Tag: fiddle music

St. Kieran Arts Presents: Ken Kolodner Trio

Three top-of-the-list instrumentalists on Hammered Dulcimer, Fiddle & Banjo – the Ken Kolodner Trio is Ken & Brad Kolodner, with Rachel Eddy.

The dynamic father-son duo Ken & Brad Kolodner weave together a captivating soundscape on hammered dulcimer, banjo and fiddles, pushing the boundaries of the Old-Time tradition into uncharted territory. Regarded as one of the most influential hammered dulcimer players and Old-Time fiddlers in North America, Baltimore’s Ken Kolodner has joined forces with his son Brad Kolodner, a rising star in the claw hammer banjo world. Together, they infuse their own brand of driving, innovative, tasteful and unique interpretations of traditional and original fiddle tunes and songs. They perform tight musical arrangements of original and traditional old-time music with a “creative curiosity that lets all listeners know that a passion for traditional music yet thrives in every generation.” They perform on occasion with multi-instrumentalist Rachel Eddy (fiddle, banjo, guitar and vocals), a former member of the Old-Time supergroup Uncle Earl.

Tickets: $15.00 (adults) and $10.00 (under 18)

St. Kieran Arts Presents: House of Hamill

The House of Hamill presents versatility of Irish fiddle music in a modern context: talented & engaging .

Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan met 10 years ago, late one night backstage at a theatre in rural Pennsylvania.

Brian’s band Enter the Haggis and Rose’s group Burning Bridget Cleary were sharing a stage that evening, and the two bonded over a love of Irish fiddle tunes, Radiohead, and 4 a.m. whiskey. Their paths crossed a dozen times over the next decade on the road, but it wasn’t until the Folk Alliance 2014 conference in Kansas City that they finally became musical collaborators. Burning Bridget Cleary’s guitarist and drummer had their flights canceled at the last minute, and Rose (in desperation) asked Brian to grab a guitar and join her onstage. The two performed with virtually no rehearsal for over an hour, and their connection was powerful and immediate. A few months later Brian moved from Canada to Philadelphia, and as a tribute to the first tune Rose ever taught Brian, House of Hamill was born.

Whether House of Hamill is playing songs from their debut album “Wide Awake” (September 2016) or stomping through a set of original jigs and reels from their follow-up “March Through Storms” (2018), their chemistry onstage is always engaging and often hilarious. In the summer of 2018, their quirky all-violin cover of “Sweet Child Of Mine” went viral, amassing over 15 million views and more than 400,000 shares on Facebook in just a few weeks, and was picked up by publications all over the world. House of Hamill is on the bleeding edge of a new generation of traditional musicians.

Brian and Rose are both accomplished traditional fiddle players and classical violinists, and despite being young, have over 25 years of writing and performance experience between them. Together, they write unusual new fiddle tunes and exciting, unpredictable original songs while also breathing new life into traditional and contemporary songs. Both are confident and unique lead vocalists, and the blend of their two voices in harmony is hypnotic and irresistible.

Tickets: $15.00 adults and $10.00 under 18

Fiddling, Step Dancing Searson Sisters Perform in Colebrook

For over a decade now, Searson has toured the world with a unique blend of high-energy fiddling, passionate vocals and intricate step dancing. The band will be bringing its musical mix to the Colebrook Country Club on Sunday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in a show presented by the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts and co-sponsored by Brown Lab Technologies.

At the core of Searson are Colleen and Erin Searson, two sisters who hail from the Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada. Their spirited live shows feature Colleen on fiddle and Erin on piano and tenor guitar, interspersed with the incomparably rich sounds of sibling vocal harmonies, and both sisters “pounding the boards” with Ottawa Valley step dancing.

Rounding out their band is bass/guitar player Fraser Gauthier, who has studied at Humber College and Capilano University, gradually gravitating towards roots music, and Dave MacDougall, a drummer and percussionist who brings creativity and groove to a variety of styles of music.

In the past 10 years, Searson has toured throughout Canada, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Switzerland and the Caribbean. They have brought hundreds of fans with them on various bus tours while performing throughout Ireland.

Tickets are $15 and available at Fiddleheads, 110 Main St., Colebrook, online at www.gnwca.org or at the door. For more information on this and other GNWCA shows, find the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts on Facebook, visit www.gnwca.org or you can call (603) 246-8998.

