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Extreme Cellists
You've bought your own instrument, taken lessons and built up confidence as a musician, what’s the next challenge? Join a group? play live? write an original composition?

For a trio of Sheffield based cellists however, the ultimate challenge has been to perform in the unlikeliest and most dangerous places, earning them the title Extreme Cellists.

The concept was born after the trio (Clare Wallace, James Rees and Jeremy Dawson) read about Extreme Ironing, which involved seasoned ironers attempting to skilfully de-crease a pile of clothes whilst perched precariously atop mountains or trees, or sometimes under water. The cellists were inspired: if a household task such as ironing could be performed in extreme locations with such panache, why not a creative activity like music making?

When a call to raise money for the music fund at a local primary school was brought to their attention, extreme cello playing became a reality. So in May 2003, the cellists undertook their first challenge; a day long tour of six locations of varying extremity within Sheffield and the neighbouring Peak District. They played on the top of the tallest mountain in the Peak District, in a cave in Castleton, at a height of 255 feet on the roof of Sheffield University’s Arts Tower, on platform 2 at Grindleford Station, in Padley Gorge, and finally ending in the city’s Winter Garden. Having successfully completed their first challenge, the three remained in tact and raised nearly £2000 for the school’s music fund.

Since then the cellists have raised money for a variety of different charities, having risen to many more challenges. As Jeremy Dawson says: ‘The cello’s a large instrument so it can be a challenge in itself just to get to the location we’ll be playing in. But at the same time, the size gives a far more visual impact.’

What next for the Extreme Cellists? Well, in July 2008 they will undertake the Four Peaks Challenge: playing at the top of the tallest mountains in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Further information about the cellists, their past & future activities, and the causes they support, can be found at www.extreme-cello.com

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