The Melodica Men Story
What started off as two guys playing toy instruments on the street is now an internationally-acclaimed internet sensation. The Melodica Men first went viral in 2016 with their video of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring,” which gained 1.5 million views in a day. In three years, Tristan Clarke and Joe Buono, graduates of the Juilliard School and Peabody Conservatory, have gathered over 1,000,000 followers across social media and over 100 million views worldwide for their fun and virtuosic melodica videos.
The musical duo bridges the worlds of classical and popular music, having been featured with groups such as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and on TV shows like ABC’s “The Gong Show”. Their broad appeal and versatility has taken them around the world from South Korea to Lithuania, playing at national music education conventions as well as comic cons.
Their live show upholds the integrity of classical music while making it fun and accessible, and also includes a wide variety of genres from video game music to rock. Drawing from their experience busking on the street, they feed off the energy of the audience in ways that keep the show fresh and engaging for people of all ages.
Behind the scenes, the Melodica Men are pioneering a new way of learning music as a language through the melodica. You can find out more about their music education mission on Patreon.
Tristan is a graduate of the Juilliard School and plays principal trumpet with the Jacksonville Symphony. Joe has earned two Masters degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and teaches music privately.
The musical duo bridges the worlds of classical and popular music, having been featured with groups such as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and on TV shows like ABC’s “The Gong Show”. Their broad appeal and versatility has taken them around the world from South Korea to Lithuania, playing at national music education conventions as well as comic cons.
Their live show upholds the integrity of classical music while making it fun and accessible, and also includes a wide variety of genres from video game music to rock. Drawing from their experience busking on the street, they feed off the energy of the audience in ways that keep the show fresh and engaging for people of all ages.
Behind the scenes, the Melodica Men are pioneering a new way of learning music as a language through the melodica. You can find out more about their music education mission on Patreon.
Tristan is a graduate of the Juilliard School and plays principal trumpet with the Jacksonville Symphony. Joe has earned two Masters degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and teaches music privately.
Press
"I love these guys! I love the passion in how they dig in with these strange mouth organ things..." - Brian May, lead guitarist of Queen
Video: Featured on ABC's "The Gong Show"
America's Got Talent: Season 12, Episode 4, short cameo around 24 minutes in
"Tristan Clarke and Joe Buono have taken the Internet by storm with their melodica arrangements of classical hits" - Limelight, Australia's Classical Music and Arts Magazine
Radio Interview: GoodRally
Video Interview: "Melodica Men tearing up the internet with 'toy instrument'" - First Coast News
Video Interview: "Melodica Men" - The Chat
"Melodica Men's 'The Rite of Spring' is Breaking the Internet" - WQXR
"Everyone is going nuts over this fantastic melodica version of The Rite of Spring" - Classic FM
"Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring...played on three melodicas" - Gramophone
"Melodica Men, featuring Juilliard Alumni Tristan Clarke, perform Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring'" - The Juilliard School
"Joe Buono and Tristan Lane Clarke's Video of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring Played on Melodicas Goes Viral" - The Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University
"Virtuosic Mozart impeccably played on melodicas is just perfect" - Classic FM
"The Melodica Men Featured on WLTV's The Chat and in Jacksonville Symphony's Holiday Pops" - The Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University
"Best Tchaikovsky ever..." - Classic FM
"Melodica Men Strike Again With 'Nutcracker Mini Suite'" - WQXR
"The Melodica Men Have a Hit with 'Nutcracker Mini Suite'" - The Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University
"Melodica Men: musicians take on new instrument after viral hit" - Ponte Vedra Recorder
"You have to listen to this note-perfect melodica version of the Carmen Fantasy" - Classic FM
Video: "Exclusive: Melodica Men Live at WJCT Studios"
Video: Featured on ABC's "The Gong Show"
America's Got Talent: Season 12, Episode 4, short cameo around 24 minutes in
"Tristan Clarke and Joe Buono have taken the Internet by storm with their melodica arrangements of classical hits" - Limelight, Australia's Classical Music and Arts Magazine
Radio Interview: GoodRally
Video Interview: "Melodica Men tearing up the internet with 'toy instrument'" - First Coast News
Video Interview: "Melodica Men" - The Chat
"Melodica Men's 'The Rite of Spring' is Breaking the Internet" - WQXR
"Everyone is going nuts over this fantastic melodica version of The Rite of Spring" - Classic FM
"Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring...played on three melodicas" - Gramophone
"Melodica Men, featuring Juilliard Alumni Tristan Clarke, perform Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring'" - The Juilliard School
"Joe Buono and Tristan Lane Clarke's Video of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring Played on Melodicas Goes Viral" - The Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University
"Virtuosic Mozart impeccably played on melodicas is just perfect" - Classic FM
"The Melodica Men Featured on WLTV's The Chat and in Jacksonville Symphony's Holiday Pops" - The Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University
"Best Tchaikovsky ever..." - Classic FM
"Melodica Men Strike Again With 'Nutcracker Mini Suite'" - WQXR
"The Melodica Men Have a Hit with 'Nutcracker Mini Suite'" - The Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University
"Melodica Men: musicians take on new instrument after viral hit" - Ponte Vedra Recorder
"You have to listen to this note-perfect melodica version of the Carmen Fantasy" - Classic FM
Video: "Exclusive: Melodica Men Live at WJCT Studios"