‘yes.’ Its family-friendly performances satisfy everyone, regardless of their music or style preferences. Why? Because The Queen’s Cartoonists bring to you it all! So, the Wheaton College Artists Series is happy to note that kids of any age are welcome to attend The Queen’s Cartoonists concert.
The band is on a musical mission of equal parts performance, preservation, and education. You can expect the unexpected from their repertoire that includes the Golden Age of animation, cult cartoon classics, modern animation, and elements of a musical circus.
Photo: The Queen Cartoonists; courtesy of The Queen Cartoonists
Since their inception in 2015, The Queen’s Cartoonists have brought their unique sound to performing arts centers in over 20 states and have opened for the New York Philharmonic. The band has been featured in numerous major publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Mashable, and on NPR. The 6 members of the group, all currently living in Queens, New York, are world-class professional musicians.
Joel Pierson is a pianist. During his music career he has worked with the New York Philharmonic, the Kronos Quartet, Linkin Park, and Ke$ha. He has performed on all seven continents, including Antarctica. As a songwriter, he was signed to Warner Brothers Records. Pierson’s music has been performed by major symphony orchestras including Atlanta, Houston, Toronto, Cleveland, & The Philly Pops. Joel wrote additional music for the 2013 film The Internship and is the author of the books You Suck at Piano and 20 Piano Pieces for People with Emotional Problems.
Rossen Nedelchev is a percussionist. He is a professional drummer, producer, and educator in New York City. He moved to America from Sofia, Bulgaria. He is an in-demand session drummer in the worlds of pop, jazz, funk, jazz-funk, rhythm & blues, and bluesy jazz. Rossen is the band leader at Alter View, and he plays drums for the 8-time NAMMY award-winning, Grammy-nominated singer Jana Mashonee, the NYC pop/electronic band The Qualia and, certainly, for The Queen’s Cartoonists. He produces for a variety of artists and has a Graduate Diploma in jazz performance from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
Drew Pitcher plays woodwinds. He is a New York City based multi-instrumentalist. Drew is a world-class player of the tenor sax, alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, and harmonica. Drew attended the University of North Texas where he performed and recorded with the Grammy nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. He has experience performing with artists such as The Coasters, The Drifters, The Platters, and sadly, Wayne Newton.
Greg Hammontree is a brass player. Greg received his Master's in Jazz Performance from CUNY, Queens College and is now a professional freelance trumpet player in New York City. He has been playing music his entire life, sometimes at places like Radio City Music Ball, Symphonic Space, The Jazz Standards, Studio 55, Flushing Town Mall, The Bowery Bathroom, The Louis Armstrong Mouse Museum, and also in China. He is also a fearless cartoon trumpet master.
Mark Phillips plays woodwinds. He was born in Australia, but in 2011 he moved to Queens. Mark’s musical journey started by studying classical saxophone but has since evolved into being the best cartoon clarinetist on multiple continents. His instrumental accomplishments have not gone unnoticed, as he is now a Selmer Artist, ranking him among the best woodwind players in New York City.
Malik McLaurine plays bass. He is famous for being part of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, an American period comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. Malik was seen in season 3, episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. He is also famous for his charisma and sense of humor, besides being an excellent musician.
The Queen’s Cartoonists are ready to wow you at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 17 at Edman Memorial Chapel in Wheaton. Are you ready to be impressed by this unique group? Then get your tickets at wheaton.edu/queenscartoonists or call (630) 204-5122. (https://tickets.wheaton.edu/shows/the-queens-cartoonists/)
Natalia Dagenhart
February 4, 2023
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