Skip to content.
Home >> Events

Events Calendar help
Previous month Previous day Next day Next month
See by year See by month See by week See Today Search Jump to month
Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival
Saturday, January 29 2011by  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Hits : 1609

 

Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival

Saturday, January 29, 2011
Brattleboro, Vermont

The Brattleboro Music Center's 4th annual Northern Roots Festival will be held on January 29th, 2011.  Each year the festival brings together local and regional musicians representing the best of various northern musical traditions including Irish, Scottish, English, Swedish and French Canadian.

The Northern Roots Festival is a daylong event with participation workshops, concerts, pub sessions, a family dance and evening performance.  For more information, please download the complete festival schedule and follow the links below.

VIEW FESTIVAL MAIN PAGE

TICKETS

Adult Day  $18
Adult Evening  $18
Adult Day/Eve Combination $30
Youth (under 12)  Day  $10
Youth (under 12) Evening $10
Youth Day/Eve Combination $15
3 pm Admission for Family Concert & Dance $5 at door

Purchase by calling the Brattleboro Music Center at 802-257-4523
Or online at:  Northern Roots Festival

Advance ticket purchase recommended, limited evening performance seating.

Year Round Traditional Music Programs at the BMC

READ MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:

The Brattleboro Music Center's 4th annual Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival will take place on Saturday, January 29th, 2011. Each year the festival brings together local and regional musicians representing the best of various northern musical traditions. This year’s festival features over twenty musicians and the rich traditions of Ireland, Scotland, England, Sweden, New England and French Canada.

The annual Northern Roots Festival has become a unique opportunity for Brattleboro's vibrant community of traditional musicians to come together to share their music with each other and the community at large. The festival also draws on the richness of talent in the broader region, with players from throughout New England coming to perform, teach and participate in informal sessions.

“The festival focuses on small ensembles and solo players whose talent brings us to the heart of the beauty of traditional music”, explains festival director Keith Murphy. “Our day of teaching workshops gives a fresh boost to students in a variety of styles and on various instruments, while intimate day time performances are a unique listening opportunity for all and the series of jam sessions at our local pub are simply exuberant".

The Northern Roots Festival is a daylong event featuring participation workshops, concerts, pub sessions, a youth session, dance band, and family dance, all of which culminates in an evening performance celebrating the best of the northern musical traditions.

Among the musicians featured in this year’s evening performance and leading daytime workshops are Scandinavian fiddlers Bruce Sagan and lydia ievins; Irish fiddler Sarah Blair; singer of traditional American and English songs Jeff Warner; traditional Irish fiddler Elly Marshall and guitarist Owen Marshall.

An exciting addition to the evening program this year will be the beginning of a new festival tradition  - the Traddleboro ensemble. With a name reflecting the rich presence of traditional players in Brattleboro, Traddleboro promises to be a shifting conglomeration of local musicians who create and perform a set of music specifically for the Northern Roots Festival. This year's Traddleboro will consist of fiddlers Becky Tracy and Lissa Schneckenburger along with accordionist Andy Davis and guest appearance from Scottish piper, Dan Houghton.

Also leading daytime events are Keith Murphy, Randy Miller, Peter Amidon, Mary Alice Amidon, Tony Barrand, David Cantieni, Jessie Gagne-Hall, Gordon Peery, Mary Cay Brass, Corey DiMario, Mary Lea, Louisa Pugh, and Doug Creighton.

Returning daytime favorites include the Dance Band workshop with Andy Davis and Mary Cay Brass followed by a Family Dance featuring the newly formed band. Also on the daytime schedule are workshops for: Irish Fiddle, Fiddle Styles, DADGAD Guitar, Swedish Tunes for All Instruments, Scottish Tunes for All Instruments, Singing Traditional Tunes, Piano, Flute & Whistle.

This year’s festival, with an emphasis on engaging youth, invites young traditional musicians to learn two supplied tunes before the festival, take part in a day-time Youth Session lead by Jessie Gagne-Hall, and then perform the rehearsed tunes during the evening performance. Tunes to learn in advance can be found on the BMC’s website.

For the youngest followers of Traditional Music, Peter and Mary Alice Amidon perform a Family Concert to be immediately followed by the Family Dance.

Daytime performances also include; “Know it? I wrote it!” Original Tunes with David Cantieni, Becky Tracy, Lissa Schneckenburger, Corey DiMario, and Owen Marshall; Songs of the Best with Tony Barrand, Jeff Warner, Lissa Schneckenburger and Keith Murphy; and mini-concerts with Randi Miller, Gordon Peery and Dan Houghton.

“We have so many accomplished traditional musicians here in Brattleboro, many of whom tour widely around the country and beyond,” says Murphy. “Northern Roots has become a wonderful opportunity to bring this community and our regional peers together for a fantastic day of music.”

The majority of the festival events happen at the New England Youth Theater, a wonderful venue which allows for multiple teaching sessions to happen simultaneously throughout the building along with performances in the main theater and even a family dance on the stage. McNeill’s Brewery is only a couple of blocks away and is a perfect place for a rollicking afternoon of jam sessions in various traditional styles.

 

TICKETS

Adult Day  $18
Adult Evening  $18
Adult Day/Eve Combination $30
Youth (under 12)  Day  $10
Youth (under 12) Evening $10
Youth Day/Eve Combination $15
3 pm Admission for Family Concert & Dance $5 at door

Purchase by calling the Brattleboro Music Center at 802-257-4523
Or online at:  Northern Roots Festival

 

On Saturday, during the festival, tickets can be purchased at New England Youth Theatre, 100 Flat Street in Brattleboro, Vermont, with doors opening at 11:30 am.

 

 

 

 

Back