It’s Trivia Night down at the local pub, and the question is: “Who was the official banjoist for the New York Yankees?”
Or the question might be: “What member of the National 4-String Banjo Hall of Fame was the piano player in Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band?”
Or: “Who recently published a play-along book with CDs and downloads for people seeking to learn and practice traditional hot jazz and swing?”
And finally: “Who is the only banjoist to have graced the stage of the Metropolitan Opera concert hall and to have performed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra?”
Congratulations if your answer to all of the above was “Cynthia Sayer.”
Tailwinds
Cynthia Sayer has made a career out of doing something she loves. She originally wanted to play the drums, but when she was 13, her parents bribed her with a banjo and lessons as a more peaceful pursuit. This happenstance put her on a career path that has led to work in films, stints with symphony orchestras, performances at the White House and Carnegie Hall, teaching, and extensive international touring.
As a magna cum laude graduate from Ithaca College with a bachelor’s degree in English, she thought about going to law school to become a lawyer, but decided to give mus
