Eli Lilly Hall will be transformed into an intimate cabaret setting with clothed tables, candlelight, and bar and food service for this cozy concert, featuring jazz violinist Sara Caswell, with her acoustic trio – pianist Steve Allee, bass player Jeremy Allen and guest vocalist (and sister) Rachel Caswell – performing jazz standards and original compositions. Caswell, a Bloomington native and Indiana University graduate, currently lives in New York City, tours extensively and has released two solo CDs to critical acclaim.

Five minutes with Sara Caswell

What does coming back to play in Indy mean to you?
Having been born and raised in Bloomington, Ind., my love for Indiana runs deep; from the corn and soybean fields to IU basketball to Jazz on Indiana Avenue to the Indianapolis International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, I’ve come to appreciate what an incredible microcosm of American culture Indiana is. I am proud of my Indiana roots & honored to have the opportunity to return to the region which has played such an important role in my development.

You’re playing with your sister on vocals. Does music run in the family? What’s it like playing with your sister?
It is rare when two musicians who truly understand and respect each other, both as people & musicians, are able to collaborate musically. That these two people be siblings is even rarer, a connection I cherish every time Rachel and I perform together. Although it isn’t surprising we’ve each pursued music professionally, given both our parents have Ph.D.s in musicology (my father was a Professor of Musicology at Indiana University from 1966-96), there was no guarantee our tastes would have run in similar directions or that we’d have collaborative chemistry. Fortunately for us, this is the case on both counts.

If you could have any other job in the world, what would you be doing instead?
I can’t imagine myself having a career outside of music. I have interests in other fields and admire those whose talents have resulted in successful careers. But for me, no other career can match the creative and collaborative high that music gives when performing with world-class musicians for an appreciative and attentive audience.

What’s something people don’t know about you?
I’m an avid bicyclist. Before moving from Bloomington to New York City in 2004, I regularly spent my mornings riding the hills of Monroe, Brown and Morgan counties with my dad. I try to make it back to Indiana for at least two organized rides every year, my favorite of which is the Hilly Hundred held in mid-October.

You play classical and jazz, but what kind of music do you listen to? What’s on your iPod right now?
While teaching at the Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camp this past summer (my 10th year!), I met the phenomenal bluegrass violinist and fellow Hoosier Michael Cleveland. Watching one 30-minute performance of his has given me 10 years worth of rhythmic and improvisatory material to study.

I’ve also been studying the composition and arranging style of Daniel Mille, a French accordion player who defies categorization through his unique blend of jazz and classical music, bound together by beautiful melodies, infectious bass lines and great grooves.

Talk briefly about the difference between jazz and classical.
In a general sense, every genre of music brings a unique performance practice to the stage; how the music functions in a particular culture or region and how that might be reflected on stage, how musicians communicate with each other verbally and musically, how musicians communicate with the audience, the techniques that are used, etc. With those general differences recognized, I don’t, as a performer, find there to be much difference between a classical and jazz performance. My approach to choosing repertoire, practicing, deciding the musicians with whom to perform, rehearsing with the ensemble, etc. is the same, as is the amount of concentration and energy exerted on stage, both individually and as part of a group. Although jazz musicians may seem to be a little less formal when performing, it is this relaxed state which allows us to improvise freely and react instantaneously to our surroundings.

What’s it like for a Hoosier living in NYC?
Initially, it wasn’t the easiest transition, given I was coming from a community where it isn’t uncommon to strike up a conversation with the check-out lady at Kroger. Because Manhattan is so densely populated, New Yorkers tend to coexist by keeping to themselves in daily life. But by seeking those with common backgrounds, interests and activities, one finds communities of which to be part, something I’ve done since moving to NY.

Do I love NYC? Yes!

Am I a New Yorker? Not yet.