San Antonio native and Cellist Jen Mulhern is continuing to change the music scene on South Padre Island before heading back to Buffalo, New York for the summer.
The seasoned musician spends summers in Buffalo with her partner and helpful business guide, Erika Felicetta. Then, after summer, they come back to SPI where Mulhern performs.
Mulhern’s ability to create modern music with classical textures is new to the island. But, according to NY native Felicetta, there wasn’t anyone doing what she was doing with a cello either.
Switching gears between NY and SPI is refreshing for Mulhern and allows the musician to bring fresh ideas and refill her metaphorical music cup to create waves on the island.
The Musicians Example
Although Mulhern performed classical music in an orchestral setting for a good chunk of her career, she decided to take things up a notch and challenge herself.
Mulhern started out practicing performing alone in coffee shops and bars with her looper pedal for five years. The electric looper pedal allows her to create beats and melodies to create layers of music made by her as she plays over it live. Gaining the solo performance experience, she strived to find and create a quiet space to intimately listen to the intense layers of music.
“That’s how it began. This island gave me room to practice in louder restaurants and bars. It allowed me to practice my craft because it was a very forgiving environment,” said Mulhern.
To Mulhern, playing in a silent place will always be more intimidating and demand more concentration. Though to her, listening to live music in silence provides an elevated version of the song that would not have felt the same if played in a home or noisy place.
Live Listening Sessions
Mulhern will perform her fourth live listening session this Saturday and Sunday at The Art Lounge starting at 7 p.m. Her session will include features from the songwriting duo, Kerosene Drifters. Her previous shows brought guest artists of different genres and she plans to continue to dabble in new sounds.
Next month’s show on Feb. 18 will unapologetically feature pure love songs, violinists, and surprise guest artists.
Mulhern is grateful for the opportunity The Art Lounge and Hopper Haus Bar & Grill in Port Isabel extended.
Looking forward, Mulhern is staying busy working on new music, getting far out of her comfort zone, and cultivating the collaboration of musical hunger the island didn’t know it needed.
