For some families, music just seems to run in their blood.

For the Wolaver family, it started with great-grandma Annie Moses. During the Great Depression, Moses scrimped and saved the money she made from picking cotton for a wealthy landowner in Texas to pay for piano lessons for her daughter, Jane. Her daughter, in turn, pinched pennies to give her granddaughter, Robin, lessons.

Raised on “no-grass” hillbilly music, Robin followed her musical passion to Oklahoma City University where she met jazzman, Bill Wolaver. The two married, and classical music became the background of their children’s upbringing. When the siblings grew older and wanted to start a band, great-grandma Annie was their inspiration.

A modern von Trapp family

The six siblings and their friends— a group of dedicated musicians—all studied music from a young age. In fact, three of the siblings even went on to attend Juilliard. However, in 2002 the oldest daughter and leader Annie Wolaver Dupre wanted to take the next step: performance.

“We found that we were practicing for hours, but not performing much at all. So we started experimenting with our own music and playing coffee shops and small venues for fun,” Annie said.

When choosing their band name, the only logical option was to honor their great-grandma. The Annie Moses Band began touring that summer and have never looked back.

Thirty-five year-old Annie fearlessly sings lead and plays the violin. Alex contributes the viola when he’s not managing the band, and Ben joins in on the cello. Violinist Gretchen writes songs and joins Annie as a vocalist, and Jeremiah, the youngest at 21, rocks out on the acoustic and electric guitars and also adds vocals. Sister Camille is currently on a break to have her third child, but she adds a tone wheel organ and harp to the sound when she joins the band.

The band’s sound reflects the family’s unusual blend of roots music and classical polish in its dozen albums. Their unique music has led them to travel to Europe and Asia, and perform on stages as diverse as Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry.

Spreading the love of music

The group does more than just entertain audiences. In 2010, they created the Annie Moses Foundation to nurture artistic development in families. The nonprofit foundation supports the local music conservatory, online music curricula, and presents an annual summer music festival in Nashville, which hosts over 125 young performers who travel there from all over the U.S. and beyond.

According to the band, “It’s the closest thing to “Riverdance” on steroids you’ve ever seen! Pouring our talents into the lives of young musicians is deeply fulfilling. Our vision is to see a new generation of faith-filled artists who can fill every art form with truth, beauty and goodness.”

See them live!

Community Concerts of the Grand Valley presents:

Annie Moses Band

October 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Grand Junction High School auditorium

The band showcases its diverse musical background in the “Copland to Cash” tour, wowing audiences wherever it plays. You won’t want to miss this incredible evening of faith-filled music.

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Season tickets to all performances in the 2019-20 series are $80 for adults. Individual event tickets can be purchased for $25 if seats are available. For more information, visit www.communityconcertsgrandvalley.org or call 243-1979.