Entitled The freshman, the general tenor of the piece by Joan Anderman is the contrast between Sarah’s path and that of the average 18 year old artist with a recording contract.

Now, just when most rising stars would be leaping headlong into the beckoning arms of agents and promoters, Jarosz is putting her career on the back burner to study at the New England Conservatory. She admits that enrolling in the school of life was a tempting choice; plenty of musicians do it, and many believe that hitting the road is the only legitimate path for a player.

“I talked to a lot of musicians that I respect and got a lot of different opinions,’’ Jarosz says over coffee at a cafe near campus. “And I definitely did ponder the idea of just going straight into the music career. But there’s always more to learn, and I also didn’t want to miss out on the college experience. My roommate is a classical vocal performance major; she does a lot of opera singing, which is something I’ve never really been around before. I’ve been listening to a ton of Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. I’m in a world music and a Jewish music ensemble. I’m getting out of my comfort zone.’’

You can read the whole article online.

But neither Bush nor Jarosz can be described simply – or even  primarily – as a mandolinist. Both are distinctive vocalists and multi-instrumentalists as well, and Bush’s place as a seminal figure in the development of newgrass is uncontested. Where a young artist like Jarosz will take the music will be an interesting story to watch this next however many years.

All that aside, Saturday’s program will allow both to showcase music from their new releases with listeners invited to draw, or ignore any comparisons they wish. Sam will have his mighty band in tow, and Sarah will do a couple with the PHC house band (plus Byron House on bass), and one on her own.

The broadcast from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN goes out live September 26 at 6:00 p.m. (EDT) over hundreds of public radio affiliates across the US. It will also be simulcast live online and on Sirius-XM.

Many radio affiliates delay the broadcast until later in the evening, or Sunday morning, so check your local station for air times.

We are hoping to get a behind-the-scenes report from Sarah later this weekend. Should be a whale of a show.

Sarah will surely be among the very few with a folk and bluegrass background in this prestigious conservatory of classical music. Her debut CD, Song Up In Her Head, was released earlier this year on Sugar Hill, showcasing her skills as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, banjo, guitar, mandocello).

Hailing from Texas, Sarah has been a recognized prodigy in the bluegrass/old time/Americana music world for several years. By the time she was 13, Sarah was appearing at festivals and catching the eye of professional entertainers like Tim O’Brien and Sugar Hill signed her before her senior year of high school. At 18 years old, she is already an experienced stage performer and had award-winning producer Gary Paczosa (Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek) with her in the studio.

We spoke with Sarah about making the move from Texas to Massachusetts, and how she came to chose NEC from among the other schools she considered.

“I did visit several other schools in the fall of my senior year of high school – The Juilliard School and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City, and Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory in Boston. I applied to, and auditioned for Berklee and New England Conservatory.

The atmosphere at New England Conservatory and Berklee are incredibly positive, and everyone I met seemed so excited and serious about learning as much as possible about music. One of the most appealing aspects to me about NEC, however, is their program called Contemporary Improvisation which really lets each student create their own personal style through the study of world music and ear training.The size of the school is also very appealing.There are about 750 students in the entire school. NEC also has a great liberal arts department which was an important factor to me in deciding on a school.”

Boston has been a hotbed of adventurous folk and bluegrass music for the past ten years or so, with groups like Crooked Still emerging from the pool of energetic young string musicians in Beantown. Rounder Records is located in nearby Burlington, and the neighborhood where NEC resides also houses Boston’s superb symphony orchestra and a number of other small, arts and music schools.

“I have many friends already living and going to college in Boston! The exciting acoustic music scene in Boston played a huge role in my decision to go to school there and start the next chapter of my life in that city.

New England Conservatory of Music awarded me the Presidential Distinction Award merit scholarship. Berklee College of Music offered me a full tuition merit scholarship for four years. It was a difficult decision, but after weighing the pros and cons, I felt that NEC would be the best fit for me at this time.”

Despite being known as a classical school, New England Conservatory also offers programs for jazz musicians and composers. Sarah feels that she will be able to pursue her fairly wide range of musical interests at NEC.

“I will be studying voice in the Contemporary Improvisation department at NEC, but I will also be able to incorporate the instruments I play (mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar, clawhammer banjo, piano) into my musical studies.

Contemporary Improvisation gives students an opportunity to do non-classical studies in a conservatory environment. One of the main reasons I decided to attend NEC is because I want to challenge myself at the highest level with the exploration of new musical styles that I haven’t studied yet. I’ve always been open to new types and genres of music, and I’m curious to learn as much as possible about all styles of music. The more musical influences I’m exposed to will make me a more well rounded musician, singer and songwriter in the long run.”

