Holiday Cheer with Newberry and Verch

Music of the Season from Canada to the Ozarks 

Featuring Joe Newberry & April Verch

Saturday, December 14th at 4 PM- 25 E. Main Street, Frostburg, MD

$15 Suggested Donation

Growing up, musicians Joe Newberry and April Verch absorbed traditions of home and hearth -in his Missouri Ozarks and her Ottawa Valley of Canada. The holidays have always been a special time of year for both, with the lure of family and friends, festive decorations, gifts under the tree, and always.... music. So now, each year the duo sets out in a modern-day sleigh (with four-wheel drive) to perform their eagerly anticipated holiday tour. Original songs join timeless hymns. Stories warm the heart and give a twinkle to the eye. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun at the holidays, and all year long. Make your holiday concert list,and check it twice... Newberry and Verch are coming to town!

Joe Newberry grew up in a family full of singers and dancers. He took up the guitar and banjoas a teenager and learned fiddle tunes from great Missouri fiddlers. April Verch grew uplistening to her Dad’s country band play for dances in the Ottawa Valley. She started stepdancing at age three and fiddling at age six. Both Newberry & Verch became masters of their traditions and tour the world with their respective bands and projects. Yet they never forgetthe roots of their music, that connection to the people in the audience, on the dance floor, to the community sparked by a good song.

For these veteran performers who come from distinct traditions and parts of the world, their collaboration is fueled by their kindred passion for bringing people together to celebrate traditional music. Blues and ballads stem into Canadian regional styles and originals. Their voices blend in harmony, their tasteful instrumentals prove that these masters have nothingleft to prove, and then their feet kick up the dust in perfect rhythm...and together, they make you remember why this music existed in the first place.

For more information call 301-687-8040. Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University in partnership with the Maryland Traditions Program of the Maryland State Arts Council and FrostburgFirst. 

Legendary Irish Fiddler Frankie Gavin to Perform with Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello

Legendary Irish fiddler Frankie Gavin will perform at Frostburg’s Mountain City Traditional Arts, Monday, November 4, at 7 pm. He’ll be joined by world renown musicians Tommy McCarthy on fiddle and Louise Costello on banjo. The event is open to the public, with a recommended donation of $15.

Known as a founding member of the Irish supergroup, DeDannan, Frankie Gavin has been fixture in the traditional Irish music scene for more than half a century. In his time, Gavin has played for four American presidents, starting, as a seven-year old, when he played for John F. Kennedy on his 1963 visit to Ireland; and he holds Guinness Record as the world’s fastest fiddler.

Originally influenced by some of the great Irish and American-Irish fiddle players, James Morrison, & Michael Coleman, he later found himself playing with stars such as The Rolling Stones, Stephane Grappelli, Elvis Costello, Earl Scruggs & Yehudi Menhuin as well as with some of the great contemporary players & singers of traditional Irish music. All have left their mark on his eclectic approach to music.

Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello both grew up in families steeped in Ireland’s rich music history. McCarthy, was born in London to Irish parents, who emigrated from the west of Ireland in the early 1950s. His father Tommy Sr. was a well known piper & concertina player from Co. Clare, so Tommy grew up listening to traditional music and playing with all of the legendary Irish players who were living in London.

Louise Costello hails from Galway, in western Ireland. Growing up she played with her father Denny & local fiddlers. In her late teens she broadened her musical horizons & became part of Galway's vibrant session scene. It was there that her banjo playing was influenced by Charlie Piggott.

In 1996, the duo opened The Burren in Massachusetts, which quickly became a premier venue for Irish music. Together, this powerful trio will perform an unforgettable show.

Dedicated to the sales, education, documentation and perpetuation of regional traditions, Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University in partnership with the Maryland Traditions Program of the Maryland State Arts Council and FrostburgFirst. For more information call 301 687 8040 or look for us on Facebook. 

Mountain City Traditional Arts to Host African American Storyteller Diane Macklin

Join Mountain City Traditional Arts on Frostburg’s Main Street for an afternoon of storytelling with African American Storyteller Diane Macklin, Sunday, October 27 at 4 pm. Sharing traditional stories from Africa and the US, Diane Macklin seasons her stories with rhythm, sounds and movement, engaging listeners of all ages. 

She specializes in audience participation, character education, and developmentally appropriate programming with a talent for telling stories to young listeners, ages three and up. She has received the Solo Theatrical Performer Fellowship through Maryland State Arts Council, as well as the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, in addition to the Teaching Artist Institute Fellowship and the Taft Museum’s 2013 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence.  

As a performer, certified educator, and teaching artist, Diane believes in “Making a Difference, One Story at a Time.”Macklin has performed from Massachusetts to California for venues such as the National Air and Space Museum, Cincinnati’s Playhouse in the Park, National Association of Black Storytellers Festival and Conference, Wolf Trap’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and the National Storytelling Festival’s Exchange Place.

This event is supported by funding from the Maryland State Arts Council.  

Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University in partnership with FrostburgFirst and the Maryland Traditions Program of the State Arts Council. For more information call 301-687-3124 or 301-687-8040.

