FARMINGTON – A former Franklin County Fiddler has donated her instrument to the Mt. Blue Regional School District orchestra program.
Mali Obomsawin, MBHS Orchestra and Franklin County Fiddlers alumna, is a 2013 graduate of Mt. Blue High School and is currently on tour with “Lula Wiles.” Obomsawin co-founded the band with another Mt. Blue graduate and FCF/Orchestra alumna Ellie Buckland and “Swiss Army knife” musician Isa Burke.
Lula Wiles has toured internationally, playing at the Newport Folk Festival and Philadelphia Folk Festival, garnering acclaim from NPR Music and a Boston Music Awards nomination, and sharing stages with the likes of Aoife O’Donovan, the Wood Brothers and Tim O’Brien. Lula Wiles is currently touring throughout North America to promote their new Smithsonian Folkways album: What Will We Do.
Obomsawin has always worked hard, and has amazing musicianship – she performed in the Mt. Blue Orchestra Program, the Franklin County Fiddlers, Mid-Maine Youth Orchestra and Maine’s All State Orchestra. She was awarded Mt. Blue’s National School Orchestra Association award in 2013. She went on to continue her education studying jazz and bass performance at Berklee College of Music, and graduated from Dartmouth with a comparative literature and political science dual major.
She has donated her first acoustic double bass nicknamed “Bertha” to the MBRSD orchestra program, so it can be used in perpetuity. It’s from the Upton Bass Company, and is a big step up from the instruments that are currently used by Mt. Blue students. Right now it’s being used by current MBHS Orchestra, FCF and MMYO bassist Rachel Spear. In an interesting coincidence, Spear composes her own songs as well.
“It’s an honor to help passionate young bass players in the Mt. Blue Regional School District,” Obomsawin said.
“It’s a really great feeling to know that I’m using an instrument that’s been used by Mali who is so incredibly motivated and talented,” Spear said. “Getting to play Bertha has opened my eyes to possibilities that Mali has pursued in music and inspires me to strive to create my own possibilities.”
I love everything about this.
I got to see Rachael and Bertha in action with the rest of the Fiddlers this past weekend and what a treat it was! Keep holding down that low end Rachael! There aren’t too many of us around doing it, so you will stay busy :) Thank you Mali for your extremely generous donation, that must have been tough to give up your first bass.
Steve Muise is such a prize for this community to have, please keep cranking out the talented musicians!
What a great story! We are blessed to have such folks among us. There may be hope after all!
Such a fabulous gift to such a deserving group. Many thanks.
Music, Miuse, and Mali…always a winning combo!
What a wonderful gift! It’s going to be used by an incredible young lady to start ♡