The classically trained band Sonic Escape surprised the audience with its music Saturday in the Recital Hall of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

The three-piece group consists of Nan-Cheng Chen on cello, Maria Millar on violin and her husband Shawn Wyckoff on flute.

All three members studied their craft at the Julliard School.

Chen is from Taiwan and came to the U.S. to study cello. He originally was a pianist but switched to cello because he said he could do more musically with it.

He said he heard of Sonic Escape from a friend of his who is also a cello player and when he visited them they got along with one another.

Chen has worked with Sonic Escape for two years now.

He added that he loves touring with Millar and Wyckoff.

“I get to see the world, it’s great,” Chen said.

Millar said she was committed to violin since before she was born. Her mom met a violin teacher while she was still pregnant and decided Millar would play the violin.

She met Sonic Escape member and husband Wyckoff at Julliard on a campus tour and soon started dating.

Millar and Wyckoff said they started touring as Silver Roots, playing at libraries and small clubs.

They changed their name to Sonic Escape after receiving complaints on their name because it reminded people of growing old.

Millar said if she was not working as a musician she would be working at a non-profit organization.

Wyckoff said he started liking the flute in the fourth grade when he went to a demonstration for all instruments in his school band.

He said he was bad at the beginning but after plenty of work and dedication he improved.

He became competitive with the flute because of his slow start.

He said he worked his way into Julliard both off of his prowess and with a professor who he had studied under for a short time.

The band incorporates the classical music they were taught at Julliard mixed with influences they learned from traveling around the world.

The styles seemed to mix together, as members would play songs not written for their specific instruments.

Stephanie Dick, a mother of three children, said she and her children loved it.

She took her children to watch the performance so they could take what Sonic Escape did and incorporate it into their own playing style. Her children play the piano, cello and violin.

She added it was especially interesting for them because there are not many concerts that have a cello, so it was a great learning experience.

The family said they really enjoyed the music inspired by Irish music, their favorite song being ‘Mosquito Blue.’

Myra Lang, a local substitute teacher, said the concert was awesome and said the music was excellent.

The one thing that surprised Lang the most was not even the concert itself but that young children could sit through such a long concert and not complain.

Sam Nusbaum can be reached at 581-2812 or at scnusbaum@eiu.edu.