Steph Geremia and the Flyaways

Frostburg State University’s Mountain City Traditional Arts will host an evening of Irish songs and music with Steph Geremia and the Flyaways on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at 25 E. Main St. in Frostburg. The live entertainment is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $15.

One of the finest musicians of her generation, Irish-American flautist and singer Geremia shares music steeped in Ireland’s North Connaught tradition. Joined by master fiddler Ben Gunnery, of Riverdance, and Scottish-American guitarist and vocalist Alan Murray, the trio delivers a vibrantly compelling show.

Geremia's 2018 solo release, “Up She Flew,” described by Irish Music magazine as “an unexpected treasure,” captures long-standing regional musical styles. “This album has not only been inspired by the rich North Connaught repertoire and particular tune settings from the players from this region, but also from a time when these great musicians breathed life into the tunes with their slight variations and subtle re-phrasing of every bar, when variations mimicked the landscape and one could get lost in the modal discrepancies,” said Geremia.

Her bandmates for this performance, Gunnery and Murray, contributed to Geremia’s newest album. Each brings a rich performance background. Gunnery, a master fiddler, has been performing on stage since he was 10 years old. Music has provided him the opportunity to travel the world, playing with such impressive ensembles as Riverdance and Barrage. Murray, originally from Scotland, has toured extensively, has been featured on multiple recordings and has shared his knowledge and talents through classes and workshops.

Together, these three acclaimed musicians come together to deliver an electric blend of music Songlines magazine calls a combination of "New World energy with Old World vibrancy.”

For more information, email MCTA at mountaincitytradarts@gmail.com or call 301-687-8040.

Fall Events at Mountain City Traditional Arts

• Farmers Market, November-April, 1^st and 3^rd Saturdays

Honey, Meats, Eggs, Natural Products, Greens, and More!                                                                                                                                              

• Allegany Boardgaming Society- Game Day, Fridays, 7 to 11 pm

Come play some games with the Allegany County Boardgaming Society! All are welcome.

•Fiber Arts Group, Wednesdays 1pm to 3 pm, Open to All

FSU Appalachian Festival

Full Program: www.frostburg.edu/events/afestival

•Indie Lit Fest, Saturday, October 5, FSU Center for Literary Arts

•Steph Geremia & the Flyaways- Direct from Ireland

Tuesday, October 15- Scottish and Irish Music, 7 pm

Irish American flautist and singer, highly regarded as one of the top musicians of her generation and perhaps best known as a mainstay member of the critically acclaimed Irish group, Alan Kelly Gang, Steph Geremia brings a wealth of musical scholarship to her love for Ireland’s North Connaught tradition. Steph will be joined  fiddle maestro, Ben Gunnery (Riverdance / Barrage) and Scottish-American powerhouse, Alan Murray on bouzouki/guitar/vocals. These three acclaimed musicians come together to deliver an electric blend of "New World energy with Old World vibrancy” (Songlines). Not to be missed! 

•Frostburg Fall Arts Walk, Friday, October 18, 4 pm to 7 pm

Arts demonstrations, music and more!

•Diane Macklin, African American Storyteller
Sunday, October 27, 4 pm

Diane Macklin has delighted audiences for over 15 years, sharing tales through a “dynamic” style (Washington Post) seasoned with rhythm, sounds, and movement, engaging listeners of all ages.

•Frankie Gavin, Tommy McCarthy, and Louise Costello, Irish Traditional Music  

Monday, November 4, 7 pm

Legendary Irish Fiddler Frankie Gavin, of

De Dannan fame, will be joined by Tommy McCarthy on fiddle and Louise Costello on banjo and guitar.

Spring Events at Mountain City Traditional Arts

Upcoming Events at Mountain City Traditional Arts

• Farmers Market, Saturday, April 6 and April 20: 10 am to 1 pm

Honey, Meats, Eggs, Natural Products, Greens, and More!

• Allegany Boardgaming Society- Game Day, Fridays, April 5, 12, 19 – 7 to 11 pm

Come play some games with the Allegany County Boardgaming Society! All are welcome.

•Fiber Arts Group, Wednesdays 1pm to 3 pm.

•Ronstadt Brothers, Friday, April 26,7 pm

The Ronstadt Brothers continue a musical tradition passed from generation to generation in the Ronstadt family. Michael Gilbert and Peter Dalton, Ronstadt Brothers, represents five generations of the family’s musical traditions in North America. Along with innovative drummer Aaron Emery, they present a new and fresh take on the traditional Southwestern and Mexican songs of their family’s heritage while offering innovative original material to millennials discovering the treasure of roots music. An aural illustration of inception to creation, this musical journey will take you from the past to the present steeped in the Americana vein.  Carrying forward a sound closely tied in its infancy to their aunt Linda and their father Michael, join the Ronstadt Brothers on their journey through the Post-Modern American West.

• Frostburg Arts Walk, Saturday, April 27, 3 pm to 8 pm

Come celebrate area artists! In addition to supporting local artists through sales every day, MCTA will host:

·       Soap Making for Kids with Wynter’s Haven, scoop, color and mold!

·       English Country Dancing, 4 pm to 5 pm – Presentation, Performance, and Workshop!

