Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Join us for a special evening of Swedish music at Mountain City Traditional Arts



Lydia ievins and Andrea Larson are eager to share the music they've brought home from a rewarding year of studying together in Sweden. They perform an energetic and engaging program of traditional music on fiddle, 5-string fiddle, nyckelharpa, and voice -- including waltzes, schottises, polskas, and more. The performance will take place at Mountain City Traditional Arts, 25 East Main Street in Frostburg, on October 26th  at 7:00pm. This is event is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $15.
Lydia ievins plays Scandinavian and English County dance music on the 5-string fiddle and nyckelharpa. In both genres she is inspired by the bold harmonies she can create. Her talent and passion for playing in the Uppland tradition has won her a bronze Zorn Medal in Sweden.
Andrea Larson, both a teacher and performer, has been playing Swedish traditional music for 20 years and teaching violin for 15 years. Much of her teaching methods has been inspired by Swedish musicians including her new workshop series devoted to practicing.
These two musicians have been playing Swedish-style fiddle together for about ten years, and spent the 2012-13 academic year studying Swedish music together at the Eric Sahlström Institute. Much of their music was born in the  central regions of Sweden, with soem inspiration from Norwegian and Danish musical traditions. More recently they are focused on a new goal; bringing the younger hipper living slängpolska tradition to the US, and creating a new intensive weekend course for dance musicians. For more information on the duo http://www.lydia-andrea.com.
Dedicated to the education, sales, documentation and perpetuation of the traditional arts in the mountain region, Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University, with support from FrostburgFirst, the Allegany Arts Council, and the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council. For more information contact mountaincitytradarts@gmail.com or call 301-687-8040.
FSU is committed to making all of its programs, services and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations through the ADA Compliance Office, call 301-687-4102 or use a Voice Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Traditional Irish Fiddler and Button Accordionist to Play at Mountain City Traditional Arts



Button accordionist Paddy O’Brien and fiddler Nathan Gourley will join together for a night of unique Irish music at Mountain City Traditional Arts, 25 East Main Street in Frostburg, on August 28th at 7:00pm. The performance will be a part of their East Coast tour to share songs from their collaborative album “Bright and Early.” This is event is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $15.
Paddy O’Brien hails from County Offaly in the midlands of Ireland, he is considered one of the most serious players and collectors of Irish traditional music. In a musical career that spans more than fifty years, he has collected more than 4,000 compositions. Paddy’s mastery of the two-row button accordion was also acknowledged through many prestigious awards. He has played and toured with many wonderful musicians throughout the globe. In 1995, Paddy embarked on what was to become a milestone project in Irish traditional music, to record and assemble background information on 500 jigs and reels from his vast repertoire. The result of that effort, the Paddy OBrien Tune Collection: A Personal Treasury of Irish Traditional Music has received great praise. In 2012, his memoir, The Road from Castlebarnagh: Growing Up in Irish Music, was published by Dublin’s Orpen Press. Paddy currently tours nationally and internationally as a solo musician, and also plays dances and concerts with the trio Chulrua, and his traditional music chamber group, O’Rourke’s Feast. He also tours with his wife, crime novelist and traditional singer Erin Hart.
Nathan Gourley currently resides in Boston and is considered a leading American player of Irish music. A former member of Chulrua, the Doon Ceili Band, the Two Tap Trio, and the Máirtín de Cógáin Project, fiddler and guitarist Nathan Gourley started playing music at age five. He was a finalist in the Sean O Riada fiddle competition in 2014 and winner of Boston’s Fiddler of Dooney competition in 2013. Nathan can be seen playing at concerts, ceilis, sessions and festivals in Boston and throughout the United States and Ireland. When living in Minnesota he had the opportunity to meet and begin working with Paddy O’Brien.
Dedicated to the education, sales, documentation and perpetuation of the traditional arts in the mountain region, Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University, with support from FrostburgFirst, the Allegany Arts Council, and the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council. For more information contact mountaincitytradarts@gmail.com or call 301-687-8040.
FSU is committed to making all of its programs, services and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations through the ADA Compliance Office, call 301-687-4102 or use a Voice Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Matt Cranitch and Jackie Daly, Legends of Sliabh Luachra tradition of instrumental Irish traditional music



