 |
|
 |
|
| |
Abby
Newton | Rosie Newton | Kim
Robertson | Sabra MacGillivray |
|
| |
|
|
| |
FERINTOSH, featuring cellist Abby Newton, Celtic harpist Kim Robertson and fiddler, Rosie Newton, perform the vibrant folk music of Scotland, Ireland, America and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Their unique sound combines the subtle beauty of chamber music with the toe-tapping energy of folk music. With the addition of some vocals, old time fiddling and humor, their concerts are eclectic and entertaining. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
| In 18th century Scotland, the boundaries between "art" music and the "people’s" music were less distinct than they are today. The same musicians who performed for the lords and ladies in their castles also played in the town halls for dances. FERINTOSH's unique musical focus transcends modern distinctions between "classical" and "folk" music. They play timeless, traditional melodies with a virtuosic, contemporary flair. |
|
According to
the Scots dictionary, "Ferintosh" was the name of a widely appreciated whisky
distilled at Ferintosh, Ross in the eighteenth century. Robert Burns referenced it in his famous poem "Scotch Drink" and the word remained in use until the early twentieth century as a synonym for whisky. In addition, the name refers to a parish in the Black Isle of Scotland and is also the title of a well-known strathspey (Scottish dance tune), featured on the FERINTOSH debut CD. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Abby Newton is well known for her groundbreaking work in the revival of the cello in American and Scottish traditional music. In the the mid-seventies, she began performing with John Cohen and Jay Ungar in the Putnam String County Band, making it the first modern string band with a cello. At the same time, she began an active and continuing recording career. She has produced and performed on over a hundred folk recordings including 16 CDs with Scottish singer, Jean Redpath. Abby's solo CDs "Crossing to Scotland" (1997) and "Castles, Kirks, and Caves" (2001), have earned her critical acclaim both in the US and abroad. She has appeared on Prairie Home Companion and in 2001, Fiona Ritchie, of the nationally syndicated NPR show Thistle and Shamrock, did a feature program on Abby’s music and her influence on the folk cello movement.
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
In addition to many workshops conducted in Scotland promoting the use of the cello as both a melodic and rhythmic instrument in traditional music, Abby has taught in the US at Gaelic Roots, the National Strings Workshop, the Swannanoa Gathering and Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp. Mel Bay published her first collection of Celtic tunes for cello and the second is in the works. The combination of her teaching, performing and publishing have inspired many amateurs and professionals to play traditional music on the cello. | www.abbynewton.com
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Rosie Newton has been playing fiddle for as long as she can remember. She
grew up immersed in the folk music scene in Woodstock, NY, attending
concerts and parties with her mother, Celtic cellist Abby Newton. For the
past seven years she has been living in Ithaca, New York where she went to
college majoring in viola performance. In Ithaca, she was swept into the
local old time music scene. She has recently made a CD with banjo player and
singer, Stephanie Jenkins. This album is rooted in the American tradition
and features unusual harmonies and innovative arrangements. Rosie performs
regularly with Richie Stearns and the Evil City String Band, the Pearly
Snaps and with Ferintosh. She has taught fiddle at The Sunshine Coast School
of Celtic Music and the Taylor Music Festival. | www.rosienewtonmusic.com |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Kim
Robertson is a renowned performer, arranger and recording artist who has stretched the boundaries of the harp for a new generation of performers and audiences. As a pioneer in the American folk harp movement, she combines an improvisational spirit with a passionate sense of tradition, bringing a contemporary touch to a centuries-old instrument.
Born in Wisconsin, she is classically trained on piano and orchestral harp. In the mid-70's, Kim's discovery of the Celtic harp grew into a profound love for the instrument, setting her upon the path of exploration for which she is now widely known. Kim has traveled with her harp from concert halls to grass roots folk clubs, from luxury cruise ships to remote mountaintops; she has performed concerts by candlelight, delivered singing telegrams and played herself on an episode of "Beverly Hills 90210". She regularly tours the USA, Canada and Europe, and is still recognized as one of the most popular folk harpists performing today. Her work encompasses numerous recording projects, published harp arrangements, and an international itinerary of workshops and retreats. | www.kimrobertson.net |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Guest
Dancer: Sabra MacGillivray is a
champion highland dancer, step dancer, choreographer
and percussionist. Featured on many Nova Scotia tourism
commercials and television specials, Sabra MacGillivray
is one of the Atlantic region's leading ambassadors
of Highland and Scottish step dancing.
A dance instructor as well as a choreographer, Sabra
is also a member of the award-winning group, the Macquarrie
Dancers. With her cutting-edge choreography and breathtaking
performances, Sabra adds an exhilarating visual and
rhythmic dimension to the music of Ferintosh. | www.sabramacgillivray.com
|
|
|
| |
 top
of page |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
