SULLIVAN COUNTY — Alex Prizgintas’s maiden voyage of electric cello concerts last year started with a program called “Bach to Rock”—now shortened to “B-2-R.” It apparently hit a nerve and resulted in more than seventy bookings for that first year. That simple program has expanded into more than twelve samples, and for 2023, Alex has secured more than 125 bookings. “Some of my favorite additions include the Baroque cello suites of J.S. Bach, Latin tangos such as Astor Piazzolla’s “Libertango,” and opera selections like Donizetti’s “Una Furtiva Lagrima” and Verdi’s “La Donna Mobile” says Alex. “I enjoy the lyricism of opera especially when contrasted by the counterpoint of jazz by masters like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and Dave Brubeck. And then, there are times where I stray towards the rebellion of the mid-to-late 60’s British Invasion with groups like Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Procol Harum, The Kinks, and The Zombies—to name just a few.” 

But with the cello being what it is, Alex enjoys the root of its sound found in the core repertoire of Bach’s Cello Suites and the generation of classical composers who followed. “I think B-2-R says it succinctly in that I try to harvest the best and work diligently to not only recreate but rather create a unique retelling of what we might already personally know.” And with each performance, Alex strives to communicate--not only with the cello but with the back-stories that reveal interesting facts about each selection. “I have three rock selections with personal ties to Jimi Hendrix, an explanation about Bach’s Preludes to each cello suite and where Dave Brubeck found inspiration for ‘Blue Rondo a la Turk,’ just to name a few. Along with the tunes, my goal is to build a better understanding and a deeper relationship with my audiences.”

The unique sound of Alex Prizgintas and his amplified cello will be part of the Liberty Public Library on Thursday, August 1st at 6:30 PM. Classically trained, he employs non-classical tools like distortion, delay, and the iconic “wah-wah” guitar pedals symbolic of 1960s Rock n’ Roll bands--all in conjunction with a looping station. Equally comfortable with intimate and stadium settings, Alex is able to craft his own wall-of-sound through his 1,000 watt amp. Familiar with Alex’s work on the cello might be surprised to learn that he recently graduated summa cum laude with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Marist College in regional history and public administration--and currently attends the same college as a graduate student in public administration. “I tend to have two audiences; those who know me as a cellist and those who know me through my lectures on topics of regional history. My bifurcated interests certainly keep me busy developing new stories to share about our Hudson River Valley as well as expanding my concert programs that strive to keep audiences engaged, enlightened and hopefully entertained.” To learn more and see other video samples of his music and lectures, please visit alexprizgintas.com.