Old-school training, new school sound

Wednesday, February 22
7:30 pm, The Monarch

Genre-bending crossover trio Empire Wild was founded by Juilliard wunderkinds Ken Kubota, Brandon Ilaw, and Mitch Lyon. All classically trained, these musical marvels formed Empire Wild as a vehicle for their love of musical exploration – fusing the sounds of pop, folk, Broadway, and more into their songs. Ken and Mitch bring all the cello has to offer – bowed, plucked, chopped, and more. Brandon can be found singing and playing anything he can get his hands on – often a percussive cajon, sometimes a guitar or piano, maybe some ankle bells. Energetic and humorous, Empire Wild adventurously dares to mix Debussy and Justin Bieber in the same program – and it works. Based in NYC, these Concert Artists Guild winners bring their signature mix of original music, inventive covers, and twists on the classics to audiences across the country – and here in Ogden.