The school must se something special in Jarosz, as they have offered her substantial tuition assistance.

“New England Conservatory of Music awarded me the Presidential Distinction Award merit scholarship. Berklee College of Music offered me a full tuition merit scholarship for four years. It was a difficult decision, but after weighing the pros and cons, I felt that NEC would be the best fit for me at this time.”

With a professional career already taking off, and a world of opportunities as a performer in the wake of the success of Song Up In Her Head, we asked what value she placed on continuing her education at this time.

“My view towards music has always been to learn and grow as much as possible. I feel that going to college and studying music will broaden my horizons and give me more tools to work with for future musical aspirations, collaborations, and opportunities. It will also be a great way to meet other musicians who love music as much as I do. Sugar Hill Records has been incredibly supportive of my decision to go to college and study music while I continue to develop my professional music and recording career.

School has always been important to me. I was in the top ten percent of my graduating class at Wimberley High School, and I’ve always had the desire to go to college. I don’t think that college is for everyone. College becomes a personal choice for each individual that gets to that point in their lives. In the music world, there are many incredibly successful people who didn’t attend college. I just think at this time in my life, it’s the best place for me to continue my musical experiences while I continue to pursue my professional career.”

Finally, we wondered how her parents felt about her moving so far from home.

“My parents are both teachers and are incredibly supportive of my decision to go to college in Boston. They’ve definitely told me they’re going to miss me, and they’ve assured me that they aren’t going to rent out my room just yet. They’re really excited for me to have such an amazing opportunity to study at NEC, to live in such a historic and vibrant city, and continue my music career.”

The Bluegrass Blog wishes Sarah the very best of luck in college, and expects that she will be a great credit to New England Conservatory.

Next week we’ll have stories about two prominent young grassers who are making that transition.

Sierra Hull and Sarah Jarosz, string prodigies both of them, are headed to school in Boston this fall. They each had a major independent label debut while still in high school, and both have a bright future in bluegrass/acoustic music. We’ll have interviews with both of these talented young ladies, where they explain why they chose to attend college, and how they settled on the schools they picked.

Here’s a clip of Sarah and Sierra from Grey Fox earlier this summer, laying down a solid version of Bill Monroe’s Old Dangerfield.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It was shot last month during her Texas CD release party at Blue Rock Studios on June 11. Alex Hargreaves is on fiddle and Sam Grisman on bass. Sarah shares a bit about the project, and performs a few songs.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Her solo version of the title track shows the degree of poise and professionalism that has brought this talented young woman to such prominence just as she graduates from high school.

Have a look…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Produced by Gary Paczosa, who also brought Sarah to Sugar Hill, the sound is airy and ethereal, combining elements of old time and modern acoustic string band music with the surprisingly mature and very appealing voice of this new artist. 11 of the 13 tracks are her originals, 2 of those instrumentals featuring Jarosz on mandolin and clawhammer banjo.

Not many high school seniors celebrate their graduation with a much-heralded album on a major independent label, but then, not many are such confident singers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. Fewer still managed to capture the attention of top artists in a highly-competitive corner of the music business before most high schoolers had learned to drive.

Sarah’s songs are carefully crafted and light in subject matter, while still offering compelling lyrical content. The sound is very easy on the ear, owing as much to contemporary folk music as to the mountain sound of traditional fiddle music.

Think equal parts Joni Mitchell, Tim O’Brien, and Gillian Welch.

Sugar Hill has agreed to let us preview a few tracks from the new CD in advance of its June 12 street date. All three trackswere written by Jarosz.

The arrangements throughout are note perfect – sparse for the most part, using a variety of stringed instruments and subtle percussion. Backing musicians include Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Jerry Douglas on slide guitar, Chris Thile on mandolin and Chris Eldridge on guitar. Harmony vocals are provided by Tim O’Brien, Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Siskind and Darrell Scott.

Promos for Song Up In Her Head will soon ship to radio, and you can expect this album to get a good bit of airplay on Americana and folk shows leading up to the 6/12 release date.

If you’re unfamiliar with Jarosz, be sure to read the story we published in June of 2008, Sarah Jarosz signs with Sugar Hill.

The Austin360 story concludes with this,

The long journey just begun gets really interesting in the next few weeks as Sarah Jarosz graduates from high school, turns 18 and releases her first album.

And in September she’ll be moving to Boston to attend one of two prestigous music schools who have both accepted her, Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory. Jarosz says she hasn’t made her mind up yet, and with choices like that I can see that it might be difficult.

Jarosz plays several instruments, but considers the mandolin to be her primary instrument. If you haven’t heard her yet, it might be worth your time to give her a listen.

