About
In the beginning...2 1/2 years old
IN THE BEGINNING​
It all started at the ripe old age of 2 when my parents noticed me singing along with the radio, either the melody or harmony without the words, and rocking back in forth in time to the music. Not sure what this meant, I soon found myself in a Kodaly Musicianship Class at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music – a place I would spend most of my childhood (and loved attending). My Grandmother who was born and raised in Toronto, Canada (later emigrating to the U.S.) was a violinist. This inspired my parents to start me on that instrument at the age of 2 ½. By the age of 3, it was decided to postpone my violin playing education since I basically spent lesson times chasing my teacher’s cat rather than playing. At what was supposed to be my last recital, inexplicably everything came together, and I performed well enough that my teacher would no longer let me take a break. The rest, as they say is history.
Growing up in Milwaukee, WI I was exposed to an incredible array of music. My parents always had music going in the house, mostly of the folk, R&B, and Doo Wop variety. In terms of playing, while I principally stayed in the classical lane I also took lessons in fiddling and other genres. A lesser-known fact about me is that along with piano, I was a pretty serious saxophonist (principally bari sax) taking lessons in both jazz and classical with the fabulous Joe Aaron. When I attended 8th grade at Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts and high school at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts, I was heavily engrossed in the jazz program. It was my high school jazz director, Mr. Gribble, who pushed me to improvise not just on sax but also on violin. Back in those days classical and non-classical genres were pretty separated, so I am thankful to Mr. Gribble for the push because it set me up for the career I currently have.
That is basically a snapshot of how I got into music, and the origins of me being in multiple genres. The rest of this page will share my bio.
CLASSICAL​
Multi-genre fiddler Erin Aldridge is a highly sought-after performer and teacher who has won numerous awards as both soloist and chamber musician, and has been featured throughout Europe, South America, and the United States. Erin maintains an active performance schedule as a soloist and chamber musician, as well as non-classical genres with her bands Danny Frank & the Smoky Gold and Superior Siren along with several side projects. She has been a soloist with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra, the Long Prairie Chamber Orchestra, the Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, and the Itasca Symphony Orchestra. She has been a guest artist at the Indiana University Summer Music Festival, Arizona State University, DePaul University Contemporary Concert Series, Madeline Island Music Camp, Ashland Chamber Music Series, National String Workshop, “Live at the Chazen” Concert Series, and The Third Coast Chamber Collective. Erin has been broadcast on National Public Radio, the BBC, Minnesota Public Radio, and Wisconsin Public Radio, The Currant, and featured on television in the Midwest region.
NON-CLASSICAL
Outside of classical music, Erin can be seen performing a variety of genres including bluegrass, Americana, folk, funk, blues, electronic, and rock. Her principal band, bluegrass/Americana band Danny Frank & the Smoky Gold, has garnered local and regional acclaim for their virtuosic instrumentalism and genre-blending original compositions. They have been featured at Blue Ox Festival in Eau Claire, Boats and Bluegrass Festival in Winona, River Falls Bluegrass Festival,The Great Northern Squashfest, GLAMA Festival, and they appear at venues around the Twin Ports and the Midwest. With Superior Siren, Erin made her debut at the iconic First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN opening for DeVotchKa, and played Blue Ox Festival. The first single she recorded with the Sirens, “Rattlesnake”, is garnering critical acclaim including being highlighted as a best new Minnesota song for August by Minneapolis. St. Paul Magazine. Erin was also the artistic advisor to the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra “Bridge Sessions”, a unique summer concert series dedicated to bringing together musicians of diverse genres to create special performances. The DSSO “Behind the Bridge Sessions” were featured in a 4-part docuseries put together by PBS North. Erin has shared the stage with Pert Near Sandstone, Ryan Young (from Trampled by Turtles) Feed the Dog, Barefoot Bluegrass, Buffalo Galaxy, Saltydog, Wonderfunk, Superior Siren, Boss Momma and the Jebberhooch, Sarah Thomsen, and High & Rising. This past summer she was invited to be the “artist at large” for the inaugural Burnstone Music Festival in Sandstone, MN.
My inspiration, my Grandmother Ruth Love
6 years old, newspaper photo from a fiddle contest
RECORDINGS​
Erin has several recordings, including her recording of Eugene Ysaÿe's Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op. 27, composer Justin Rubin's Constellations for the MSR Classics label, and composer Ian Deterling’s Duet in F Minor, Op. 4 for Violin and Trombone. In addition, she has done recordings with acclaimed singer-songwriter Sara Thomsen as well as the Three Altos, Superior Siren, and Andy Hanson. Danny Frank & the Smoky Gold released their first live-recorded album “Live from the Heart: Danny Frank & the Smoky Gold at Sacred Heart Music Center” and they will be going into the studio in January 2025 to record their first studio album. With Superior Siren, a reimagined version of “Rattlesnake” featuring Erin was released to acclaim.
AWARDS
In the Twin Ports area, Erin has received recognition as a prominent artist. In the spring of 2005, she was named concertmaster of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra. She was selected for the “20 under 40” award by the Duluth News Tribune in the fall of 2007, an honor given to 20 professionals who are successful in their chosen fields and role models in the community. In 2012 she received the Community Enrichment Award from the Duluth Depot Foundation Annual Artist Awards and was honored by the American Association of University Women as one of four “Created Here” artists in the Duluth-Superior area. Most recently, Aldridge received the 2023 Teaching Excellence Award (Individual) given by the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents for outstanding accomplishments in teaching.
EDUCATION
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Erin attended Indiana University where she received her bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance. She received her master’s degree and Performer’s Certificate in Chamber Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and was a member of the Leonard Sorkin Institute of Chamber Music under the direction of the Fine Arts Quartet. She continued her studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance. Her primary teachers included Mimi Zweig, Josef Gingold, Nellie Shkolnikova, Rostislav Dubinsky, Efim Boico, and Vartan Manoogian. Her conducting instructors included Margery Deutsch and David Becker.
CURRENT POSITIONS
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Erin is currently the Professor of Violin and Viola at the University of Wisconsin-Superior where she also serves as Director of Orchestra. She is the Concertmaster of both the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera of the North Opera Orchestra, is a member of the bluegrass Americana band Danny Frank & the Smoky Gold, and a member of the eerie folk band Superior Siren.
