This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's The Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon. We're here for a kiki here on The Roundtable today. My name is Robert Bannon. You're listening to us on Broadway World, the Broadway Podcast Network, iHeart, Spotify. And if you are a musician, I mean, I know three chords on the piano. That's the start. If you are a musician and you love music, classical music done with a modern twist by some boss ladies who are ready to show you and throw it down, well, I have a show for you. The String Queens are here. Millions of streams and views. They have broken the internet with their, I was going to say this interview, they haven't broken this interview yet, but there is still time. And we are going to talk about all the music, how they came to be and what they're trying to do.

And as a teacher, I love teachers and I love people who promote art and education. It changes the world and it saves people's lives. And that's what they're here to talk about. So welcome Dawn, Kendall and Elyse. They are otherwise known as the String Queens.

[0:59] The String Queens: Thanks for having us.

[1:04] Robert Bannon: So let me tell you, Kendall, will you please tell us what you each, what do you, what do you play?

[1:09] Kendall Isadore: Yes. So Kendall Isadore and I'm the violinist in the group.

[1:12] Robert Bannon: She's got her hand. She's got to get that hand all the way around there.

[1:16] Kendall Isadore: You already know. We were just talking about that last week.

[1:20] Robert Bannon: That bow hand looks very nice.

[1:23] Kendall Isadore: You know, I studied violin for one whole week.

[1:25] Robert Bannon: I can tell just from how you just did that.

[1:28] Kendall Isadore: I never heard uglier sounds in my life than what came out of that violin for that week. It was not pretty. Dawn, what do you play?

[1:37] Dawn Johnson: I'm Dawn Johnson and I am the violist in the String Queens.

[1:40] Robert Bannon: Which is like, I have a friend who plays viola on Broadway. And I thought there was only like four violists in the whole world because I said, it's a viola. It's kind of like the big brother of the violin.

[1:52] Dawn Johnson: Precisely.

[1:53] Robert Bannon: What made you want to play that?

[1:56] Dawn Johnson: You know, it's so funny. I actually started on violin and I played for a few years. And then my teacher, when I was in middle school, looked at me and she was like, you have these really long arms. You have this really big personality. I think you're better suited for viola. And I thought it was a punishment because I never practiced violin. And she switched me in the eighth grade and I have not looked back since. It was like the best decision ever.

[2:16] Kendall Isadore: Meant to be. Meant to be. Elise, tell us what you play.

[2:20] Élise Sharp: Hi, Robert. I'm Elise Sharp and I play the cello.

[2:24] Robert Bannon: So you talk about big.

[2:26] Élise Sharp: Yeah, you're right. And it was bigger than me at one point.

[2:30] Robert Bannon: So violin, big brother, cello. That's like big mama auntie cello now.

[2:35] Élise Sharp: You got it. They call me auntie too sometimes.

[2:40] Robert Bannon: Be honest. I'm not trying to cause drama in the group.

[2:43] Élise Sharp: Come on, come on.

[2:44] Robert Bannon: But when Kendall puts her little violin in her case and walks off the stage and you're lugging this big thing around, is there any ever any tension between you both?

[2:55] Élise Sharp: There's no tension. But I must say, when she walks away so quickly and on, I am sitting there a little jealous and I'm thinking, why did I pick this big instrument? Because it takes me the longest to get out of here. And don't let me forget to put my bow in the case. I have about 10 clasps on my case. So if I forget one thing, I'm now opening it up all over again and putting the bow or whatever I forgot in it. So, yes, there is there is some there's some feelings there, but not against my girls. Just like, what was I thinking?

[3:30] Kendall Isadore: We always offer to help. So, you know, we always offer to help. We're always like, what can we do? You know, I love that. So incredible much. And Kendall, I know you all are. Are you all D.C. people? Is that where you all are from or live or originate?

[3:47] Kendall Isadore: We're based here. So our group is based here and we've been a group now for a little over nine years. But we're individually each from different places. So I will just let everybody share. I'm originally from Houston. I've lived in a lot of other places. I graduated from high school in Indiana 20 years ago. My class reunion is on Saturday. And then I came to D.C. So I've been here for 20 years. Got it.

