Who's Who of the NWF!

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Le Vent du Nord

Le Vent du Nord captures the energy and mirth of a Saturday night kitchen party, infusing old Québec with a breath of fresh, cosmopolitan air, and features Simon Beaudry (guitar, bouzouki), Nicolas Boulerice (hurdygurdy, keyboard), André Brunet (fiddle), Olivier Demers (fiddle, feet) and Réjean Brunet (accordion). The group’s vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions.

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Cantrip

This trio of Scottish traditional musicians has been stunning audiences on several sides of the Atlantic for over a decade with its driving blend of fiddle (Jon Bews), bagpipes (Dan Houghton), and guitar (Eric McDonald). Weaving together songs and tunes, both traditional and contemporary, Cantrip takes the audience on a cultural journey, putting their own spin on each style. 

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Heron Valley

Heron Valley is an energy-fueled, traditional band from Scotland. Their roots lie in Scottish and Irish traditional music, including traditional Scots songs, Scottish piping tunes, and Irish banjo. The five-piece group comprises Abigail Pryde on Fiddle and Vocals, Keith Morrison on Keys, Nick Hamilton on Banjo and Guitar, Alastair Maclean on Bagpipes and Whistles, and Callum Cronin on Bass and Guitar.

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Genticorum

For over twenty years, Genticorum has earned a place of privilege on world, traditional, folk, and Celtic music stages. Comprised of Pascal Gemme (fiddle) and Yann Falquet (guitar), along with multi-instrumentalist and composer Nicholas Williams (flute, accordion) the trio has become known around the world  for their unbridled energy, their musicianship, and their magnetic stage presence, 

Zigue —  Claude Méthé’s raw, emotional singing and authentic fiddling are seamlessly matched to the accompaniment of his longtime partner, Dana Whittle, herself a rhythmic and vocal powerhouse. Together with their son Aimé, they present Québécois trad-inspired music.

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Grosse Isle

The traditional music trio Grosse Isle was born out of the “absolutely magical” collaboration between three exceptional musicians from Quebec and Ireland (The Irish Music Magazine). Together, Sophie Lavoie du Lac-St-Jean (fiddle, piano, vocal), André Marchand the legendary (guitar, vocal), and Fiachra O’Regan, Irish champion (uilleann pipes, whistle, banjo) shine with their rich and enveloping music. These musicians all have a national and international reputation as a duo mainly in the case of Sophie & Fiachra and within several groups for 40 years as far as André Marchand is concerned (La Bottine Souriante, Les Charbonniers de l’Enfer and others).

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Mélissandre Tremblay-Bourassa

Méli Tremblay-Bourassa has worked professionally as a dancer, dance master, choreographer, dance caller and entertainer since 2003. Her performances feature choreographic fusion (step dancing, ballet, contemporary) and an integration of acting and clown work into choreography.

 

Alexis Chartrand

Montreal violinist Alexis Chartrand is an active performer on the Québec and international scene. Inspired by Québec's traditional music and dances, he is known for his energetic accompaniment of jig and figure dances.

 

Nicolas Babineau

A serious student of classical violin, Nicolas continues to learn several instruments, including guitar, electric bass, mandolin, banjo and Irish bouzouki. He specializes in traditional Québécois music, and has represented French Canada at the Canadian Pavilion at Disney World’s Epcot Center.

 

Jocelyn & Ellen

From Canada and the US, Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira are a dynamic fiddle and cello duo. Together they weave a rhythmically driving and textured sound through original melodies, and high-energy tunes from Scotland, Ireland, North America, and Scandinavia, complemented by interwoven vocal harmonies, and lively stepdancing.

 

No Strings Marionettes

Puppeteers Dan Baginski and Barbara Paulson transform any space into an intimate theater, where the seamless blend of movement, music and masterful manipulation captivates young and old alike. These Vermont artisans lovingly hand craft the marionettes, props and scenery, whether for an original tale or an adaptation of a classic.

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If You Must Know

While firmly rooted in the fertile ground of Scottish traditional music, harpist Rachel Clemente and piper Dan Houghton’s gritty, avant-garde musical interpretations put them at the forefront of Celtic folk musicians in New England. They are both avid tunesmiths and their repertoire reflects this as it features many original compositions as well as traditional melodies.

 

Beth Telford

Beth specializes in Celtic music, particularly the music of Cape Breton, and was mentored by the legendary Cape Breton fiddler, Jerry Holland. In addition to playing concerts, dances and weddings, Beth has taught fiddle to scores of area students of all ages and has run a Cape Breton fiddle and dance camp for many years. 

 

Midnight Capers

The Morris Dance team has been dancing together since 1981, performing English Cotswold Morris dances, some traditional dances, and many dances choreographed by members of the team. 

 

Triton

Triton is a powerful musical triumvirate comprised of veteran performers Jeremiah McLane (accordion), Timothy Cumming (bagpipe), and Alex Kehler (fiddle and nyckelharpa). Hailing from Vermont and Québec, they offer music rooted in the traditional dance repertoire of Northwestern Europe. Together, these three masters of their instruments create a beguiling and orchestral blend that utterly subverts the common stereotypes of their Old World instruments. 

 

Throughline

The trio of Owen Marshall, Jenna Moynihan and Emily Troll, features three of the foremost voices in acoustic music on the scene today. Drawing from roots in the Celtic musical tradition and its immigration and evolution in North America, the three weave together seamlessly and effortlessly to create a sound all their own. 

 

Va-et-Vient

Vermont’s own Va-et-vient includes Carol Reed on voice, guitar and mandolins, Suzanne Germain on voice and percussion, and Lausanne Allen on voice, fiddles, flutes, and mandolins. With backgrounds rich in French cultures and language, through lifelong experiences living and traveling in French-speaking lands, they create beautiful harmonies, teaching and engaging audiences. 

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Tony DeMarco & Jerry O'Sullivan

A Brooklyn native of mixed Italian and Irish ancestry, Tony DeMarco is one of the finest fiddlers in North America. He is recognized on both sides of the Atlantic as a leading master of the celebrated County Sligo style.

Jerry O'Sullivan has been widely hailed as America's premier uilleann piper. His reputation for technical and melodic mastery of the instrument, an Irish bagpipe known for its subtlety and expression, is unsurpassed in the United States.

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Pierre Chartrand

Pierre Chartrand is recognized at home and abroad as a dancer and teacher, dance historian and ethnologist, choreographer, jigger and “câlleur”. A lover of dance, both traditional and ancient, he has been pursuing his career in dance for nearly 45 years.

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Mary Wesley

Raised in the cradle of Vermont’s Green Mountains, Mary Wesley found her way to a Burlington contra dance in the fall of 2005 and was immediately hooked.  She was later happy to learn that the tradition is in her DNA – she is the granddaughter of two square dance callers!