Broadway Divas General Admission $10
Performance plus Champagne Reception $20
Opera House Rental - Presented by the Drama Enrichment Program
Broadway comes to Fredonia with Keith Buterbaugh and his Broadway Stars of Tomorrow. Handsome, sophisticated and versatile, it is easy to see how Keith landed leading man roles on Broadway and in the National Tours of "Phantom of the Opera" and "Showboat." He also toured with the recent National Tour of "Sweeney Todd" under Tony Award-winning Director John Doyle, after completing his Broadway stint in "Company."
Keith and his Broadway Stars of Tomorrow and Broadway Divas are a don't miss! It's a one-night-only opportunity!
For more information or to reserve tickets, contact the Box Office at 716-679-1891.
Grown UpsGrown Ups, starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider, is a comedy about five friends and former teammates who reunite years later to honor the passing of their childhood basketball coach. With their wives (Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph) and kids in tow, they spend the Fourth of July holiday weekend together at the lake house where they celebrated their championship years earlier. Picking up where they left off, they discover why growing older doesn’t necessarily mean growing up, and just because they’ve all grown up and started families doesn’t mean that they’ve lost that old spark. Adulthood is what you make of it, and no one is eager to be the grown-up of the gang.
“No one in their right mind goes to an Adam Sandler movie for any reason other than to laugh, and Grown Ups delivers!” ~ James Berardinelli, ReelViews.
“What kept me laughing is the genuine camaraderie among Sandler’s posse, the way they almost play themselves that perfectly suits this material.” ~ Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times.
Rated PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity, 102 mins.
With the Ortner-Roberts Duo
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
DFT Communications Spotlight Series
When a passionate clarinet meets a "hot" piano, the sparks fly -- and not just musically. The German clarinetist Susanne Ortner and the American pianist Tom Roberts met in 2006 in Pittsburgh while performing. Sparks flew and they subsequently married. Along the way, they also developed a concert repertoire that can only be described as Hot World Chamber Music.
Hot ... the word used to describe hard swinging jazz music of the 20s and 30s, as opposed to the sweet bands that had gained in popularity during the depression.
World ... the Ortner-Roberts Duo explores the rich traditions of world music and discovers little known treasures, which they combine into an eclectic musical gumbo.
Chamber Music ... an Ortner-Roberts Duo performance is presented in the manner of a chamber concert, with the added twist of lively, comedic banter and wonderful anecdotes about the songs' original composers and performers.
From Benny Goodman to Caribbean Calypso, from Jelly Roll Morton to Eastern European Klezmer, from James Booker to Argentinean Tango, Susanne & Tom blend and fuse various genres with classical themes and techniques to great success in presenting "an intoxicating and rousing concert not to be topped!"
Tom Roberts is one of the leading interpreters of early jazz piano in the world today. He has performed on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Kiellor. He has arranged music for the syndicated PRI show Riverwalk Jazz, Live from the Landing with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, as well as a number of pieces for Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He arranged and performed music for the soundtrack of Martin Scorcese's film The Aviator, as well as several titles for the film DeLovely. He has twice performed at New York's Carnegie Hall and was featured in solo with Dick Hyman at the prestigious Jazz in July series at New York's 92nd St. Y.
Susane Ortner-Roberts is internationally acclaimed both as a soloist and as a member of the German quartet "Sing Your Soul." Her expressive interpretation of Klezmer music is noted for its authenticity, depth, beauty and warmth. Likewise, her performance of the music of jazz clarinetists Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Sidney Bechet and Johnny Dodds has been recognized for its power and intensity. She collaborates with jazz and Klezmer musicians from Germany and throughout the U.S. including trumpeter Charlie Caranicas and drummer Tom Elrick. Ortner-Roberts arranges and composes music and has worked on several book and film projects. She currently is the subject of a biography being written by German Television journalist Helge Fuhst.
OndineThe story of Syracuse (Colin Farrell), a simple fisherman who catches a beautiful and mysterious woman in his trawler’s nets. The woman seems to be dead, but when she comes alive before Syracuse’s eyes he thinks he may be seeing things. However, with the help of his ailing yet irrepressible daughter Annie, he comes to believe that the fantastical might be possible and that the woman ~ Ondine ~ might be a myth come true. Ondine and Syracuse fall passionately in love, but just as we think the fairy tale might go on forever, the real world intercedes. After a terrible car crash and the return of a dark and violent figure from Ondine’s past, hope eventually prevails and a new beginning is presented to Syracuse, Ondine and Annie.
“Ondine is so good it hurts.” ~ Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune.
“There is enough saving grace on these craggy shores to let the mists and the legends roll in and envelop you for a while.” ~ Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times.
“A gorgeous, contemporary fairy tale. When director Neil Jordan resolves the mystery, he does so beautifully, satisfying both realists and those who long for a storybook ending.” ~ Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post.
Rated PG-13 for some violence, sensuality and brief strong language, 111 mins.
