Seattle Weekly: You’re originally from Seattle, right?
Michelle Bishop: I grew up in Bothell, just north of Seattle, and went to Bothell High School and [to] the University of Washington for a year. I met a violin teacher who then transferred schools to Florida International University in Miami, and I lived there for a couple of years. I guess school brought me all over the place. I also went to Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., for my masters. Then I was invited by a teacher in Philadelphia named Kim Fisher to live with her and study with her privately; I live with my teacher and her family in Haddonfield, N.J., right outside of Philadelphia.
When did you start playing violin?
When I was 10. I’m 25 now. Somebody came through the school promoting the violin, and I was really interested in it. At the time, I was doing a lot of different things, so my parents didn’t let me actually do it for a year. But I kept up; it was kind of a passion of mine.
How did you get involved with the Red Bull Artsehcro, the Carnegie Hall event that you and 59 other young classical players took part in on Oct. 2?
I got involved with that in April. I do lots of types of fusion music, I guess, and somebody sent me an e-mail and said, “Hey, I think you’d be interested in this,” so I took the audition. I guess I was in one of the first rounds of people to get accepted.
When you say “fusion music,” what are you referring to?
I’m a classically trained violinist, and I’ve done a lot of classical-ish hip-hop; I play in a band that does indie rock called Buried Beds.
How was playing Carnegie Hall?
It was amazing. It was all fusion-type music—kind of a classical setting with some more modern hip-hop DJ turntable [elements], that kind of thing. It was very exciting for me because usually I sit in very stuffy-type concert things. I’ve never heard a crowd get that excited before.
Were you nervous beforehand?
Of course! I’m nervous before every concert.
