Mario Price
A talented musician since childhood, Mario started playing the violin at just 4 years of age. His whole family,
born to music , father on piano, mother on the violin, and two brothers on cello and vocals it was obvious that they were a talented bunch. Mario studied the violin at the ‘Welsh College of Music and Drama’ for several years in Cardiff. At School, Mario performed in the ‘Gwent Youth Orchestra’ and at University played with the ‘London University Orchestra’.
It was in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia that Mario joined a ‘Scratch Band’ and discovered his ability to improvise and harmonise to anybody playing anything, in any key! An unusual talent for a classically trained violinist.
On return to the UK in 1990 Mario visited the Lowestoft Folk Club where he met local singer/ songwriter ‘John Ward’. John and Mario became ‘The local Folk act’ in Lowestoft and they played numerous festivals over the 20+ years toether ie. Latitude, Folk East, Broadstairs, Cambridge, Ely and many more….He features heavily on several of John’s albums. Mario also played for 28 years in the local Celidh Band ‘Skiphire’.
In 2011 Mario received a call from Lesley who was looking for a violinist to join her and ‘Mulberry Hawk’ on their concept album ‘The Legend of L’Inconnue’. He never looked back.
Mario’s inventive improvisation and sensitive harmonies were a wonderful accompaniment to Mulberry Hawk’s music and Lesley’s voice. The audience adored Mario’s ferocious jigs and reels, stirring Gypsy music, swinging jazz tunes, all played with a mixture of Welsh/Italian passion. This still applies today!
Mario featured on both Mulberry Hawk’s ‘The Legend of L’Inconnue’ and ‘Cover-up’ albums.
After all the hard work Mario is happy to dedicate most of his time to writing more songs.