Sarah Jarosz
On the cusp of 14, Sarah Jarosz is very clear about her future: She will play music. That’s been evident in her prodigy-like embrace of the mandolin, her instrument of choice. A resident of nearby Wimberley, Jarosz isn’t affiliated with the Austin music camps or schools but studied under teacher Diana Riepe.
Jarosz is a remarkably eloquent young woman, almost preternaturally knowledgeable about everything from performance to her goals. She performs with her mother, Mary, one-half of the parental team that oversees her career. A high school freshman come this fall, Sarah has played mandolin for four years, taken up guitar and bass, and most recently clawhammer banjo and fiddle.
“Just trying to expand my musical knowledge,” she offers.
Expanding her musical knowledge means not just playing instruments but writing. She’s already tried her hand at several instrumentals and looks forward to what she’ll learn at the RockyGrass Academy and Festival in Lyons, Colo., this summer – the festival has been an auspicious event for the aspiring Jarosz.
“One year, I was invited to do a ‘tweener’ on the mainstage of the festival – that’s one or two songs between the acts. I was backstage, and I had this amazing experience playing my mandolin. David Grisman, Pete Wernick, Mike Bubb, Ronnie McCoury, and all these musicians walked up, and it turned into this amazing jam. A lot of things happened to me because of that backstage jam.”
Jarosz plays regularly in the area and is excited about both a mandolin symposium in June in Santa Cruz, Calif., and an invitation to play the Telluride Bluegrass Festival for the first time. Her girlish giggles punctuate her excitement.
“It’s going to be a blast!”
This article appears in June 3 • 2005.