[4:08] Dawn Johnson: I'm originally from Miami, Florida, 305. And I went Miami, New York City, D.C. So I'm a big city girl. I love people. I've been playing viola almost my whole life in string music. And then I met my girls and I moved here to D.C. And just it's been great.

[4:28] Élise Sharp: And I am originally from D.C., born and raised here in D.C. So I'm the homegirl.

[4:33] Robert Bannon: All right, Elyse. D.C. in the house. I'll take you to Ben's Chili Bowl and I'll have one. What do you know about Ben's? You better come and talk to me. I'm going to Ben's Chili Bowl with you for a half smoke. And we're going to have one. And the fries. We have to have the fries. OK. OK. I love it. So so what? Don't sleep on me, Elyse. OK. Don't make me awake. OK. Kendall, you how did you I know you get asked this probably all of the time. How did you all meet? How did this become a thing?

[5:02] Kendall Isadore: Yes, it's a beautiful story. It starts with Don and Elyse meeting first. So over 20 years ago, Don and Elyse were the first to meet and they met because they were both the principals of their section in a symphony called Soulful Symphony. It was kind of Baltimore based, but it was comprised of like the D.C., Maryland, Virginia. Amazing, incredible African-American string players, everybody you could think of, piano, organ, everything, drums. Just amazing. And New York City players and so and Baltimore players. So everybody coming together. And so they met over 20 years ago. Don was a student at Juilliard at the time. So, you know, the New York City folks will come by charter bus and come all the way down, have rehearsals, do amazing concerts.

I've never. These are some of the most beautiful scores I've ever heard performed. And so they've known each other for a while. It went from professionally sitting near one another and sort of, you know, working on Boeing's and making sure that we're aligned in this way or that way in the dynamics to like, girl, I love your shoes. And oh, my God, at least like love this solo that Don performed. And so then it's gushing over one another's playing. And then it's like, hey, girl, I guess I'll see you at the next gig. And it's just a sisterhood formed. And that was over 20 years ago, like I said, but then like Elyse and I met on the D.C. jazz like gig scene. Right. So like sometimes people just put musicians together.

They know there's like a jazzy cellist or like an improvisatory like violinist and they just like they literally put Elyse and I on gigs together and just say, go like play for two hours, take a break here and there. And so we met on gigs. I went to Howard and so did Elyse, but we went at different times. And so we later found out we knew some of the same people. Like I was a biology major. She was a music education major. But, you know, you're walking in some of the same halls. And so like we had that connection in Howard music, like playing groovy, soulful music on strings, which was really it's still a new art form. It really is. And then you have Dawn, who like I didn't know of Dawn. I think I maybe seen her on someone's senior recital at Howard, but I didn't know her.

And so after I graduated from Howard, I was a teacher. I was a science teacher, like I said, biology. And I taught two doors down from her husband, who was the English teacher. So everybody's a grade level teacher. He's the sixth grade English teacher. I'm a sixth grade science teacher. And so we have the same schedule, you know, same prep time, which teachers listening or reading, they know prep time is sacred for teachers. So we're on our prep time. We're in the teacher's lounge, you know, getting water or whatever. And he's like, Kendall, like, are you okay? I guess I must have had some like crazy look on my face. And, you know, because that pretty much, you know, I'm smiling or goofing off or whatever.

Most of the time, my ladies know, like, like Elise and Dawn know we have a good time. And so Brian goes like, are you okay? I said, I need a violist for a gig I have coming up. And he's like, oh, well, my wife plays viola. And I'm like, okay, Brian is like great sense of humor, like great personality, also a teacher who I like almost a mentor teacher to me. So I'm like, yeah, but he's also a jokester. So it's like, yeah, right. Your wife plays viola. And no one says that because as you said, very few people play the instrument. And so I said, yeah, right. And he's like, she went to Juilliard and I just paused him. I was like, can I have her number immediately? Like, I'll give her a call. I hear the credentials.

