At Stoney End, we believe great music is a beautiful experience worth celebrating. That’s why we’re proud to be connected with area folk music artists and to host concerts and dances in our Music Loft. We hope to see you there soon!
— Gary & Eve Stone
Fortune, My Foe! takes listeners on a lively journey celebrating the friendship and community embodied by traditional music. This hit independent program brings songs of struggle, merriment, and hope from medieval Spain all the way to modern Ireland with voices and a dazzling variety of rare woodwind instruments, supported by cittern, classical guitar and a bit of old-world percussion.
Spun by the Roman goddess of fate (Fortuna), the Wheel of Fortune was a common image in medieval art, representing the unpredictable nature of life, and how the fortunes of even the rich and powerful could change in an instant.
Gain strength from stories, sing-alongs, and foot-stomping instrumentals which for hundreds of years have sustained people through the darkest times. In the spirit of friends united, join this band of musicians spreading courage and cheer through music, for an uplifting and extraordinary experience.
Inside the "Celtic" Sound, with Laura MacKenzie & Cam St. Louis: What’s behind that uniquely captivating aura conjured by Irish and Scottish music? Open to all melody instruments, musicians will learn key aspects of the expressive palette employed by Celtic musicians. We'll explore elements of regional style and share tips & tricks on rhythm, lift, ornamentation, and modal structure. Musicians of all skill levels will take home ways to make their performances more resonant and evocative of the misty isles where the music originates!
Simple Scottish Gaelic Songs, with Richard Hill: In addition to epic poems, Gaidhlig culture is full of lullabies, rhythmic work songs, mouth-music (vocal dance tunes) and simple songs of the Otherworld. No prior knowledge of the language is necessary for this workshop! Rich will help everyone with pronunciation. Lyrics and simple phonetics will be provided in print. A special opportunity to learn from a teacher and singer beloved in the Gaelic community!
The latter part of the workshop period will be putting the instrumentalists and the songsters together with a shared piece or two of the music learned in the workshops!
1:00–2:30 — Both workshops run consecutively
2:30–3:00 — Tea and shortbread social break
3:00–3:30 — Final workshop period with both groups together
4:00–5:30 — Concert
Cameron St. Louis is a woodwind player, singer, and inventor from Seattle. He first learned to play Irish and Scottish traditional music under Laura MacKenzie while attending Carleton College, which unlocked a worldwide community of friends and fellow musicians in the Celtic genres. Cam is known for his handmade pennywhistles (Barter Loch Woodwinds), innovations in bagpipe design, driving flute style and powerful vocals. He enjoys playing with Seattle's acclaimed Scottish Gaelic band, Keltoi, and the genre-bridging rock band Ockham's Razor.
Richard Hill has been teaching and singing in Scottish Gaelic since 1989, is a founder of Slighe nan Gàidheal and Fèis Seattle and is also well known in Seattle's early music scene. He won top honors for traditional Gaelic singing at the Mòds in Vancouver and Toronto and has taught for An Comunn Gàidhealach America and Voiceworks-Centrum, Bellingham, WA. Rich currently teaches through the Colaisde na Gaidhlig (Nova Scotia), is a Gaelic tutor for Princeton University, and is the lead singer for the celebrated Seattle Gaelic band Keltoi.
Laura MacKenzie has learned Scottish and Irish music from many noted tradition bearers on both sides of the Atlantic. She has received numerous honors, fellowships and awards for her participation and dedication in this realm of music. Laura performs on an array of wind-powered instruments including wooden flutes, whistles, concertina, several types of bagpipes, gemshorn and voice. Enjoying a richly varied career grounded in traditional music, Laura has performed and recorded with diverse ensembles in a significant variety of contexts.
Dave Bartley performs on guitar, cittern, mandolin and even more stringed instruments. Dave has played for social dances of many types, from ballroom and swing to international, Balkan, ceili and contra across North America and overseas. He has performed with the Seattle Symphony, toured with rock bands, and written about 400 original tunes. Along with Cam and Rich, Dave is a member of the distinguished Seattle band Keltoi, and is honored to be playing Early and Celtic music with this new ensemble.
Fortune's Special Guest, Katharine Grant has been singing to herself all her life. Songs she can sing anywhere anytime are what help her navigate through life with a sense that she is never truly alone — the ancestors have seen it all and live on as support to those alive today. In the Seattle area, Katharine performed under renowned medieval musician Margriet Tindemans along with Richard Hill, who was her entry into the Gaelic world.
Ethno is a global folk music movement, established in Sweden in 1990, that now spans 45 countries worldwide. Every year, it brings together young musicians to connect, collaborate, and thrive in an environment of openness and respect for all peoples and cultures. For the past five years, Ethno USA has gathered over 30 talented young folk musicians from more than 20 countries for an 11-day residency in North Carolina. During this residency, participants share the songs and music of their cultures, culminating in prestigious performances at the North Carolina Folk Festival.
Now, for the first time ever, Ethno USA will be hitting the road to spread its infectious vibe in the Twin Cities area! Get ready for an incredible nine-piece Ethno USA ensemble featuring musicians from diverse international cultures, including India, Norway and Haiti. Alongside U.S. based musicians from Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, and the nations of Lumbee, Ojibwe, and Oglala Lakota, the ensemble will form "Ethno USA On The Road" — a global music journey with rich harmonies, authentic arrangements, and a unique blend of world cultures.
For more information about Ethno USA, visit their website here.
Because our Music Loft has limited seating, advanced reservations are recommended for most concerts and events. Payment is taken at the door. Doors open one half hour prior to concert start time. Please call or email us to reserve your seats or for additional information.
(651) 388-8400
mail@stoneyend.com