The Karate KidBeautifully filmed on location in China with breathtaking cinematography, The Karate Kid has been hailed as “the movie to see this summer...” 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could’ve been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s latest career move has landed him in China. Arriving at his new school, he develops a powerful crush on a pretty classmate. The feeling is mutual, although the cultural divide between the two makes a friendship unlikely, and romance impossible. When a cruel classmate and kung fu prodigy learns of his feelings, he harasses and humiliates Dre in front of the entire school. With no one to turn to for help, Dre confides his fears in kindly maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), an aging kung fu master who knows that serenity and maturity - not punches and power - are the true keys to mastering the martial arts.
“At the end of the movie, the audience with whom I saw the film stood and cheered.” ~ Ty Burr, Boston Globe.
“The chemistry between Jaden Smith & Jackie Chan grounds the movie, imbuing it with sincerity and poignance.” ~ Claudia Puig, USA Today.
“Precisely the sort of rousing, stand-up-and-cheer, feel-good entertainment movie audiences have been starved for.” ~ Tom Long, Detroit News.
Rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence and some mild language, 140 mins.
The Kids Are All RightNic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) are married and share a cozy suburban Southern California home with their teenage children, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson). Nic and Jules gave birth to and raised their children, and built a family life for the four of them. As Joni prepares to leave for college, Laser presses her to help him find their biological father. Against her better judgment, Joni honors her brother’s request and manages to make contact with “bio-dad” Paul (Mark Ruffalo), an easygoing restauranteur. The kids find themselves drawn to the confirmed bachelor’s footloose style - and as Paul comes into their lives, an unexpected new chapter begins as family ties are defined, re-defined, and then re-re-defined.
“Movies like this -- beautifully written, impeccably played, funny and randy and true -- don’t come along very often.” ~ Ty Burr, Boston Globe.
“The movie we’ve been waiting for all year: a comedy that doesn’t take cheap shots, a drama that doesn’t manipulate, a movie of ideas that doesn’t preach. It’s a rich, layered, juicy film, with quiet revelations punctuated by big laughs.” ~ Dana Stevens, Slate.
Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some teen drug and alcohol use, 104 mins.
How To Train Your DragonSet in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn't exactly fit in with his tribe's longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup's world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges him and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.
"It's a thrilling action-adventure saga, a clever comedy with witty dialogue, a coming-of-age tale with surprising depth and a sweetly poignant tale of friendship between man and animal." ~ Claudia Puig, USA Today
Rated PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language.
Admission to Family Night at the Movies is FREE! Children MUST be accompanied by an adult. No food or drink is allowed in the theatre.
FREE Admission (ticket required)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series
Fredonia folk music favorites Carmen & Dick Gilman invite their musician friends from throughout the state to join them on the Opera House stage for an afternoon of great music, dance and a humorous story or two!
There also are raffles, drawings for door prizes and loads of fun and laughter.
The unofficial kickoff to the Folk in Fredonia Music Series, this event is great fun for the whole family!
Sponsored by The Gilman Family
Although admission to this event is FREE, tickets are required and may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 716-679-1891.
Curious George 2 The world's most beloved and inquisitive monkey is back in Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey, the fun-filled sequel to the hit animated movie. Join Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat as they set out on a madcap cross-country adventure to reunite Kayla, a homesick elephant, with her family. This unlikely trio faces all types of comic calamities and colorful characters and in the end, learn that with family, friends and determination, you can achieve anything.
"While obviously not backed by the same sort of budget, the movie is wildly fun, makes good use of rather an interesting story, and has a great soundtrack. For my money, it's a better picture than the first." ~ Marc Eastman, Are You Screening?
Rated G, 81 mins.
Admission to Family Night at the Movies is FREE! Children MUST be accompanied by and adult. No Food or drink is allowed in the theatre.
Clarence Darrow Starring James Ivey
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members, $8 Students)
In David Rintels' entertaining play, Clarence Darrow, Darrow is depicted as the champion of the underdog, a lawyer for everyman from a time when the practice of law was a noble profession. This one-man, two-act play highlghts the great cases that were the defining moment of Darrow's career.
James Ivey brings Darrow to life and portrays him as a passionate loner with a sense of humor, who fought for causes with every fiber of his being.
Ivey has performed in more than 100 plays and musicals with roles as diverse as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, File in The Rainmaker, Harold Hill in The Music Man, J. Edgar Hoover in Splendid Rebels, Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly!, Cheswick in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, King Arthur in Camelot, and Edgar Lee Masters in Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight.He began his undergraduate theatre training at Illinois State University in 1973 under the guidance of Drs. Calvin Pritner, Ralph Lane and Jean Scharfenberg. He then followed his muse to the University of Kansas where he finished his bachelor's degree under the tutelage of Dr. Jack Wright, Paul Campbell and Dr. Robert Findlay.
Moving to Chicago he humbly began his performance career as a servant at the Goodman Theatre in Much Ado About Nothing. He went onto act in various venues around the Chicago area earning his Equity card playing Forrest Tucker's son in Patches at the Drury Lane South Theatre.
James IveyIvey received his master’s degree in theatre history at the University of Illinois and his doctorate from Texas Tech University. Upon completion of his doctorate, he became head of the department of theatre at Hardin-Simmons University, in Abilene, