DANVILLE — When your father is a national accordion champion and your mother is a classical organist, music as your vocation is practically preordained.
Such is the case for Shara Worden. By age 5 the Michigan native was performing publicly, by 8 studying piano.
“For about 2 seconds I thought of being an artist or painter,” said Worden during a recent phone interview, shortly after a European tour with her current project My Brightest Diamond. “But I don’t have any other aspirations (besides music).”
Worden has been composing her own music since childhood, but ultimately earned an opera degree from the University of North Texas.
“My song writing wasn’t developed enough for me to realize I probably would’ve done well in a song writing program or arranging/compositional program,” she said. “Those things weren’t developed in me enough for me to even be aware there were schools you could go to for that.”
To compensate, Worden moved to New York soon after graduating to immerse herself in the city’s inclusive music scene. She would attend four and five shows a week and perform at open-mic nights.
“I knew New York would have a whole bunch of different things going on, which is why I wanted to move there and be influenced by it,” she said. “I tried to see as much as I could of what was going on, and allow myself to go in different directions because of that.”
Worden says the resulting exposure had a profound impact on her song writing, particularly seeing artists like Antony & the Johnsons and Rebecca Moore combine seemingly antipodal music forms.
“They were the first people I saw using strings with alternative instrumentation in a club,” she said. “I saw this was something available to me too.”
It’s the concept at the heart of My Brightest Diamond. Their sophomore release, “A Thousand Shark’s Teeth,” is a cornucopia of gently-strummed instruments and Worden’s dulcet voice. But what started as a string quartet record soon ventured into more pop territory with guitar and dense, ambient-manipulated sounds.
“Having a sense of lightness was important to me,” Worden said. “There’s a lot more in the arrangement than you’re hearing. We would end up sacrificing some of my favorite chords because the bigger picture was more important. The feeling is always the more important thing.”
Delving into such experimentation has made Worden the kind of beatnik she’s long admired. One that draws audiences from multiple music spectrums.
“I like finding sort of fringey characters, be it in the rock world or just people doing something, I don’t know, extreme maybe, or particular, specialized,” she said. “You can find that in rock and certainly in classical too.”
Such evidence has convinced Worden that, contrary to statements by the Rolling Stones, rock & roll is not dead.
“Rock is about an attitude of independence,” Worden said. “I don’t think that’ll ever leave humanity. If you want to say rock is three chords and a Marshall amp, well, OK, that’s already been done. But if you look at it from a more philosophical place, it’s about this visceral energy and being independent.
“Music is going to keep changing and growing and developing. We have to be willing to allow it to do that.”
———
Online:
www.mybrightestdiamond.com
Just the facts
WHO: My Brightest Diamond with Clare and the Reasons and Marla Hanson
WHEN: 8 p.m. Nov. 6
WHERE: The Royal Theater, 59 S. Washington St., Danville
Local News
Related Photos
-
Shara Worden has found firm footing in both rock and classical music through her current creative vehicle My Brightest Diamond. / Photo by Julian Bourgeois
Classically-trained musician embraces her rebel side
- Local News
-
-
BPD training facility draws law officers from near and far
Tucked away on the north end of Brownsburg is one of Indiana’s hidden law enforcement training gems. The facility’s state-of-the-art training has law enforcement professionals, including federal agents from throughout the nation and beyond, coming to hone their abilities in Hendricks County.
-
Plainfield man arrested in band theft
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department detectives and officers with the Southwest Neighborhood Resource Office collaborated in arresting 28-year-old Timothy Pepper of Plainfield in connection with a musical equipment heist from a rock band’s trailer.
-
Beacon of Hope prepares for annual jazz event
The Beacon of Hope Center for Women’s fourth annual winter fundraiser will move to The Murat Shrine Center this year. The theme for the event is “Evening of Hope & All That Jazz.”
-
Civic Theatre presents 'classic farce'
Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre continues its inaugural season at the Center for the Performing Arts with the audience and actor favorite comedy by Ken Ludwig, "Lend Me A Tenor," Feb. 10-25 at the Tarkington, 3 Center Green, Carmel.
-
Beef & Boards to have auditions for young performers
Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre will host auditions for young performers in March.
-
Myers opens 2012 season with 'I Do! I Do!'
Myers Dinner Theatre announces the first show in their 2012 season, "I Do! I Do!" opens Feb. 8.
-
Bratwurst voted best Super 46 Sandwich
The Schnitzelbank Restaurant's Bratwurst is the winner of the Super 46 Sandwich competition. The restaurant, located in Jasper, garnered 63 percent of the vote for its brat in the final round over the Mile High Club from Rock Cola 50s Cafe in Indianapolis.
-
Man found shot dead in west side home
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers are working the apparent homicide of 20-year-old Derik Tanner, found shot to death in a residence along the 1600 block of N. Livingston Ave.
-
Indianapolis gets rave Super Bowl reviews
The early reviews are in for the city’s first Super Bowl and they are through the roof.
Mayor Greg Ballard was at the Indianapolis International Airport Monday morning to thank the many travelers who visited Indianapolis.
-
Habitat builds on Super Bowl hoopla
CAMBY — More than 80 volunteers participated in the Habitat for Humanity Super Build Event last Friday where walls for two homes were built.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Murder Trial for Ex-U.Va. Lacrosse Player Begins
NY Giants Touch Down Victorious
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Few Answers in Death of Sons of Missing Utah Mom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
Blast Kills Husband of Missing Utah Mom, 2 Boys
Obama: US, Israel Will Work Against Iran Nukes
Romney Picks Up Decisive Win in Nevada Caucuses
