Time For Three

The groundbreaking trio Time for Three transcends traditional classification, with elements of classical, country western, gypsy and jazz idioms forming a blend all its own. The members—Zach De Pue, violin; Nick Kendall, violin; and Ranaan Meyer, double bass—carry a passion for improvisation, composing and arranging, all prime elements of the ensemble's playing.

What started as a trio of musicians who played together for fun while students at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute for Music evolved into Time for Three (Tf3)—a charismatic ensemble with a reputation for limitless enthusiasm and no musical boundaries. Violinists De Pue and Kendall first discovered their mutual love of fiddling in the country western and bluegrass styles. Then bassist Meyer introduced them to his deep roots in jazz and improvisation. After considerable experimentation, the three officially formed Tf3. The ensemble gained instant attention in July 2003, during a lightning-induced power failure at Philadelphia's Mann Center for the Performing Arts. While technicians attempted to restore onstage lighting, Meyer and De Pue, who were both performing with The Philadelphia Orchestra, obliged with an impromptu jam session that included works as far a field from the originally scheduled symphony as "Jerusalem's Ridge," "Ragtime Annie" and "The Orange Blossom Special." The crowd went wild.

Tf3 has performed on many of the nation's impressive stages, including the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Joe's Pub in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The group recorded the soundtrack to the History Channel's production "The Spanish-American War", and in October 2009, on the E1 Entertainment (formerly Koch) label, will release its new CD, Three Fervent Travelers. Their first recording, titled Time for Three, was released in October 2002, followed by a second CD released in January 2006, We just burned this for you! In addition, Time for Three has released a monthly series of tracks for download.

Highlights of Tf3's past seasons include the Beethoven Society in Washington, D.C., Cerritos Center in Los Angeles, Joanne Woodward's Westport Playhouse, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Wyoming's Grand Teton Music Festival and Chicago's "Music in the Loft" series. The trio has performed with the Cleveland Pops, the San Francisco Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, IRIS Chamber Orchestra, Sunshine Pops, New World Symphony and The Philly Pops.

Zach De Pue, who in 2007 was appointed Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, comes from a musical family. Born in Bowling Green, Mr. De Pue graduated in 2002 from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with renowned violinists Ida Kavafian and Jaime Laredo. He was the recipient of a merit-based full-tuition scholarship and held the Institute's David H. Springman Memorial Fellowship. Prior to entering Curtis, Mr. De Pue attended the Cleveland Institute of Music. He made his solo debut with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in 1994 and performed as soloist with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra in 1995. He has performed at the Isaac Stern Music Workshop; the Angel Fire, La Jolla and Sarasota music festivals and at the Chautauqua Institution and Interlochen Arts Academy.

Nick Kendall studied at the Curtis Institute with the internationally renowned violinist Victor Danchenko. Highlights of his career include performances with Israel's Jerusalem Symphony; an acclaimed Philadelphia recital debut under the auspices of Astral Artistic Services; a quartet performance at Carnegie Hall; performances as a member of the Astral Trio; and a guest artist appearance on tour with the Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra. Nick debuted with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra as the winner of their Young Artists competitions. He has since performed in the concert halls of Anchorage, Chapel Hill, Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Louisville, San Francisco and Tokyo. He is also a member of both the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO) and the Dryden String Quartet.

Ranaan Meyer began his musical studies at the piano at age 4 and took up the double bass at 11. He attended the Manhattan School of Music and graduated from Curtis in 2003. Beyond regular appearances with ensembles such as the Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony and The Philadelphia Orchestra, Mr. Meyer is increasingly in demand as a composer, creating unique new works for Tf3 as well as for other ensembles and for solo bass. Recently, he completed two works for Hal Robinson, Principal Bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and a commission, "My Zayda" (for violin, piano and double bass), for the Kingston Chamber Music Festival in Rhode Island. He is also an accomplished jazz musician who has performed with Jane Monheight, Victor Lewis, Jason Moran, Mark O'Connor, Ari Hoenig, Duane Eubanks and Mickey Roker. An avid teacher, he has held adjunct double bass professorships at both Princeton University and the University of Delaware. He is the founder of a program called Project Interactive (PI), whose purpose is to culturally connect communities' artistic possibilities.

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