Three for Joy members—Dominic (19), Joseph (17) and Angela Rose (15) Padula—grew up in southern CA with the music of their older cousins, the Wood family, who made up the phenomenal fiddle and dance band Celtic Spring. Soaking up traditional fiddle music from their big cousins, the Padula children naturally wanted to follow along. Over the years, they learned many tunes from their cousins, and for two years, Sean Wood coached the band, teaching them tunes and helping with arrangements.
The Padula children have also attended wonderful fiddle camps where they are immersed in traditional music, learning from some of the best fiddlers in the world. Three for Joy members attended Alasdair Fraser’s Scottish Fiddle Camp for six years, five years at Valley of the Moon and one year at Sierra. The trio is hugely indebted to Alasdair, Natalie Haas, and the other amazing teachers at Valley of the Moon and Sierra.
Summer 2015, in addition to attending Valley of the Moon, the kids spent a week at The Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina where they were “Youth Scholars” on full, merit-based scholarships.
Besides early exposure to traditional Celtic fiddle music, Dominic, Joseph and Angela Rose began classical lessons when very young. In 2013 they began playing chamber music with Santa Barbara Strings, and then for several years the Padula String Trio were members of Junior Chamber Music (LA) and Pasadena Conservatory of Music Chamber Program, where they were coached by Linda Rose and Andrew Cook. In June 2018 they participated in Haystack, a week of chamber music at Portland State University, where the trio was coached by cellist Hamilton Cheifetz. Portland teachers—Mr. Cheifetz, violinist Carol Sindell, and violist Brian Quincey provided ongoing coaching and guidance.
Currently, the Padula siblings live in southern CA.
Three for Joy performs at festivals, weddings, schools, libraries, special events, restaurants, private parties, retirement homes.