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.”

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. Accompanied with a narration that reveal some of the back stories of baroque, jazz, folk, and Rock n’ Roll classics, he immerses his audience in a journey through musical history. “Alex Prizgintas offered this terrific concert at the Newburgh Free Library in June of last year” says Christopher Morgan, head of programming at the Newburgh Free Library. "In addition to being an extremely talented performer, Alex also was very engaging and held the attention of a large outdoor crowd. Our audience included families with young children, teens, and seniors all of whom thoroughly enjoyed the performance and ambiance, and many of whom passed along their compliments afterward.”

For more information, visit https://alexprizgintas.com