Chamber pop, smart lyrics catchy melodies backed by bassoons, bass clarinet, vibes contra-bassoon, trombone and harp

12 MP3 Songs
POP: Chamber Pop, FOLK: Anti-Folk



Details:
ContraNova, a chamber pop ensemble from Austin TX, was started in 1997 by singer-songwriter Sean Craypo. A mix of The Beatles, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Fruit Bats and Belle and Sebastian, the songs are backed by an unusual array of instruments. Bass clarinet, bassoon, vibes, harp, trombone, contrabassoon and tambourine were all utilized in the recording of âinfinity in all directions.â The 12 songs on âinfinity in all directionsâ are linked thematically by depictions of love, loss and time travel. Tracks of interest include 2 (slanted light (my mother wakes me)), 7 (in disguise) and 12 (infinity in all directions).

Sean Craypo joined a central Texas Fire Department as a Firefighter in 2005 after a year of intense training and probationary exams. In order to prepare himself for the strenuous requirements of application, he studied music at the University of Texas at Austin and received a Music Studies degree in 2000. He then taught private lessons in bassoon in the Austin area and went on scholarship to study bassoon at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland. His classical compositions have been performed in many venues in Austin as well as in Houston and on the popular radio show Eklektikos on KUT. The PBS documentary âThe Future of Tomorrowâ currently features some of his classical and pop compositions. Seanâs trio for bassoon, cello and horn titled âBoat Songâ won second place in the Trio Neoteric call for scores.

Rian Craypo, the only other constant member of the band, has been playing the bassoon since she was 12 years old. After obtaining degrees from UT Austin and Rice University in Houston she won the principal bassoon position with the Houston Symphony in May of 2007. She has advanced to the finals in several competitions, including the Gillet-Fox International Bassoon Competition, and attended summer orchestral institutes in RoundTop, Texas and at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachussetts.