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Source: Roy Cox Photography \/ Getty<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe String Queens came together through divine intervention, forming a sisterhood over time.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe trio’s polished, fashion-forward style sets the tone for their unique, storytelling performances.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAs Black women, they challenge assumptions and forge new paths in the classical music world.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tSource: Roy Cox Photography \/ Getty<\/p>\n
Kendall N. Isadore, Dawn Michelle Johnson, and \u00c9lise Sharp are the String Queens. The trio are known for creating innovative musical experiences through their performances. And if you\u2019re like me, you\u2019re captivated by their clean and fashionable aesthetic. <\/p>\n
We caught up with the group to talk about their origin, style and instruments.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe came together in a few different ways and in different seasons of our lives,\u201d Kendall shared. \u201cWe know our meeting one another was divine intervention. \u00c9lise and Dawn were the first to meet, nearly 20 years ago through a Baltimore-based symphony they were both part of. What may have begun as a formality eventually forged a friendship and sisterhood that would connect them forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
A wedding would bring all three of the women together. \u201cWhen Dawn got a call to put together a string trio for a wedding gig, she felt it was the perfect opportunity to have our worlds collide.\u201d It was fate for the three to get together. The gig led to their future. <\/p>\n
Next, what would they call themselves? According to Dawn, \u201cIt really was an \u2018aha\u2019 moment, and it happened in the most ordinary of places.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a long day of rehearsal in \u00c9lise\u2019s whiteboard-filled basement in Northeast D.C. they started brainstorming their name. \u201cWe started throwing ideas onto the dry-erase board: String Theory. Spectrum. String something-or-other\u2026And then someone said The String Queens. Everything just clicked. We looked at each other and there was this collective, \u201cYes. That\u2019s it.\u201d It felt regal, bold, and powerful. And it also spoke to the young girls we were teaching and mentoring. It was an invitation for them to embody royalty in everything they do, to hold their heads high, and to know their worth.\u201d<\/p>\n
But more importantly, they took a vow to live up to their moniker. \u201cThe name carries a certain level of expectation. A queen is a role model. She leads. She carries herself with confidence and purpose. So from that moment on, we knew we had to live up to the name.\u201d<\/p>\n
The String Queens Style<\/p>\n
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Source: The String Queens<\/p>\n
Kendall, Dawn and \u00c9lise, all have a great collective style and individual fashion sense. \u201cAs The String Queens, our style is polished, sophisticated, and unexpected from your typical string trio. We love a look that feels elevated and fashion-forward, while allowing each of our individual personalities to shine. We gravitate toward bold, bright colors and sleek silhouettes, while maintaining a level of comfort that allows us to perform without constraints,\u201d they explained. \u201cWe strive for coordination without looking like triplets. Each one of us brings her own personality and style to the group, and that\u2019s what makes our look so much fun.\u00a0 Our wardrobe is part of the experience. It sets the tone for the audience before we even play the first note, letting them know they\u2019re in for a unique, unexpected, and unforgettable experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
And their performances are even more beautiful. \u201cWe don\u2019t lead with the sense of performing a concert for an audience. We lead with and construct a concert from the perspective of the this question, \u201cWhat do we want our audiences to take away from the experience \u2013 musical or otherwise?\u201d We incorporate storytelling throughout each performance and we select repertoire that speaks to the intergenerational connection amongst us all as we breathe in the universal language of music.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Black women, the String Queens are forging new paths for similar acts. \u201cAs Black women musicians, we\u2019ve had to navigate in spaces where we haven\u2019t always seen people who look like us. In the classical world especially, representation has been historically limited, so sometimes we\u2019ve had to walk into a room and immediately establish we belong there,\u201d said\u00a0\u00c9lise.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are assumptions about what a violinist looks like, what a violist sounds like, and what kind a music a cellist should play. We\u2019ve decided not to let those expectations define us. Instead, we\u2019ve embraced the opportunity to challenge them.\u201d<\/p>\n