We carpooled to that gig. I picked her up. We went to the gig. It was raining. I had no air conditioner in my 2000 or 99 Beetle. She forgave me about that. We played the music. We had a ball. We talked about everything. And then we became sisters. And then fast forward, Dawn has the final gig that like solidifies it. She had a string trio gig for a wedding in DC. We were supposed to have rehearsal. We never rehearsed because we'd never played as a trio before. Yes, Soulful Symphony. I later played a couple gigs with Soulful Symphony many years after they were in the group, were in the symphony, but like never together. You have to rehearse because that's what professionals do. We were supposed to rehearse at Dawn's daughter's first birthday party because that's the only time we had.

These are wives and mothers. We're talking about busy lives. We have two and three jobs, whatever. And so Dawn made binders of sheet music for us to rehearse at the party. The music went with the theme of the party, which is like kids music. So Sesame Street theme, Little Einstein's music for us to play, Twinkle Twinkle. We never opened our cases. We were having so much fun. Dawn's family and friends were there. We were meeting new people for the first time and just having a ball, played the wedding the next day after no rehearsal. But it's classical repertoire. So we all know the music and we just had that thing that we felt instantly between us musically, but also just like we found our tribe and we found our family.

And it has just developed at an exponential rate since then. And it's gone from, yes, these different venues and now we're touring. We didn't start off touring and now we have original music. We didn't start off with original music and we are just so grateful for the journey. So it's a beautiful- I love this story. The music is streaming everywhere. And you can also, while we're talking, you can go to thestringqueens.com. You could see the upcoming, yes, they're on tour. You can go see them around the country, especially this month of August. There's dates. There's dates since September and also in December. And you can find, I'm sure, more dates to come. Dawn, I dropped out of Juilliard. I just want to let you know at 19.

[10:11] Dawn Johnson: You know, they say everyone who is anyone actually never graduated from Juilliard.

[10:16] Robert Bannon: No, that is not true, Dawn. They all dropped out or got kicked out.

[10:19] Dawn Johnson: That is not true. So drop out before you get kicked out is what I say. For you guys, when you listen to the music that you have out, and there's a lot of- there's a great music that's out. Some of it is really fun covers of music that are songs that you don't think of when you think of string music. And then now there's more original music that's coming out. So what makes you pick a cover or how do you write music for the String Queens? What's the process like of when you have new music that comes out?

[10:41] Élise Sharp: I think it's a very authentic, personal process. A lot of it comes from the energy that we feel when we're with audiences, when we're working with students. Our original repertoire in the beginning as the String Queens, and yes, they were covers, but it was inspired by our students. Hey, Mrs. Johnson. Hey, Mrs. Isadore. Hey, Mrs. Sharp. Can we play the new Cardi B? Can we play all of these new hip-hop tunes or R&B tunes? And we allowed them to, and we taught them how to compose their own music in the genres or in the style that they really wanted to do it in. And so I think what education has taught us, it's a really sort of mutual exchange between teacher and-

[11:27] Robert Bannon: Welcome to The Roundtable! Today, we have a very special episode featuring The String Queens, a phenomenal trio that blends classical music with R&B, soul, jazz, gospel, hip-hop, and pop.

[12:57] Robert Bannon: I'm excited to dive into their journey, their unique sound, and their latest project, "Troubled Liberty."

[13:57] Robert Bannon: Let's welcome Kendall Isadore, Dawn Johnson, and Élise Sharp to the show!

[14:27] Kendall Isadore: Thank you for having us!

[14:57] Dawn Johnson: Yes, thank you! We're thrilled to be here.

[15:27] Élise Sharp: Absolutely! It's great to join you, Robert.

[15:57] Robert Bannon: So, let's start with your new single, "Troubled Liberty." It's such a powerful piece. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind it?

[16:57] Kendall Isadore: "Troubled Liberty" is really about exploring themes of freedom and resilience. We wanted to pay homage to the generations that came before us and their sacrifices.

[17:57] Dawn Johnson: It was also important for us to create a sound that reflects our roots while pushing boundaries in classical music.

[18:57] Élise Sharp: We aimed to blend our classical training with the influences of R&B and soul, creating something that feels both authentic and fresh.

[19:57] Robert Bannon: That's amazing! Your sound is so unique. How do you approach arranging songs that are already so well-known?

[20:57] Kendall Isadore: We love taking songs from different genres and reimagining them through our string instruments. It's all about finding the soul in the music and bringing it to life in a new way.

