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Featured Performers in 2011 Friday Concert Only Burning Bridget Cleary prides itself on serving up a sprightly blend of traditional and original Celtic music with the primary goal of working audiences into a toe-tapping, hand-clapping frenzy. The band was formed five years ago by teen fiddlers Rose Baldino and Genevieve Gillespie, along with Rose’s father Lou on guitar. They have since been joined by Peter Trezzi on djembe. The group was named after Bridget Cleary, a vivacious young Irish woman burned as a witch in the late 19th century after catching the flu. She was the last witch burned burned in Ireland. Everything is Alright, the second album by Burning Bridget Cleary, has been named Album of the Year by the Celtic Radio Music Awards of Highland Radio, a 24-hour Internet radio station at CelticRadio.net. The award acknowledges “musical creativity and extraordinary work on an album which provides recognition of exceptional contributions to Celtic music.” While the Rose and Genna obviously enjoy displaying a more electric, boundary-blurring musicianship, they also are adept at evocative ballads that brim with quiet mystery and plangent beauty. They sing in English and in Gaelic, though Lou occasionally takes the vocal lead.
It’s important to them that the group not take itself too seriously, which is why interacting with the audience is such an essential part of their live shows. Guest Appearances at the Friday Concert and Saturday Festival On stages from Scotland’s Edinburgh International Festival to America’s Kennedy Center, Bonnie Rideout’s unique style of Scottish fiddling has charmed audiences across the globe . Bonnie has been featured on the BBC, CBS, NPR’s Performance Today, and Morning Edition. She is also consistently played on NPR’s The Thistle and Shamrock. Bonnie has recorded over thirteen solo albums and appeared as a guest musician on dozens of CDs with Sony, BMG, Time Life, Ryco Disc, Dorian, Rounder Records, and Maggie’s Music. Her A Scottish Christmas CD became a New York Times “Top Ten Holiday Best Seller.” Its success prompted a touring show that sold out halls across North America for over a decade. Her popular recording, Gi’ Me Elbow Room received the coveted Parent’s Choice Gold Award. She has received numerous Washington Area Music Association “WAMMY” awards every year since 1994 and has several GRAMMY nominated albums. Ms. Rideout is the only American to hold the honor of representing Scottish fiddle music at the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival. She is the first woman to hold the national Scottish fiddle title and the youngest to have garnered the U.S. Championship, winning it for three consecutive years. Bonnie has discontinued competing to become an adjudicator and professional recording artist and has maintained a consistently high profile in the international Celtic music scene. Bonnie has just completed Volume One of a new double CD project focused on the art of fiddle piobaireachd.
Saturday Festival Only Prydein (pronounced pry’den) is a Celtic rock band from northern Vermont. By mixing traditional Celtic repertoire with a rock-music sensibility, Prydein has created a unique sound that has propelled them to the national stage. You’ll hear Aron Garceau–guitar and vocals; Iain Macharg–highland bagpipes, flutes and tin whistles; Dan Houghton–highland bagpipes, flutes, tin whistles, bouzouki, mandolin, and vocals; Andy Smith–bass and vocals, and Caleb Bronz on drums. And Prydein likes to invite other pipers onstage. If you haven’t experienced a rock band playing with 13 bagpipers and drummers, then you probably haven’t seen Prydein play at a highland games! The sheer power of the sound will make you shiver! Whether you call it Celtic-rock, kilt-rock, bagpipe rock, Scottish-rock or maybe sham-rock, Prydein delivers a high-energy performance loved by young and old. Saturday Festival Only The band is made up of of friends who enjoy making traditional Irish folk music similar to what one would hear in ‘singing pubs’ scattered throughout Ireland. Much of their music dates from the 18th and 19th centuries and tells tales of fighting and revolution, love, and the wonders of poitin and porter (whisky and beer). They are a not-for-profit group and can be coerced to play for noble (and not-so-noble) causes. You’ll hear Mike Burkey–vocals, whistle, bodhran; Tommy Dunn–vocals, harmonica; Gil Hocker–vocals, pipes, box; Ron Leaf-vocals, guitar; Jim Moen–vocals, fiddle, mandolin; Stephen Owens–vocals, guitar, banjo; Denis Reen–vocals, whistle; Paul Douthitt–stand up bass; and Vic Ward–soundboard. Michael Owens provides equipment support.
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