MANIC MONDAY | Dallas Symphony Co-Concertmaster Performs with Singing Dog

Upon seeing the video of Nicholas, the operatic dog, violinist Nathan Olson decided to make a musical mashup

“When I saw the video of the dog singing, I was immediately obsessed,” Olson told The Violin Channel.

“I’d seen dogs singing before, but this dog’s vocal chops were off the charts! The octave leap up to the second high F#... cadencing V-I in F#... I couldn’t believe a dog sang this!” he said. 

The phrase was stuck on Olson’s mind on repeat. Soon enough, he added violin, and later some piano accompaniment. 

 

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“The first version with piano (part 2) was how I’d heard it in my head from early on,” Olson continued. “The harmonies are very simple: only 2 chords (F#minor and F#major), but still, the dog’s talent made this into an engaging, dramatic, and tragic musical statement."

 

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“After getting this version out of my system, I wondered if something a little more optimistic could come out of this same tune, and I started messing around with some chords in F# major…which eventually led to the ‘Sunny Version.’”

 

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For more videos on Nicolas, the singing border collie, and how it all started, click here.