St. Kieran Arts Center Presents: Islay Mist Ceilidh

Local favorites Islay Mist Ceilidh present an evening of the music of Scotland, Ireland and Cape Breton that will have you tapping your toes and clapping along.

The group plays music from the Celtic world, including Irish and Scottish jigs, reels, strathspeys and airs, as well as tunes popularized in Cape Breton and other areas of the world where “kitchen parties” and ceilidhs” are a tradition.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for 18 and under.

Prince Edward Island Duo at Rialto Theatre

Prince Edward Island fiddler Richard Wood and guitarist Gordon Belsher will be performing in concert on Tuesday evening, Jan. 15, at the Rialto Theater in Lancaster.

The Great North Woods Committee for the Arts in Colebrook is hosting the show, which begins at 7 p.m. Wood and Belsher have performed three times in the region over the years, but not since 2014—and in fact, it has been eight years (2010) since they have performed in Lancaster. The duo is looking forward to their return to northern New Hampshire and the many fans who follow their music. “We’re delighted to have these two dynamic musicians back in the North Country,” said GNWCA President Charlie Jordan.

For more than two decades, Richard Wood has impressed audiences all across Canada, as well as in the Unites States, Europe, Japan and Australia. Highlights include TV guest appearances with Shania Twain on “David Letterman” and “Good Morning America,” Carnegie Hall with Irish legends The Chieftains, a featured performer on CBC’s Canada Day on Parliament Hill, “Rita MacNeil and Friends,” and with Jean Butler of Riverdance on “Celtic Electric.”

A fiery fiddler from Prince Edward Island, Richard has played for Canada’s Prime Minister and Governor General, the Queen of England (in Toronto), and for the Emperor of Japan in Tokyo. He’s played at  Lincoln Center in New York City, Epcot at Disney World, and was a featured performer in the touring fiddle spectacle “Bowfire.” He has won three Canadian East Coast Music Awards. MacLean’s Magazine named him one of the Top 100 Canadians to watch in the 21st Century. Most recently, he performed for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their Canadian visit to his home Province.

Prince Edward Island’s Gordon Belsher has been entertaining audiences in Canada and around the world for more than 40 years, performing at concerts, ceilidhs, conventions, and pubs. His solo CD “Past & Present,” won Roots Traditional Recording of the Year at the Music PEI Awards in 2013. He received a Music PEI Lifetime Achievement Award and has been the Artistic Director for Prince Edward Island Mutual Festival of Small Halls. Whether playing before large festival crowds or intimate folk club settings, Gordon’s engaging personality, charming voice, and versatility on a variety of instruments are a recipe for a memorable evening.

Over the last few years, Richard and Gordon have been performing and touring as a duo. Enthusiastic audiences have been taken on a roller coaster ride of exhilarating–even exhausting–jigs and reels, strathspeys and hornpipes, and beautiful airs, many composed by Richard himself. This is complimented by Gordon’s engaging songs, some humorous and some poignant, warming things up for the next fiddle blaze.

Tickets for this  show are $15 per person and on sale at the Rialto Theater in downtown Lancaster or Fiddleheads, 100 Main St., in Colebrook. Tickets are also available online at www.gnwca.org and at the door on the night of the show.

A Cape Breton Christmas at The Rialto Theatre

One of the most popular groups from Nova Scotia’s musical corner of Cape Breton will be bringing a spirited and enthusiastic celebration of the holiday season to the Rialto Theatre in downtown Lancaster on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.

“Here’s a show that will get you in the swing of Christmastime with all the bells and whistles of the Canadian Maritimes during the holidays,” said Charlie Jordan of the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts, presenter of the show. “We are very fortunate to have Coig to bring its show to the North Country as part of its busy holiday tour.”

Coig features its all-star line up of Rachel Davis on fiddle, viola and vocals, Chrissy Crowley on fiddle, Jason Roach on piano, and Darren McMullen on guitar, mandolin, mandola, banjo, bouzouki, whistles, flute, and vocals. All four members of the band are recognized as major stars of the Celtic music world. Fiddler Crowley has touches of world and contemporary music. Pianist Roach has a jazz degree, McMullen has worked everywhere from Irish to rock groups, and fiddler Davis is the most Cape Breton traditional, but with folk and roots infused flavors as well.

