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The Hog-Tie Sessions formed 10 years ago to serve up a concoction of Traditional Celtic/Bluegrass soup full of spicy humor for their audiences. Over the years the Hog's have expanded their repertoire to include many original songs and tunes which are now adding further fun and flavor to their live shows. All of the musicians are extremely versatile and virtuosic, playing with a feverish passion and flair while adding a heavy dose of silliness within and without the musical confines. They are a special treat for all who have the privilege to see them. The Hog-Tie Sessions have performed on Bound for Glory; ( North America 's longest running broadcast of acoustic music) and have headlined the legendary Black Mountain Folk Festival in North Carolina . They have performed extensively across New York State in clubs and festivals and have been a staple of the regional contra dancing circuit. If the Hog's play in your town, you can be sure that the audience will show their appreciation with gut busting laughs and foot stomping maniacal dancing. Mark Wienand has been a member of The Hog-Tie Sessions since 1996. He is a saxophonist holding both BM and MM degrees in classical saxophone. In the band, he plays various sizes of saxes from the baritone to the soprano, as well as playing flute, pennywhistle, clarinet, mandolin, siren, squeaky toys and nose-flute . Mark has played in bands of many styles, including Rock, Reggae, Ska, Celtic, Jazz, and Avant-Garde. He most enjoys stretching musical boundaries, and creating music that moves people in different ways. Mark has also taught music from the middle school level up through college. In 2002-2003, he was director of instrumental music at Pfeiffer University in NC. After teaching full time, he realized that he would rather create music full time with his best friends, so he left his position, and rejoined the Hog-Tie Sessions. He's also a bit of an eccentric and environmentalist, and drives a car that has been converted to run on vegetable oil. Dara Anissi has been playing music since the age of five when he first picked up the guitar. He has studied and played a wide variety of styles including Blues, Rock, Folk, Classical, Celtic and Middle Eastern Music. He plays the acoustic and electric guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin, and the oud . Dara has also studied music at the Ithaca College Music Conservatory where he received a Bachelor's in Music Composition. He is a prolific songwriter and has written works influenced by the wide variety of styles he has studied and continues to play. He is a founding member of The Hog-Tie Sessions, in which he plays the guitar and tenor banjo, and sings. When asked about the role of music in his life, he said “I believe music is what connects me to all of life. I have connected with people from all over the world, learned about other cultures, and have found my purpose in life as an artist and entertainer all through the practice and love of music. Music is my raison d'etre.” Max Buckholtz has been playing the violin since the age of three. He embarked upon his first world tour with The Buffalo Suzuki Strings at the age of ten. Through the philosophy of world peace through music; tours with the Suzuki Strings brought him to Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands, England, Scotland, The Former Soviet Union and Hungary as well as an appearance on Good Morning America. He has served as Concertmaster of many regional orchestras and has worked for the Music Department of Colgate University and the Theatre Arts Centre and Music Departments at Cornell University as a string coach, director, composer for modern dance, performer, and dance accompanist. He has studied and performed South Indian music with master musicians from Indian through the Southeast Asian Studies program at Cornell as well. He is fueled by a variety of influences including Celtic, Jazz, Classical, Middle Eastern, South Indian and Bluegrass . Along with the violin, he also plays percussion, mandolin and sings with The Hog-Tie Sessions. Music is an extension of his soul, and his highest hope, goal and mission in life is to unite nations and cultures through his playing. Chad Lieberman plays bass, keyboards, accordion and mandolin for the hogs. Unfortunately he's too stricken with food poisioning to add his bio right this second. Don't eat the muscles. Safak Ozkan is the newest member of the HTS. Hailing from Istambul, Turkey, Safak (pronounced shahfahk) brings a whole new set of influences into the band. An engineering graduate student at Cornell University, Safak plays Oud in the Cornell Middle Eastern Music Ensemble, where met the other members of HTS. In Turkey, Safak played electric guitar and bass in rock bands, and now plays electric bass with the Hog-Tie Sessions. |
