VSQ is a series of string quartet projects developed and produced by CMH Records, an independent record company based in Los Angeles. The CMH team works with an evolving cast of arrangers, producers, string players, and other creatives on each project. Their albums are released through Vitamin Records and are primarily performed by a string quartet, although other instruments have been used. "Vitamin String Quartet is about applying rock n' roll attitude to classical technique," said Tom Tally,[1] a violist and arranger who has performed on and produced over 50 Vitamin String Quartet albums.
The group began in 1999 "as an experiment in transforming rock and pop songs with classical instruments."[2] It later expanded to include a variety of popular music.[2]
From 2012 until 2014, their music was played 24 hours a day on the FM broadcast station WWHK in Concord, New Hampshire.[3]
Songs by Vitamin String Quartet were featured on the Fox television show So You Think You Can Dance[4] twice in 2008. "Control" from Vitamin String Quartet Tribute To Janet Jackson appeared on an episode that aired on July 30, 2008, and "Hallelujah" from Vitamin String Quartet Tribute To Paramore appeared on an episode that aired the day after. Songs appeared again on the show in Season 6 in 2009. Legacy Perez used "Flashing Lights" by Kanye West as a track for a solo elimination dance that aired December 9, 2009. "Yellow", originally by Coldplay, featured on the show with guest dancers on the Top 10 elimination show, The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers. This episode aired on December 2, 2009.
In June 2009, they branched out by including a few original songs on their album Perversions, which also included covers of bands such as Broken Social Scene, No Age, and Sigur Rós.[5]
Two songs from Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Coldplay, "Yellow" and "Clocks," were used in an episode of the TV show The Vampire Diaries on April 22, 2010.[6]
Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Star Wars (2010)
Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to the Ladies of 90s Alt Rock
VSQ Tribute: 90s Rock Hits
VSQ Tribute to Alternative Hits of the 90s
Vitamin String Quartet Performs Modern Rock Hits 2011, Vol. 1
Vitamin String Quartet Performs Modern Rock Hits 2011, Vol. 2
VSQ Performs Modern Rock Hits 2012, Vol. 1
VSQ Performs Modern Rock Hits 2012, Vol. 2
References
^Vitamin String Quartet (2009). "VSQ Biography". Vitamin String Quartet. Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
^ abVitamin String Quartet (2013). "VSQ: A Brief History". Vitamin String Quartet. Archived from the original on December 21, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
^The first run of the album was printed with incorrect album art, as well as listing in the wrong order the tracks— which were hand picked by Mike Portnoy and covered the band's history from When Dream And Day Unite to Train Of Thought. This was corrected in later prints of the album. People with the incorrect art could contact Vitamin Records for a replacement copy. James Curtiss, the Project Coordinator of Vitamin Records, said that the incorrect packaging should be called "a collector's item and leave it at that", as well as stating that "sonically we nailed the sucker, but on the manufacturing side of things, we dropped the ball." (see the official Dream Theater site hereArchived October 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine and hereArchived October 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine .)
