What Is the Denver Nexus Project?

The Denver Nexus Project, a performance-based extension of the Nexus String Quartet, was formed by husband and wife cellists Evan Shelton and Kayla Hayes. As musicians with a passion for both classical and modern music, they realized that there was a deeply engrained, yet unnecessary, chasm between the genres. Kayla and Evan developed the Project to find the nexus point between different musical cultures, encourage audiences (and themselves) to listen outside of their comfort zones, and prove that music can both entertain and transform the way we view the world.

The core of the Denver Nexus Project is a string quintet made of classically trained musicians who also have varying talents for pop, rock, jazz, fiddle, and other genres. Together – often with singers and instrumentalists from around Colorado – they work to bridge the gap between genres, combining artistic forces for a unique fusion of sound that expands the flexibility and breadth of string instruments.