I had always dreamed of featuring a cello or violin on my album, but I had the hardest time getting a hold of strings players that I knew. I almost gave up on that idea, but I figured I could try Craigslist as a last resort. I was amazed to get about twelve responses to my add in the first couple days. Who knew there were so many strings players in Vancouver! I guess money is a good incentive for them to come out of their hiding places and introduce themselves. Unfortunately I received mostly replies from violinists and I had my heart set on a cellist.

Eventually I got an email from Catriona, a cello instructor with 25 years of experience. I didn’t even bother auditioning her. I thought, “If she can teach it, she must be able to play.” And I didn’t think my cello lines were that complicated either, except for being in an awkward key for the instrument. My ignorant trust actually paid off. She was very talented and easy to work with. She even wrote the cello lines for “Broken and Beautiful” right there on the spot. Quite impressive. (I wrote the cello line for “Numbed” myself though. I’m pretty proud of that actually. It made me want to try composing some classical music). Anyway, the moral of the story is that Craigslist is a great resource for musicians.