·       FSU Student Art Exhibit by, The Artist Connection, a newly established art club.

·       Brief interludes of fiddle and violin tunes throughout the day

•Kevin Burke, Irish Traditional Music, Wednesday, May 1, 7 pm

Kevin Burke’s fiddle playing has been at the forefront of traditional music since the  1970’s. His far-reaching solo album, “If the Cap Fits” and his work with such distinguished performers as Arlo Guthrie, Kate Bush, Christy Moore and the Bothy Band established him as a first class musician. Never one to be restricted by geography or genre, his decades long career has seen several innovative collaborations with notable musicians of differing styles - Classical, Old Time, Bluegrass, Pop and Rock as well as the Irish Traditional music for which he is so well known. Although Kevin has spent much of his life playing in a group context, he has never lost his love for solo fiddle music – the “naked fiddle” as he himself sometimes puts it.  This is very evident in his new live solo release, “An Evening with Kevin Burke”, a collection of performances and stories before audiences in Ireland and the US. Whether solo or accompanied, on record or in concert, Burke is an immensely engaging performer.

Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University in partnership with FrostburgFirst and the Maryland Traditions Program of the Maryland State Arts Council.

Chinese Puppet Artist- Lihui Chen

On Wednesday March 13th at 6 pm MCTA will host Lihui Chen. Born in 1974, Lihui is a young artist at the Handbag and Puppet Protection Performing Center in Zhangzhou City. He specializes in harlequin performances and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage. He visited more than 30 countries and regions on behalf of China and his troup. He will offer a teaching performance demonstrating movement and technique. This program is in partnership with World Artist Experiences and FSU's Minor in Cultural Anthropology. The program is free and open to the public.

Sonas Trio- An Evening of Irish Traditional Music and Song

Sonas will be coming to Mountain City Traditional Arts 25 East Main St Frostburg on March 2nd at 7:30pm. 

Sonas, from Old Irish “sonus” for good fortune, prosperity and happiness, will transport you to a warm fireside. Alex Caton is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and music teacher who has dedicated her life to passing on the tradition of old time and Irish music. Jeff Thomas has been playing concertina and focusing on traditional Irish music for more than 25 years. He crafts his own line of concertinas showing attention to detail, respect for tradition and appreciation of the intricacies of Irish music. Patrick Egan was born in County Tipperary and is known for his soulful singing and his interpretation of song from the Irish and Scottish traditions. He has toured throughout the world and is a regular on the teaching staff at many festivals. Together, the trio offers a tantalizing taste of traditional music from Ireland and beyond.

Pay What You Can: $15 Suggested Donation

Mountain City Traditional Arts is 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. For more information call 301-687-8040 or email mountaincitytradarts@gmail.com

April Verch Trio to Perform at MCTA, Sunday, February 10

Canadian fiddler, singer, and stepdancer April Verch and her band will perform at Mountain City Traditional Arts Sunday, February 10, at 4 pm. Verch and her fellow trio members pare down their arrangements, highlighting the simple pleasures of upright bass, guitar, clawhammer banjo, voices, fiddle, and stepping in intimate conversation. At the heart lie Verch’s delicate voice, energetic footwork, and stunning playing. Sometimes she sings, steps and fiddles all at once, with apparent ease and precision.

Making her living as a professional fulltime musician for two decades, Verch is perhaps best known for playing traditional fiddle styles from her native Ottawa Valley, Canada. But her performances extend into old-time American and Appalachian styles and far beyond. Verch grew up knowing how relevant an old tune can be. She was raised surrounded by living, breathing roots music—her father’s country band rehearsing; the lively music at church and at community dances; the tunes she rocked out to win fiddle competitions. She thought every little girl learned to stepdance at the age of three and fiddle at the age of six. For over two decades has been recording and captivating audiences worldwide, exploring new and nuanced places each step of the way.

Verch began her full time touring career in 2000 and has performed around the world, including festival, theatre and performing arts center appearances worldwide. She also presents workshops, master classes, and lectures as part of her tours and at selected music camps. Verch won’t be the one to tell you about her championship titles, nominations, and awards, or the fact that she was one of 6 fiddlers who represented the Canadian fiddle tradition to the world at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, as part of a segment called "Fiddle Nation”. Instead, in speaking with her, you’ll hear about how passionate she is about sharing her music; in small gatherings in remote communities in Iqaluit, to large prestigious concert halls like Mozartsal in Vienna.

Even as she plays with the tradition she inherited, Verch keeps the community-fired celebratory side of her music at the forefront, honing a keen awareness of how to engage contemporary listeners. It’s why Rolling Stone cited her “One of the 12 best things we saw at MerleFest in 2016.” “Just as contemporary bluegrass has Alison Krauss as an ambassador, the Ottawa Valley has April Verch,” said NPR’s Marco Werman on “The World.” And Verch never forgets the roots of her music, that connection to the people out there in the audience, on the dance floor, to the community sparked by a good song. “It’s about joining together to celebrate everyday life, through music. We’re all in this together.” 

The event is "pay what you can," with a suggested donation of $15.

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.