Kennedy, Tischler to give a concert and workshop
DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Maine Highlands Council for the Arts is thrilled to present Maine fiddler Owen Kennedy and multi-instrumentalist Ethan Tischler on Saturday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at the Central Hall Commons, 152 East Main Street. Expect creative & playful arrangements of tunes from New England to Scotland and Scandinavia, heartfelt songs, and original compositions. Owen and Ethan will also be featuring tunes from Owen’s debut album, “Oh When: Now” and songs from Tischler’s acclaimed album “Across the Waking Skies.” Both albums will be available for purchase.
Admission is $17. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/owen-and-ethan-in-concert-tickets-879502123527 or at the door.
Owen and Ethan will also be giving workshops in fiddle and DADGAD guitar at 3 p.m. on that same day. Descriptions of the workshops are below; to reserve a spot, contact Owen at 207-458-2468 or fiddlerokennedy@gmail.com.
Owen and Ethan met during the recording of the Pineland Fiddlers’ album, “Humors of Maine,” in Ellen Gawler’s home teaching studio in Belgrade. Since then, they have rehearsed for events while on Green’s Island in between Atlantic Challenge rowing/sailing adventures, jammed into the wee hours at Maine Fiddle Camp and Boston States Fiddle Camp, and cooked up musical shenanigans to share at house concerts in Maine and Massachusetts, the Waldo Fiddle Fest, and the Old South Church Music Series in Farmington.
Ethan is a Maine-based musician and educator with roots in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. He has been performing and teaching in Vermont and Maine for the last many years, at Bread & Butter Farm in South Burlington, Vermont, the Belfast Adventure Education Program in Belfast, Baduce Music School in Blue Hill, the Sweetland School in Hope, and at Maine Fiddle Camp in West Gardiner. Alongside his own solo projects, he delights in playing with Elsie Gawler as Elsie & Ethan, and with the Gawler Sisters and Gawler Family as a whole. His debut album “Across the Waking Skies” enjoyed Top 10 play time on WERU, air time on VPR, and critical acclaim from Seven Days Vermont. As for the nature of his music, to quote the Seven Days review, “Simple in its legato optimism, the chant matter-of-factly confronts the mess of reality — and finds beauty in the heart’s resilience.” For more information about Ethan, go to www.ethanstokestischler.com.
Maine musician Owen is an award-winning fiddler rooted in the Maine Maritime tradition and immersed in his growing passion for Scottish music, splitting time between Maine and Cape Breton where he’s studying Gaelic culture and music. In addition to winning the Junior US National Scottish Fiddle Championship and the New England Open Scottish Fiddle Competition, Owen was awarded the Young Stars of Maine “Glenn Jenks Future in Music” Prize and was a Club Passim “Iguana Music Fund” recipient. Owen’s debut album, “Oh When: Now,” recorded with Owen Marshall, came out in 2023; he is also wrapping up a solo project, 50 Fiddlers from 50 States, which is available on YouTube. Owen’s love of traditional music and enthusiasm for performing has taken him all over New England, Maritime Canada, and over to Scotland and Shetland, where he has played with the Pineland Fiddlers, the Young Tradition Vermont Touring Group and Youth Commission, and in duos with Seán Heely, Ethan Tischler, and Ben Foss. For more information about Owen, go to www.fiddlerokennedy.com.
Workshop descriptions, Learn a Fun Set of Maine Tunes:
This workshop is for intermediate fiddlers and above or people interested in learning more about the Maine/New England style of playing. In this one-hour workshop, we’ll discuss the background and history for a set of fun tunes played around Maine and New England. I’ll be teaching a few tunes from the set and sharing how to play them in the New England style. Bring your fiddles!
Fundamentals of DADGAD Guitar:
This workshop is designed for guitarists comfortable in standard tuning, who are interested in getting a feel for DADGAD guitar. DADGAD tuning, commonly used for accompanying and playing Celtic tunes, has a recognizable and lovely full sound, while using accessible chord shapes. In this one-hour workshop, we will cover the basic chords necessary to play in the key of D, as well as exploring right-hand technique and rhythm for backing up fiddle tunes. Bring your instruments and your questions.