Ask anyone who has seen them, from New England stages to huge European festivals to their own beloved small halls of Cape Breton, and you’ll always hear about Coig’s energy. Trad fans love them and the crowds are growing all the time. “We really feed a lot on the energy we get from the crowd, everybody is hootin’ and hollerin’ and clappin’ and stompin’ and goin’ on,” says band member Darren McMullen. “We want our shows to be more where we’re all just having a party together.”

For the holiday show Coig has added many beautiful Christmas standards to their playlist, giving each the special Cape Breton touch.

In addition to Christmas favorites, they’ll be performing material from their new release, “Rove,” which has recently been recognized with a 2018 East Coast Music Award, 2017 Canadian Folk Music Award, and Music Nova Scotia Award nomination.

Tickets are $15. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Rialto Theatre, 80 Main St., Lancaster and Fiddleheads, 110 Main St., Colebrook, or online at www.gnwca.org. For more information on this and other GNWCA show, call (603) 237-9302 or (603) 246-8998.

Celtic American Holiday Concert with Low Lily, John Whelan & Katie McNally

Don’t miss this wonderful Celtic American Holiday Concert featuring Low Lily, seven times All-Ireland button accordionist John Whelan, and Scottish and Cape Breton fiddler Katie NcNally!

The string and vocal trio Low Lily explores the roots and branches of American folk music with traditional influences and modern inspiration that weaves together a unique brand of acoustic music. Liz Simmons (vocals and guitar), Flynn Cohen (vocals, guitar, and mandolin), and Lissa Schneckenburger (vocals and fiddle) are masterful players with deep relationships to traditional music styles ranging from bluegrass to Irish, Scottish, New England, and Old Time Appalachian sounds. When you combine this with stellar composition skills and inventive arrangements you get music that is rooted yet contemporary.

Low Lily’s new full-length album, 10,000 Days Like These, brings its members’ histories together and also takes a step forward with originals, covers, and overall, fresh new music. Simmons produced the album, creating a running thread through the project of political, personal, and occasionally humorous and quirky subject matter. The trio’s previous self-entitled EP was released in 2015.

Celtic master John Whelan and his red, two-row button accordion have been inseparable since the first day he picked up the instrument at age 11 in Dunstable, England. He has won six All-Britain championships and seven All-Ireland titles.

Scottish and Cape Breton fiddler Katie McNally has performed and taught fiddle courses in the U. S., Canada, Spain, Scotland, England and France. She has played at the Newport Folk Festival, the Barns at Wolf Trap, The Freight and Salvage, and the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, as well as various folk venues throughout North America.

NH Highland Games & Festival

The New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival (NHHG&F) is one of the largest and most diverse Highland Games held in North America and the largest cultural event. This celebration of Scottish heritage is held the third Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of September each year at Loon Mountain Resort in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

While we are known for our traditional Highland Games, we are also an amazing festival! There are many family friendly activities and events throughout the weekend. Visit one of the 65+ clans in clan village, experience Scotland’s history, run the kilted mile race, take in a seminar, engage the youngsters in the youth program, or participate in a whisky tasting or other ticketed events.

St. Kieran’s Presents: The Turning of the Year — A Holiday Celebration!

Seven times  All-Ireland accordion champion John Whelan teams up with American Roots band Low Lily and Scottish-style fiddler Katie McNally for a spectacular holiday mini-fest at St. Kieran’s! Featuring traditional and original music from Ireland, Scotland, and America, this diverse and energetic show will help usher in the holiday season with a bang. This exclusive show brings the generations together for a fresh new take on roots music from both sides of the pond.

The show is much more than a triple bill— the artists perform separately, all together, and everything-in-between. From the sweet sound of the accordion with lush guitar textures behind it, to a blast of reels with everyone playing together, to an American song sung in three-part harmony, this show is dynamic and full of life. If you enjoy Irish and Scottish music, modern American string band music and harmonious vocals, you will love the Turning of the Year!

Tickets cost $ 15 for adults and $10 for those under 18 and are available on line (for a small additional fee), at the door on the evening of the show or at the art center’s office at 155 Emery Street, Berlin. Info: (603) 752-1028.