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SALT LAKE CITY — A classical instrument is gaining popularity with younger audiences. Listen to the radio and you'll probably hear the strings of a cello along with guitars and synthesizers.
Sure, the Beatles had orchestral music in hits, but the string musicians weren't a headliner in the band. Now that's different, and Utah cellist Steven Sharp Nelson is among those who have taken classical music to an entirely new love.
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Utah cellist Steven Sharp Nelson and piano great Jon Schmidt have scored dozens of YouTube hits with their cello and piano arrangements.
"I think the cello has been cool all along. It's just being discovered," Nelson said.
Yo Yo Ma's eclectic repertoire brought the cello into the mainstream, and recent hits by Cold Play and OneRepublic continue to introduce the classical instrument to new audiences.
"The cello is so much like the human vocal range," Nelson explained. "It's not like the violin, (which) can get really high and be really beautiful, but it's not like that vocal range. It's like people are relating to (the cello) better."
And a lot of people are relating to Nelson's cello arrangements. A Star Wars tribute featuring dueling cellos and light sabers garnered nearly 4 million page views on YouTube.
"I thought, ‘OK, here's my chance to look cool in front of my 6-year-old boy.' Why would I not take advantage of that?" Nelson said.
It's a new spin on classic music, and a classic spin on new music, hooking audiences all over the world. Bach would probably smile.
