Northern Roots Festival

Every year at this time, the Brattleboro Music Center, through Keith Murphy, puts on a weekend festival of traditional music. During the day there are workshops teaching specific instruments, such as fiddle, accordian, guitar, etc., or specific musical traditions, and in the evening there are public concerts. We went Saturday night and heard Paul McDonnell (from County Mayo, Ireland), playing button accordian; Fiddleheads Brattleboro, a local group of young people with fiddles, cellos, piano and guitar, led by Laural Swift; from Belfast, Maine, Bennett Konesni (fiddle) and Benjamin Foss (guitar, fiddle, mandolin and foot percussion), playing dance music and worksongs; from Norwalk, CT, Deirdre and Sean Murtha, singing and playing Irish music, and especially maritime music; from Quebec, Sabin Jacques (accordian) and Rachel Aucoin (piano), a team for over 25 years, playing very lively dance music, joined by Pascal Gemme (fiddle and foot percussion), who is a force of nature. Pascal played with River Singers a few years ago, so we had heard him before. The program had a finale in which everyone played. This concert was fantastic. These were outstanding musicians, and they poured their hearts into the music. It was very joyful - just what is needed at this time. We had front row seats (having a disability has its advantages!), and what a treat! There are lots of past Northern Roots videos on YouTube (this was the 18th Annual Festival!), but this year's isn't up yet. I assume it will be eventually.

Paul McDonnell.

Fiddleheads Brattleboro.

Dierdre and Sean Murtha.

Pascal Gemme and Bennett Koneski.