TOBIE MILFORD

Acoustic / Violin Looping
Phoenix, AZ

The music of Tobie Milford has been described as an “ethereal symphony of sound”. He is a “one man band,” looping and layering multiple violin parts with his own vocals.  It is the result of a marriage between ambient, minimalist string textures, sophisticated plucking patterns, and dynamic vocals. 

Though Milford teaches at the Phoenix Conservatory of Music, started classical training at age 3, and took music lessons for 15 years, there was a time when Milford put down the violin and didn’t consider music a priority.  Before he moving to Arizona, Milford lived in Michigan, where as a high-schooler his musical abilities landed him a spot in the Detroit Civic Orchestra. While he excelled there, he didn’t make it into the music schools he applied for and instead opted to come to Arizona State University to pursue a degree in biology and religious studies. In Tempe, Milford began playing guitar more than violin, performing at open mics around town. It wasn’t until his junior year, when a friend introduced him to the work of indie singer/songwriter Andrew Bird, that he decided to give the instrument a go again.  “I was like, gosh, I didn’t know you could do that with a violin,” Milford says, referencing Bird’s style of looping violin parts on top of each other. “When I started messing around with the violin, it was just a lot more satisfying than the guitar.”

Milford performs extensively in the Phoenix area, playing everywhere from art galleries to music festivals. Musical influences include Radiohead, Max Richter, Arvo Part, Rachels, Sigur Ros, Sufjan Stevens, and Andrew Bird. Though it may take some time for a new record to be released, Milford’s current recordings have been played on PBS programming, on US Airways flights, and on Internet radio stations reaching listeners everywhere from South Africa to New Zealand. He also recently contributed to the Princess Lost project, a female songwriting trio that works for victims of sexual abuse.

It’s not uncommon for producers and managers to sing their artists’ praises, but for Milford, the validation of fans has been the most flattering. “The biggest compliment that I’ve gotten is someone said they felt like they’d gotten rest,” Milford says. “They felt rejuvenated and comforted, and that’s really cool that they were able to just be, whatever that means.”

Quotes:
“Milford starts to play, weaving his bow up and down before stepping on a pedal on the floor. His initial notes loop in the background as he adds new layers of sound from his instrument, crafting a gorgeous instrumental song that, while it sounds like it could fit in at a wedding processional, still has a stylistic edge that commands attention.”
– Phoenix New Times

“The first time I saw Tobie live, the looping of the violin and vocals slowly came to a swell, and I could feel the music. Not just hear it, but feel what he was expressing. It was wonderful.”  - River Jones Music

“Truth is, Tobie Milford is a musical genius… Alyosha (his album) will blow you mind and soul away.”
– Java Magazine

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