Meet the band: Mónica Viñoly (Violin)
This week we catch up with Mónica Viñoly - the one you've probably spotted beaming with joy in the violin section on our recent tours!
We hear you’re on a ship at the moment! For work or leisure?
For work! I’m a guest entertainer with a comedy group called Graffiti Classics, a quartet with choreography. There's humour in the way we dance and move, similar to silent movies. But it's also interactive – the audience has to sing, clap, and so on. The bass player is an Irish man who essentially bullies them, and people seem to find it funny when they’re being screamed at!
Sounds fun! So when did you start playing the violin?
I started music school when I was 7, and took up the violin by the age of 8.
How did you get into swing and jazz?
I have a lot of friends that are amazing jazz musicians, so I've been to an incredible amount of jazz gigs. I respect the genre a lot.
You grew up in Gran Canaria – was there much of a jazz scene there?
When I bumped into jazz in the Canary Islands I was already 27 and living in Tenerife. There's a big jazz community there, but sadly I'm not very aware of how the scene is in Gran Canaria.
You studied psychology – what led you to that, and why did you choose music in the end?
I was part of an orchestra all my life. I love music, singing, dancing and acting. When the moment came to choose a university degree, my parents thought I should study something that would bring me more security in the future. The only other thing that I was interested in was humans! Their minds, their behaviour… So I decided to study psychology. But I never really left music. When I moved to London, I was determined to have it in my life as much as possible. So I feel so grateful that I get to play the violin for a living now!
Do you have a favourite record?
It's always so difficult to pick one! I love Half Moon Run's last album “Salt” and “Declaration of Dependence” by Kings of Convenience.
What’s been your favourite gig you’ve done so far?
I got to play the O2 Forum Kentish Town this year with the rock band Green Lung. I think that gig holds a special place in my heart because I've seen a lot of bands I love perform there. So when I saw myself on that stage, that felt surreal and so incredible.
How did you get involved with Down for the Count?
I was lucky that one of the regular players needed a dep for a few dates. I was always curious about the project but I didn't expect it to be this amazing. I'm truly over the moon to be able to tour with them again.
You’ll be doing all the dates on the Swing Into Christmas tour – any particular aspects you’re looking forward to?
Everything! It is such a lovely group of people. When we are working I am having fun and when we are hanging out after the gigs or on the days off I'm having a great time too. But I think what I’m looking forward to the most is playing all those amazing Christmas arrangements again.
Favourite piece of music to perform with DFTC?
Also very difficult to pick one. They are all incredible. I get very emotional every time Marvin sings Lush Life. I love playing Angel and Lost in the Stars, I think they are both so beautiful. And I have a ball every time we play The Rhythm of Life. It's so much fun!
Any other musical projects you’re involved with?
As I mentioned already, I work with a comedy string quartet called Graffiti Classics. I also have a folk band called Something Sleeps, I play with Bruce Beach and the London Folk, a gypsy jazz band and with the Starlight Collective, which also has some jazzy influences. Whenever I can, I still play with a band in Tenerife called Blue Rondo, that I joined right before moving to London eleven years ago.
I also recently launched a new string quartet called Viem, which I'm hoping will slowly pick up!
What are your hobbies when not performing?
I love listening to music, contemporary dance, doing calisthenics in the park and binging TV shows!
About the author
Polis Loizou-Denyer is Down for the Count's marketing and communications officer. Though it's a long time since he played an instrument himself, he likes to keep creative with his own writing, performing, theatre making, filmmaking and oral storytelling.
