August 8-9, 2008
Festival Musicians
The Richmond Blueberry Fiddle Festival is widely known as an all-day musical event for the whole family. Without our musicians, how much fiddling would there be?
Among our most important benefactors, generous musicians from all over New England donate their time to share their old-time, celtic, and bluegrass talents. If you speak with any of our performers, please let them know how much you appreciate their support of Richmond's annual festival.
The Fiddle Contest will provide lots of opportunity for surprise entertainment in addition to our scheduled performers. And there is always plenty of room for "jam" sessions . . .
2008 Musicians:
Seth
Austen & Beverly Woods play an eclectic variety of international folk music styles including
Celtic, Appalachian, Klezmer, eastern European and more on a
fantastic array of acoustic instruments combining 100's of resonating
strings. Seth and Beverly are performing twice on Friday afternoon; you won't want to miss the Austen Woods Duo!
Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand
Andrew and Noah
VanNorstrand (who will be performing during during the festival on Saturday) are two of the most exciting and creative new faces on the
acoustic music scene today. While still in their teens, they have
managed to carve themselves a unique niche in the modern alternative
folk arena with stunning ability as both performers and composers.
After years of touring, studio work and teaching experience they are
both seasoned and mature musicians, but with their energetic stage
presences and cutting-edge arrangements Andrew and Noah truly stand out
in a crowd.
At the age of eight Andrew started learning fiddle by ear from the
late Norma Sweet, a well-known local musician and teacher. Noah started
teaching himself fiddle shortly after and soon both boys had begun
working on mandolin and guitar as well. Ten years later they have
mastered the title of "multi-instrumentalists" by being proficient at
more than twenty different string and percussion instruments between
them. In 2000 Andrew and Noah formed the Great Bear Trio with their
mother Kim on piano. Great Bear since has become one of the hottest
contra dance bands on the circuit and has performed for enthusiastic
fans at festivals across the country. In 2004 Andrew and Noah appeared
on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion as finalists in the nationwide Talent from Twelve to Twenty contest. Their music has also been featured on NPR's Open Mic and The Thistle and Shamrock with Fiona Ritchie.
It's difficult to pinpoint all of the musical ingredients Andrew
and Noah use in their original material. Celtic and Appalachian
fiddling traditions are certainly at the top of the list but there's
also Andrew's appreciation for Scandinavian harmonies and Noah's
background as a world-beat percussionist. Other influences range from
old-time Country and Bluegrass to Jazz and Swing; New England contra
dance and Cajun/Zydeco to classic Rock, Alternative and Blues. Their
focus however, is not on the parts but on the whole. Andrew and Noah
have developed a multi-genre blend that stands on it's own. Their
heartfelt songwriting and intricate arrangements demonstrate not only
what these boys are capable of but also what we can look forward to in
years to come.
Andrew and Noah have put out four, self-produced recordings; two with The Great Bear Trio (The Great Bear Trio GBR CD001 and Dancing Again GBR CD003) and two as a duo (Driftage GBR CD002 and A Certain Tree GBR CD004). To learn more about their recordings click here.
Besides performing as a duo and with Great Bear, Andrew and Noah also occasionally appear with Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, John Rossbach & Chestnut Grove and Giant Robot Dance.
Returning from last year:
The Future Famous Fiddlers and the Blueberry Jammers will perform a couple of times during the festival. Their sixth year, these elementary and high school students of Immaculate Heart of Mary School (as well as alumni) will sing, dance, and play for your entertainment. The littlest ones always steal the show!The Well-Tuned Trio is growing into a larger group with the young Smarts joining in. From Fitzwilliam and Troy, they specialize in Irish and old-time music, but, then again, you never know when a little bluegrass or blues will creep in. Guitars, mandolins, tin whistles, fiddle, bodhran, and concertina combined with classic lyrics for a delightful show.
The 3rd Sunday Fiddlers will be coming from from Sandown, NH. Directed by Beverly Manning and backed up
on the piano keyboard by her husband, Rick, this group of musicians
(many of them taking private lessons from Mrs. Manning) meets monthly
and perform at various New Hamshire activities. Besides fiddles, the
3rd Sunday Fiddlers include violas, celos, and a hammer dulcimer. Mrs.
Manning, a trained classical violinist now teaching the fiddle to more
than thirty students, says that her motto is: "Just 'cuz it says fiddle
music, it doesn't apply to just fiddles!"
