One Family’s Rich Path

Jan 21, 2020 | Welcome Column

Who are these kids, and where did they come from?

After seeing their names pop up repeatedly in accounts of the western US acoustic music scene, I decided to contact the parents of Miles (16), Teo (13), and Niko (10) Quale, and ask them if a short piece about the boys would be OK.

As a parent, I’m convinced that successful musical lives generally don’t create themselves spontaneously, but are the result of family experience, cooperation and teamwork. It turns out the Quales’ success is no exception.

Maria Quale said, “ok, we would be up for an interview… Christopher and I can definitely an-swer questions, and I’m sure the boys would be willing to answer others. Thanks!”

Music in the house

Dad Christopher writes that he and mom María grew up playing music: they both played classi-cal piano, while Chris added guitar, and María studied flute. So when their first child Miles turned three, they set him up with a neighbor for violin lessons, eventually moving on to lessons at Crowden Music school in Berkeley. When Teo turned three, he opted for cello. But after at-tending a kids’ bluegrass and old-time jam hosted by Berkeley’s Chad and Catherine Manning, he told his folks that he wanted to play that type of music, and on the fiddle. Six months later, older brother Miles asked to take a break from classical music and try bluegrass. Soon, he too was studying with Chad and Catherine. Within a few years, when Niko Quale was just 2, he started lessons with Catherine because he “just couldn’t wait.”

All the boys credit Chad and Catherine Manning as fundamental in developing their skills and appreciation for bluegrass. They also cite others in the Bay Area music scene as mentors. Miles writes: Chad Manning has been my biggest influence in my bluegrass playing. My main mentors have been Tashina and Tristan Clarridge.” Teo recalls Sharon Gilchrist’s instruction as im-portant in his development on mandolin, and also credits the Clarridges. Niko adds, “Catherine (Manning) would give me a fiddle to play on when I was waiting for my brothers at their lessons. Then when I was 2 she asked if I wanted a lesson. I really liked it. I also really like the banjo and got some lessons from Bill Evans, but he moved.”

Beyond the lesson plans

It’s not just lessons and indulgent parents, though, that have helped the boys make the jump up to their current level of working band members and instrumental virtuosos.

Niko writes, “I also go to Tristan Clarridge’s camps. He teaches me a lot of music and singing and Texas style tunes.” Miles: “We went to our first bluegrass festival a few years ago and we joined Kids on Bluegrass [the CBA’s kids’ entry program]. Watching my favorite bluegrass bands play at festivals is what inspired me to want to play those kind of shows too.” Miles also likes the Clarridges’ camps and especially the Live Oak Fiddle Camp in Hallettsville, TX. Teo adds, “We had fun going to fiddle contests…We go to a bunch of them every year. We were go-ing to Sierra Fiddle Camp, and then started attending the CBA’s Fathers Day Bluegrass Festi-val. We joined Kids on Bluegrass and I had a lot of fun. Jamming is really fun and you get to do that a lot at festivals and camps.”

Maria tells me “Many musicians and organizations have been supportive of the kids. Darol An-ger invited Miles to do his fiddle workshop with him at Pickin in the Pines this year. Frank Soli-van asked them to be a part of their workshop. Both boys have gotten to play on stage with Da-vid Grisman and Del McCoury. The Freight and Salvage has always been supportive of them and their bands so they’ve gotten to play there many times.”

So it’s clear that the family’s rich experiences outside of the teaching studio were a strong and engaging force that took the kids deeper into their instruments and the exciting music that they are playing. “We didn’t care what type of music they played, as long as it kept their interest and they enjoyed it” recounts Maria. And accordingly, Miles tells me “I go to an art school so playing music is still a big thing there (but not bluegrass).” Maria says, “Miles was homeschooled until he started high school. He has been at Oakland School for the Arts, focusing on jazz, for the past two years. The school has been very flexible with our gig travel schedule. Miles takes most of his academic classes online so that when we travel, he can keep up with his homework.”

Music Careers?

Given the boys’ unusually focused lives and success in music, I asked Chris and Maria if they discuss careers in music with them? Chris answered “We do, but mostly in the context of it is there for them if that is what they want to do.” Maria adds “We talk about it once in a while but we prefer to let them know that whatever they choose to do is ultimately up to them. All three love math, and Miles and Teo have their sights on majoring in math in college. I personally would love to see them take time after high school to travel the world and play music. It’s such a great way to make friends and to see other countries. There’s so much time for everything else (like a 9-5 office career).

Challenges

I asked the parents what they see as the boys’ greatest challenges in life and music. Chris re-plied “Regarding life in general, their challenges are similar to other kids – can I do well in bas-ketball? I really want to get that cool Lego set. I hope I did well on my math test.”

Maria adds “I think one of their greatest challenges in music is finding enough time to devote to it because all of them have other interests as well. We’re lucky in that we’ve always home-schooled so they have more time than most kids to spend on music.” In addition to gigging with working bands, they boys are fully engaged in typical kid pursuits including sports teams, chess tournaments, and more.

Chris concludes with a remark that can inspire all of us: “Regarding music, it’s to continue to find fresh adventures and challenges. In a wider sense, their challenges are not dissimilar from others: how can I put myself in a position to lead a happy life? What will it take to achieve that?”

All the best to you, Quales.

Copyright © 2020 by Joe Weed

Joe Weed records acoustic music at his Highland Studios near Los Gatos, California. He has released seven albums of his own, produced many projects for independent artists and labels, and does scores for film, TV and museums. One of Joe’s productions with British guitar virtuoso Martin Simpson was heard in “The Mayo Clinic,” a film by Ken Burns, which premiered nation-ally on PBS in late 2018. Also in 2018, Joe released “Two Steps West of the Mississippi,” a col-lection of his original instrumental music based on American fiddle roots. Reach Joe by email at joe@joeweed.com, or by visiting joeweed.com.

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