XYRA & The Banished

Vince Calcaterra:
Vince began Violin studies with Samuel Levy (National Symphony Orchestra). He attended Northern Virginia Community College and earned an Associate in the Arts Degree in Music. Following NVCC, he studied Jazz Theory and Improvisation privately with Wade Beach. He attended George Mason University and earned a Bachelors Degree in Music. During his time at GMU, he studied Violin with William Haroutounian (NSO), and performed in the GMU Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble. He later joined the Mclean Chamber Orchestra with Dingwall Fleary conducting. He performed with quartets and chamber groups at Weddings and Receptions around the Virginia, Maryland, DC Metro area. He also played with Irish, Country, and Bluegrass bands. He did some substitute Teaching at NVCC for Herb Smiths Jazz Improvisation class. He formed Unstrung with Howie Jung and performed at many different venues in the Metro area including the Newsium, Constitution Hall, the Embassy of France, the Phillips Collection, and many others. As well as Unstrung, he also plays with Jazz duos, and trios in the Metro DC area including with Taimoor Saeedi on Guitar, Emory Diggs on Upright, Jim Gilliam on Guitar/vocals, and Ann Palmer on Piano. Most recently, he plays for Emmanuel Church's Sunday services, and with Xyra and the Mystic Angels ~ soon to record an album at Cue Recording studios.