[21:57] Dawn Johnson: Exactly! We want to honor the original artists while also making it our own.

[22:27] Élise Sharp: And we have so much fun doing it!

[22:54] Robert Bannon: Welcome to The Roundtable! Today, we have a very special episode featuring The String Queens, a phenomenal trio that blends classical music with R&B, soul, jazz, gospel, hip-hop, and pop.

[23:18] Robert Bannon: They’ve performed at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center, and they even had a special performance connected to the 2021 Presidential Inauguration.

[23:38] Robert Bannon: Their latest project, “Troubled Liberty,” features the legendary voice of Nikki Giovanni and marks their first original composition.

[23:58] Robert Bannon: I’m excited to dive into their journey, their unique sound, and what’s next for them.

[24:18] Robert Bannon: So, without further ado, let’s welcome Kendall Isadore, Dawn Johnson, and Élise Sharp, The String Queens!

[24:38] Kendall Isadore: Thank you for having us!

[24:58] Dawn Johnson: Yes, we’re thrilled to be here!

[25:18] Élise Sharp: Absolutely!

[25:48] Robert Bannon: Let’s start with your new single, “Troubled Liberty.” What inspired you to create this piece?

[26:08] Kendall Isadore: Well, we wanted to create something that resonates with the themes of freedom and resilience, especially considering the times we’re living in.

[26:18] Dawn Johnson: It was important for us to honor the generations that came before us while also expressing our own experiences.

[26:28] Élise Sharp: And working with Nikki Giovanni was such an incredible opportunity. Her words brought so much depth to the music.

[26:38] Robert Bannon: That’s beautiful. How do you feel your sound has evolved over the years?

[26:48] Kendall Isadore: We’ve definitely grown as artists. Our sound has become more of a fusion of genres, and we love experimenting with different styles.

[26:58] Dawn Johnson: It’s all about bringing our own voices into the classical music space, which can sometimes feel exclusive.

[27:08] Élise Sharp: We want to show that classical music can be accessible and relatable to everyone.

[27:18] Robert Bannon: I love that! Representation is so important.

[27:28] Kendall Isadore: Absolutely. We want to inspire the next generation of musicians to see themselves in this world.

[27:38] Dawn Johnson: And as educators, we’re passionate about sharing our knowledge and experiences with young artists.

[27:48] Élise Sharp: It’s all about building a community and supporting each other.

[27:58] Robert Bannon: Speaking of community, what’s next for The String Queens?

[28:18] Kendall Isadore: We have some exciting performances lined up, and we’re also working on more original music.

[28:38] Dawn Johnson: We want to continue pushing boundaries and exploring new sounds.

[28:58] Élise Sharp: And we’re always looking for ways to collaborate with other artists.

[29:18] Robert Bannon: That sounds amazing! I can’t wait to see what you all do next.

[29:38] Kendall Isadore: Thank you!

[29:58] Dawn Johnson: We appreciate your support!

[30:18] Élise Sharp: Yes, thank you for having us on the show.

[30:38] Robert Bannon: It’s been a pleasure!

[30:58] Kendall Isadore: We’re excited to share our music with everyone.

[31:08] Dawn Johnson: And we hope to inspire others along the way.

[31:18] Élise Sharp: Music is such a powerful tool for connection.

[31:28] Robert Bannon: Absolutely!

[31:48] Kendall Isadore: We’re grateful for the opportunity to share our story.

[32:08] Dawn Johnson: And we hope it resonates with listeners.

[32:18] Élise Sharp: Thank you for having us, Robert!

[32:28] Robert Bannon: Thank you, The String Queens!

[32:38] Kendall Isadore: We can’t wait to perform for you all!

[32:48] Dawn Johnson: Stay tuned for more from us!

[32:58] Élise Sharp: Yes, and keep spreading the love for music!

[33:08] Robert Bannon: You heard it here first!

[33:28] Robert Bannon: Make sure to check out their new single, “Troubled Liberty.”

[33:48] Robert Bannon: Until next time, keep listening and supporting the arts!

[33:58] Robert Bannon: Goodbye!

[34:08] Robert Bannon: Thank you for joining us!