ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT: Death metal to classical, Mayfield influencing music scene
Jul. 6—Starting with death metal on the guitar, a staff pianist at Northeastern State University has been influencing the Tahlequah music scene through the River City Players and the Tahlequah Mandophonics.
Farren Mayfield has been a part of the NSU music faculty since 2009 and has worked as the band director of River City Players for the past decade and a half.
"It's great. I've seen a lot of changes. There's been a lot of changes the past 15 years," Mayfield said. "I graduated from NSU in 2000 and did my masters at The University of Oklahoma for two years and taught in the Jenks area for a few years, then I moved up here. I had an offering to play for the choirs. Now I play for the choirs and the opera workshop program, and I also play for all the music majors that need a pianist."
Besides teaching and providing music to those with the university, Mayfield is also a part of the Bear Creek Troupe, a group that plays traditional Celtic music, and a mandolin octet, called the Tahlequah Mandophonics. The latter has been performing for around 12 years, with Bear Creek Troupe being together for around 14 years.
Bear Creek Troupe was created after the group "Good Company" dissolved, which prompted several members to form the newer group with Mayfield. Mayfield was asked to help form the Tahlequah Mandophonics after he and several others had been driving to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to participate in a similar band.
Before Mayfield was playing with the Tahlequah Mandophonics or helped out with NSU music, he was a 13-year-old with an interest for music looking to play death metal on the guitar. Shortly after, he started to take piano lessons, which is his main go-to instrument. Now, 35 years later, Mayfield also plays the mandolin, bouzouki guitar, the accordion, etc.
"I feel like I'm decent at it. I've spent a lot of times working on it, so it's something I feel comfortable with that I get a lot of joys out of," Mayfield said.
For those wanting to learn how to play music, Mayfield suggests, "Just go for it."
"People always think you can get too old to start music lessons, but that's kind of nonsense. It's never too late to start an activity. It's great for stress relief and anxiety relief for a lot of people."
Check it out
Mayfield is set to play the auxiliary keyboard for the "Nanyehi: The Story of Nancy Ward" production, Oct. 11-12, at Hard Rock Live Tulsa. River City Players has shows every Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 1 p.m., and Saturday at 1 p.m. at the NSU Playhouse until Aug. 3. Bear Creek Troupe will perform July 13, 8 -11 a.m. at the Tahlequah Farmers' Market.