Already this year, they have a solo project from The Infamous Stringdusters’ Jeremy Garrett, I Am A Stranger, which hit on March 31. Next week, they have a new CD from The Greencards, Fascination, with a number of others on deck.

Here’s a partial 2009 Sugar Hill release schedule (with more to be announced soon):

• 5/19: Chris Pandolfi – Looking Glass
• 6/16: Sarah Jarosz – Song Up In Her Head
• 7/14: Bryan Sutton and Friends – Almost Live

At sixteen years old, Sarah is the newest artist signed to Sugar Hill Records by Gary Paczosa, the label’s Nashville-based A&R man who had previously brought Red Stick Ramblers and Donna The Buffalo to Sugar Hill. Sarah performs on banjo, guitar, mandolin and voice, and is a songwriter to boot. Her music, samples of which can be found on her MySpace page, defy easy categorization and show a startling level of maturity for such a young artist.

She has shared the stage with some of the most celebrated acoustic artists in string music, and performed at major festivals like Telluride, Wintergrass and RockyGrass plus a showcase during an IBMA Children’s concert at their annual Fan Fest.

We asked Sarah to tell us a bit more about herself and how she came to this point.

“I sing, play mandolin, guitar, clawhammer banjo, and some piano. I first started playing piano when I was about six years old, but the first instrument that I seriously fell in love with was the mandolin at age 10. Since then, I’ve developed an equal love for the clawhammer banjo, guitar, singing, and songwriting.

I first started songwriting when I was about 12 years old. Ever since, I’ve always put a lot of time and effort into writing as much as possible. I really love it. It’s the best way I can express myself. Nothing compares to the feeling I get when I finish a song. It’s pure bliss.

My family and I have always loved music ever since I can remember. Growing up, I was fortunate to be a part of a great music program from Pre-K through 8th Grade, under the direction of an amazing music teacher, Diana Riepe. The first music that really inspired me to want to start singing and playing was Hot Rize, Tim O’Brien Nickel Creek, Chris Thile and Abigail Washburn. I’d say the first experience that made me realize ‘Oh yeah… I definitely want music to play a major role in my life’ was when I first met Chris Thile at the Old Settler’s Music Festival about 8 years ago. He was playing there with Nickel Creek, and I went up to get his autograph, and he signed my program: ‘Let’s jam sometime.’

I knew at that moment that I wanted to become a good enough musician to be able to jam with him someday. Since then, I have been able to share music with him numerous times, and he has become one of my most influential mentors.

I usually perform as a solo artist. I don’t consider myself a part of a band at this point in time, but recently, I have been performing some of my shows with my invited guests, Sam Grisman and Alex Hargreaves, two amazing musicians and some of my closest friends. I like to keep an open mind when it comes to musical collaborations. One of the things that has been so special about my musical journey is all of the wonderful friends I have made who have a mutual love for music. It’s really such a pleasure and honor to be able to share music with all of these great musicians.”

“I met Gary Paczosa about a year ago at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival after he heard my performance there. Shortly after that, he invited me to do some demo work at his studio in Nashville. Gary is such a great guy, and he’s the best at what he does. He’s worked with some of the best artists in the music business and is a Grammy Award winning producer. It’s been so wonderful getting to know him over this past year. I really can’t say enough good things about him.

It’s looking like my first CD will be released around this time next year, in the spring of 2009. I’m so excited and honored to be a Sugar Hill Recording Artist! I am proud to be a part of a record label like Sugar Hill that has a long and distinguished history of supporting great artists and music. Everyone associated with Sugar Hill Records and the Welk Music Group has been so encouraging and supportive of my music and what I’m trying to accomplish as an artist.”

What about her future education?

“I plan on going to college. I attend a public high school where I’m finishing up my junior year, and I am in the top ten percent of my class and in the National Honor Society. Doing well in school has always been important to me. Both of my parents are teachers, and they have always been extremely supportive of my love for music. Throughout the past several years, I have figured out a way to balance school and music, and I am able to play gigs and tour around a bit while still going to a public high school. I definitely want to continue performing and touring and sharing my music with as many people as possible.

I consider myself both a ‘picker’ and a ‘writer.’ My main goal in life is to be the best singer, songwriter, musician, and person that I can be. I want to be great at it all, not just one particular facet.”

And what does this eclectic musician have on her iPod?

Currently, I’m listening to Chameleon by Tim O’Brien, Punch by the Punch Brothers, Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet, and Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie.

Her debut CD isn’t due until Spring of next year, but Sugar Hill is already crowing about their young new signee. Gary Paczosa was quite generous with his praise.

“Sarah’s character is as strong as her playing. I think that she is the future of acoustic music. Working with her is as exciting as anything I have been involved in. Sarah is going to have an amazing career, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.”