Diana VandeWater

Vocalist/Violinist

Experience

I've been singing all my life in one way or another. I've always just loved to sing. In high school, I started singing in the choir and in our show choir. In college, I sang in our vocal jazz quartet as well as in the choir and on worship team at church along with some solo work. I discovered during that time that I was a lyric soprano, boasting a 3½ octave range (and still stretching). After college, I still sang at church and started getting involved with bands (anywhere from hard-edge alternative to jazz to opera). I became a session player mainly by word of mouth and soon became a studio vocalist, doing background vocals on albums and even a few radio jingles. My first love is jazz — the classics. I'm a big fan of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, and Ann Hampton Callaway.

As well as being a vocalist, I have played the violin since I was 10, playing in school orchestra and taking private lessons. I studied for 5 years under the guidance of former Julliard professor, Mary West in Minneapolis, Minnesota, living with her for 1 year — a fabulous experience! I played with a minor symphony from the ages of 19 through 21. I quickly tired of classical music, however, and stopped playing for a while, not knowing what else to do with that instrument.

I discovered jazz violin one Sunday morning on a radio program and said, "I can do that!" Jazz quickly turned to Celtic, which is my true love on the violin. While in Minneapolis, I had the chance to learn by and play with Peter Ostroushko of "Prairie Home Companion" fame. I have played on numerous albums and have sat in on several live gigs as well as being active in my church's music programs in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Austin, Texas. Some of my biggest influences are The Corrs, Stephane Grappelli, and Secret Garden.

Greg and I met up about 10 years ago while backing up a mutual friend on her debut album. We became fast friends, and last year we discovered we both really liked jazz. We formed La Vie en Rose as a way to play some of our favorite music... jazz and blues.

Equipment

I play a custom-made Meisel acoustic violin as well as a Zeta Strados 5-string electric violin. I use an AKG Emotion D-880 microphone alternating with a Shure 55SH microphone for vocals and an Alesis MidiVerb 4 effects processor for the electric violin.