Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of Celtic music by high-energy bagpipes/fiddle/guitar trio Cantrip with special guest Alasdair White plus Keith Murphy and Yann Falquet as part of the 2021 Next Stage “Bandwagon Summer Series” on Saturday, September 11 at 5:00 pm at Scott Farm in Dummerston, VT.
From the strong base of its Celtic roots, Cantrip branches out into the music of other European cultures. With swirling border pipes, raging fiddle, thunderous guitar, and three rich voices, Dan Houghton, Jon Bews, and Eric McDonald take audiences on a cultural journey, putting their own spin on each musical style. Known for their innovative arrangements, high-energy songs and tunes, and dry wit, Cantrip has toured throughout Scotland and the US, expanding the boundaries of Celtic music along the way.
Cantrip sprung from a local music session in Edinburgh, Scotland nearly 20 years ago. The band name is an Old Scots word meaning a charm, magic spell or piece of mischief, and it aptly describes the unexpected twists and turns in the trio’s musical arrangements as well as the compelling potency of their musicianship. Dan Houghton (bagpipes, flute, whistles, guitar, vocals) has won the Scottish Lowland and Border Pipers’ Society Open Borderpipes and New Composition events, as well as the Maitre de Cornemuse at St. Chartier. Eric McDonald (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, vocals) found his way to traditional music through the rich music scene in Boston, and studies with guitarist/mandolinist John McGann and cellist Eugene Friesen at Berklee College of Music. Filling in for Jon Bews on this tour, Alasdair White is widely regarded as one of the leading exponents of Scottish fiddle music touring, teaching, and performing with some of the best known names in Scottish, Irish, and Breton music on both sides of the Atlantic.
Yann Falquet and Keith Murphy are both masters of contemporary Celtic guitar, representing the compelling textures, harmonies, and rhythms that the guitar has brought to traditional songs and instrumentals since the Celtic music revival in the 1970s. As singers, they bring a rich blending of the Franco and Anglo song traditions. Yann comes with a wealth of songs from the French Canadian tradition, and is best known for his work with the Quebecois trio, Genticorum. Keith is a highly respected traditional singer and brings a song repertoire filled with gems from his native Newfoundland as well as Quebec and his current home, Vermont. He was a founding member of the ground breaking trio, Nightingale, and is the artistic director of the Brattleboro Music Center’s Northern Roots Festival. Together, Yann and Keith create a fresh new sound of open tuned guitars along with mandolin and mandola for an exciting mix of traditional songs.
Scott Farm is located at 707 Kipling Road in Dummerston, VT. Tickets are $20 Advance / $24 At the Door, and kids 12 and under are free. Advance tickets are available online at nextstagearts.org. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for outdoor seating in socially-distanced pods on the field. Next Stage will provide a cash bar. For more information, visit nextstagearts.org or call 802-387-0102.