Announcing 2012 Folk College Musicans |
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The Horse Flies
A longtime favorite of critics and fans, The Horse Flies blend Americana roots with indie rock, ethnic percussion, creative songwriting, and a fierce, percolating groove. With a love of both the traditional and the modern, The Flies have consistently explored the intersection of the two to create a musical world all their own. Part trance-inducing minimalism, achieved through a neo-primitive approach to fiddle music, and part folk-rock American gothic, achieved through emotive singing and haunting, original songs, The Flies’ music is recognized for its intensity, quirkiness, poetry, and skil.
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Atwater-Donnelly
Award-winning duo Atwater-Donnelly performs a unique and thrilling blend of traditional American and Celtic folk music and dance, along with original songs and poetry.The highly praised husband-wife duo blends gorgeous vocals with an astonishing array of instruments including the mountain dulcimer, old-time banjo, tin whistle, guitar, limberjack, mandolin, harmonica, feet and more.
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Four Shillings Short
Four Shillings Short have a repertoire of music that ranges from the Celtic lands to the Americas and from Medieval & Renaissance Europe to India. They are performers and educators who perform on a fantastic array of instruments (over 30) including Hammered Dulcimer, Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Tinwhistles, Recorders, Medieval and Renaissance Woodwinds, North Indian Sitar, Charango, Bowed Psaltery, Banjo, Bodhran, Guitar, Percussion, vocals and even a Krumhorn. |
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The Twilite Broadcasters
The Twilite Broadcasters are the missing link between vintage country, old time, early bluegrass and rockabilly. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, the band creates traditional American music directly inspired by the likes of the Louvin Brothers and Bill Monroe. Close brother harmonies and deft switching between mandolin, fiddle, and guitar draw the listener backwards in time. Originally a duo, Adam Tanner (fiddle, mandolin, vocals) and Mark Jackson (guitar and vocals) have added the bass stylings of Chuck Shreve to the mix, livening up an already fiery live show. |
Simple Gifts
Folk College's host band is three women (Linda Littleton, Karen Hirshon & Rachel Hall) playing twelve instruments, with styles that range from old time to Celtic to Klezmer and beyond. Karen Hirshon plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, 6-string banjo, bowed psaltery, doumbek, and spoons. Linda Littleton plays fiddle, hammered dulcimer, recorders, and bowed psaltery, and she's starting to learn banjo. Rachel Hall is recognized as one of the leading English concertina players in the U.S., and she also performs on piano, accordion, and tabla. Based in State College and Philadelphia PA, Simple Gifts members designed Folk College and work with the Huntingdon County Arts Council to make it a reality. They have a strong philosophy that everyone can play music, that music is best when shared, and that above all, music is about communication, not competition. |
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Tomás Lozano & Polly Ferber
Barcelona born Tomás Lozano is a singer, musician, scholar and writer. Lozano’s music incarnates his mix of cultural roots; a history of conquest and resistance masterfully expressed through his smooth voice, the vibrant fingerwork on his guitar and the soothing droning of his hurdy-gurdy. He will be joined by Polly Ferber, a percussionist, music educator, performer, and recording artist who specializes in hand percussion from the Middle East, the Balkans, Spanish Andalucia, and North Africa. |
Pamela Wiley
Pamela Wiley has taught strings for over 40 years and is the Director of Education and Teacher Training for the Mark O’Connor Method, as well as the editor of the O’Connor Method books. Beginning in 2009, she has been certifying teachers in 38 states, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Finland, Korea and more! Folk College is thrilled to offer the first PA training!
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Jerry Trusty
Jerry grew up in Mississippi where he learned and played traditional music at an early age. He has a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in music performance (French horn). Jerry was a high school band director for several years, and he is now a professor in counselor education at Penn State. His current musical passions include playing, researching and building clawhammer and old-time banjos.
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Henry Koretzky
Henry Koretzky is a mandolinist/ guitarist/singer from Harrisburg, PA, who has performed in a wide variety of styles and groups, from bluegrass with Cornerstone, Sweetwater Reunion, and High Strung, klezmer with The Old World Folk Band, old-time with the duo Rootbound, as well as swing, celtic, contemporary folk, and contradance music. He has taught at Folk College in previous years as part of The Keystone Rebels and as part of a duo with singer/songwriter/ guitarist Kevin Neidig, and has also been a staff regular at Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering.
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Kathy Selby
Kathy Selby plays traditional music from England, Scotland, Ireland and North America on fiddle and flute. Her repertoire spans four centuries, ranging from lively jigs and reels to soulful airs and tragic laments. Kathy is an accomplished dance musician, currently playing mostly contras and English dances. She has 15 years' of music teaching experience, and brings her exuberant and fun-loving teaching style to all of her workshops! |
Gordon Bonnet
Gordon Bonnet is multi-talented and multi-faceted-a collage artist inspired by Japanese art; a high school teacher of biology and environmental sciences, and a talented musician. Gordon plays flute and pipes, and can often be seen with the Ithaca area band, Alizé. His specialties include music from central France, Brittany, the Balkans, and any music with non-standard rhythms.
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Bob Nicholson
Bob is a Folk College tradition, making our annual Saturday night contradance truly special. Bob is in demand as a contra and square dance caller who is known for his relaxed teaching style, patience, energy, and ability to make the dance fun!
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Debbie Rifkin
Debbie Rifkin is an award-winning music theory and sight-singing teacher at Ithaca College in upstate NY. She started out as a classical violinist, earning prizes and prestigious seats in regional orchestras in her youth. Now, she is an avid fiddler. Her main specialty is klezmer music, but she dabbles in French-Canadian, New England, and Scandinavian styles as well. She has played in several klezmer bands, directs the Ithaca College Klezmer Band, and occasionally performs at Scandinavian folk festivals.
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Tish & Greg Westman
From Beckley, West Virgiinia, this duo are amazing bowed psaltery players and builders. They, also build mountain dulcimers. |
Richard Sleigh
TBD |
In addition to these instructional staff, Folk College has a dedicated volunteer staff to make sure all other aspects of the weekend run smoothly.
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