Fiddler Matt Cranitch and accordionist Jackie Daly will return to Mountain City Traditional Arts, 25 East Main Street in Frostburg, on Thursday, July 23rd at 7:30 pm to present the Sliabh Luachra tradition of instrumental Irish music. This is event is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $15.
This unique music stems from northwest Cork and east Kerry and provides a distinctive style of performing and a source of inspiration for both musicians. They have toured together many times, releasing their first CD, The Living Stream, in 2010, as well as touring the US in 2011 during the Imagine Ireland tour.
Matt Cranitch, a native of Ireland, is a well known fiddler and teacher across the globe. He has won All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil titles, as well as The Fiddler of Dooney and Oireachtas Crotty Cup. He received a PhD from the University of Limerick for his study on the fiddle-playing tradition of the region. He was a consultant for the Geantraí series on TG4, has been an adviser to the Arts Council Deis scheme for the traditional arts (2005–2013), and has served on the board of the Irish Traditional Music Archive (2007–2010). He received the Hall of Fame Award from University College Cork in 2003 and is still teaching there. He is the author of The Irish Fiddle Book, published in 1988 (in its fourth edition). He has made multiple albums including three with Sliabh Notes, in addition to Éistigh Seal which consists entirely of slow airs. His most recent recording is The Living Stream with Jackie Daly.
Jackie Daly a native of Cork, has been described as arguably “the best accordion player in Ireland” by the New York Times. He was strongly influenced by Sliabh Luchra and has performed with many acclaimed musicians and groups owing to his versatility and desired talent, including previous MCTA performer Kevin Burke. He is also a highly valued teacher and received the TG4 Gradam Ceoil (National Music Award)in 2005, and the Kanturk Arts Festival Award in 2009.
Dedicated to the education, sales, documentation and perpetuation of the traditional arts in the mountain region, Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University, with support from FrostburgFirst, the Allegany Arts Council, and the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council. For more information contact mountaincitytradarts@gmail.com or call 301-687-8040.
FSU is committed to making all of its programs, services and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations through the ADA Compliance Office, call 301-687-4102 or use a Voice Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Renowned Father-Son Duo to Perform Old-Time Music


French Canadian Trio coming this March!


Mountain City Traditional Arts to Host Scottish Country Dancing Performance




      As part of the Shamrock Shuffle, the city of Frostburg’s annual celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, Frostburg State University’s Mountain City Traditional Arts will host a performance by the Potomac Highlands Scottish Country Dancers on Saturday, March 21, at 25 E. Main St. in Frostburg, Md. The dancers will perform two 20-minute shows at 2 and 3 p.m. and provide instruction to anyone who wants to participate. The event is free and open to the public.
        Scottish country dancing is a form of group dancing that was originally seen in royal courts during the Renaissance. The Potomac Highlands Scottish Dancers have been performing these group dances in the Appalachian region for years. They hold regular classes for all ages at the Appalachian Ballet Theatre in Cumberland, Md.
         Mountain City Traditional Arts is dedicated to the education, sales, documentation and perpetuation of traditional arts in the region. It is supported by FSU, FrostburgFirst, the Allegany Arts Council and the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council.
          For more information, email mountaincitytradarts@gmail.com or call 301-687-8040.
FSU is committed to making all of its programs, services and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations through the ADA Compliance Office, call 301-687-4102 or use a Voice Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Spring Line-Up at MCTA



Get ready for fantastic spring with Mountain City Traditional Arts!

We will be continuing our Winters Farmers Markets February 7th and 21st. Don’t miss a chance for fresh local goods!

Thursday, February 26th @7pm: Caitlin Nic Gabhann and Ciaran O’Maonaigh

Award winning concertina player, dancer, and songwriter Caitlin Nic Gabhann collaborates with renowned fiddle player and documentary filmmaker Cairan O’Maonaigh for a night of traditional Irish concertina, fiddle, and dance.

Wednesday, March 25th @7pm: Le Bruit Court Dans La Ville

A night of French Canadian traditional music straight from Quebec starring fiddler Lisa Ornstein, guitarist/singer Andre Marchand, and singer/accordionist Normand Miron as the trio Le Bruit Court Dans La Ville.

Saturday, March 28th @3:30pm: Ken and Brad Kolodner

Well known hammered dulcimer player and fiddler Ken Kolodner of Baltimore teams up his son, clawhammer banjo star Brad Kolodner, for an evening of original Appalachian traditional music.

Friday, April 17th: Todd Burge

In a return to MCTA, Todd Burge, known as the “dean of West Virginia Songwriters,” employs stories of invented characters, scat singing, and lyrical humor to lighten the mood of some heavy subjects set to catchy tunes ranging from an alternative/punk rock sound to bluegrass.


All music events will have a suggested donation of $15

More Information to follow as each event approaches. Stay updated on our blog http://mountaincitytradart.blogspot.com/

Mountain City Traditional Arts
A Project of Folklore and Folklife Programming at Frostburg State University
Supported in part by the Maryland Traditions Program of the Maryland State Arts Council
25 East Main Street, Frostburg, MD
301-687-8040