By Dawn Pearson
Christopher and Nicholas Burrus started playing music together in first grade, and they never stopped.
The Zionsville High School 2008 twin graduates have now recorded their first professional album with their band, Willoughby Sprig. In order to record this album, the band added two members, according to Nicholas Burrus. “Joseph Mynhier and Jordan Stout bring ukulele, frame drum, guitar and viola da gamba (an early bowed string instrument from the lute family) to the band’s diverse sound.”
Willoughby Sprig is both a four-piece ensemble and the not-so-common name the twins came up with to help describe their style.
“We wanted our band’s name to reflect the types of music we play, folk style, folky, like a hobbit’s name,” Nicholas said. “As a band we want something very down-to-earth, and Willoughby Sprig has a middle Earth thing going. It complements the music and aesthetics we are trying to create.” He went on describing the band, “Most songs we play are original or a mixture of traditional songs, eclectic folky very influenced by folk traditions. We were classically trained and we’ve combined the two. Influences come from all over the world.”
While studying musical performance and art at Valparaiso University, the twins began writing instrumental duets that reflected their interests in American folk traditions and travel narratives they both explained. And they both graduated in 2012.
“We used an eclectic repertoire of instruments for this album, such as banjo, mountain dulcimer, harmonium and mandolin,” Nicholas said. “We played in coffee shops and campus events around Valparaiso.”
Their vision for the band is “describing imaginary subterranean landscapes through music and lyrics” and they have titled their album “Well Beneath the Shell.”
Willoughby Sprig launched a fundraising campaign in December through Kickstarter.com, a funding platform that helps encourage people to support independent creative projects. The money that is donated through this campaign will be used to produce and circulate the album across the country, according to Nicholas.
The band’s next gig will be Jan. 24 at Indy Hostel, 4903 Winthrop Ave., Indianapolis, 46205. Visit HYPERLINK “http://willoughbysprig.com/” http://willoughbysprig.com/ to help sponsor their new album, see photos and listen to their music.
The twins have roots in Zionsville. Their parents are Roger and Danielle Burrus, their grandmother is Ruth Burrus and their grandfather is the late Otis Burrus.
