30-Minute Music Hour

Announcer

The following program is a PBS Wisconsin Original Production.

vibrant violin music

"Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major - Prelude" by J.S. Bach

gentle cello music

Announcer

audience applauding

Chauntee Ross

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Yeah. Oh, this is cool, the lights. Look at our name, Mom! Oh my gosh!

laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

We're delighted to be here. And we're gonna play some more songs. This one is called "Her Name Was." This one we released this summer as a single. Yeah. - And yeah. Let's sing this song, yeah!

"Her Name Was" by Sistastrings

plucking violin and cello strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

I saw a girl Her name was She always smiled It never reached her eyes This girl looked to both sides I wonder what she was thinking

plucking strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

I saw a girl Her name was She always worked No time to rest at all We all could see That she was Striving for something more Lies turning tables can feel lonely Lies turning tables can feel hard Just remember while you're growing Keep holding on Holding on

plucking strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

I saw a girl Her name was She never cried She kept it all inside Experience taught her to never trust with her heart

plucking strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

I saw a girl Her name was She had a child It opened up her eyes The child would grow To know we're not in this alone Lies turning tables can feel lonely Lies turning tables can feel hard Just remember while you're growing Keep holding on Holding on

plucking strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

I saw a girl She's smiling I noticed she is feeling free I saw a girl Her name was Me

plucking strings outro

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Thank you.

audience applauding

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Whoo, thank you! Thank you very much. Yeah. Ah

plucking strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Ah

laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

I'm also a music teacher, so everything, when I don't know what I'm doing, I just sing it. And then I just-- - Yeah, uh-huh?

laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

We are gonna do this next number, which is a tune that I wrote one day when Monique, she had gotten herself a new guy in her life and she was out of the house and not hanging out with me.

both laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

And I was home alone and I was texting her and she wasn't responding, so I started writing this song. See, a good thing came out of it. It's literally about being alone.

both laughing

"Cadenza for Chauntee" by Sistastrings

slow, somber violin music

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

dramatic, lively string music

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

audience applauding

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Thank you. - That was delightful. Thank you. Is that dramatic enough for you? I'm alone!

both laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

But I always come back to you, sister

laughs

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

. Just to leave again, no! We are actual sisters, if our faces didn't give it away.

both laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

We have the same face.

all laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Yes, do we. What are we playing, sister? - "Deep River." Ah. This tune, we actually haven't played it it feels like in a while. - It's been a while. But we were supposed to just pick one song from public domain list to arrange. And we couldn't agree, so we had to put two together. So it turned into this thing.

"Deep River" by Sistastrings

somber string music

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Deep river Lord My home is over Jordan Deep river Lord You know I ain't Got long to stay here You know I ain't Got long to stay here

delicate cello music

delicate violin music

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

tempo increases

plucking cello strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Deep deep river My home is over Jordan

plucking violin strings

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Deep deep deep river Deep river Lord You know I ain't got long To stay here You know I ain't got long To stay here You know I ain't got that much longer To stay here You known I ain't got that much longer To stay here

audience applauding

inaudible dialogue

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Thank you so much. All right, I just realized we're a little bit somber today, huh, music choice wise?

audience laughing

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Thank you guys for going on this journey with us. Yeah. - Left, yeah.

"Lift Every Voice" by Sistastrings

slow string music

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven rings Rings with the harmonies Of liberty Let our rejoicing rise High as the listening skies Let it resound loud as the rolling sea Sing a song full of the faith That the dark past has brought us Sing a song full of the hope That the present has taught us Facing the rising sun Of a new day begun Let us march on till victory Is won

soft, dramatic string music

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Stony the road we trod Bitter the chastening rod Felt in the days when hope Unborn had died Yet with a steady beat Have not our weary feet Come to the place for which our fathers sighed And we have come over a way That with tears have been watered And we have come treading our path Through the blood of the slaughtered But out from the gloomy past Till now we stand at last Where the bright gleam of our bright star is cast

dramatic string music

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

audience applauding

inaudible dialogue

Thank you so much. - Monique Ross

Thank you so much. This is the last little diddy. Yeah, we've fully enjoyed our time here with you guys. We're gonna pick it up for the last song.

Both

Hey!

laughing

Both

This one is called "Goodbye." It's our first original tune we put out together, yeah. That we will ever admit to-- - That we'll admit to. Or perform in public, yeah. All facts. There's more weird songs, but this is the one. Ready? - Yes.

"Goodbye" by Sistastrings

Both

What was I about to play? - I don't know.

laughing

jazzy string plucking

jazzy fiddle music

Both

Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye

soft jazzy string music

Both

We're a piece of the puzzle They try to put us under But when that ain't work Better believe it was the muzzle But see I can't be sold I'm just trying to evolve They ain't gonna stop my flow Just gonna let 'em blow Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye Goodbye goodbye goodbye

soft jazzy string music

energetic jazzy string music

soft jazzy string music

Both

Goodbye Thank you so much!

audience applauding and cheering

Both

That's it! - Yeah.

inaudible dialogue, laughter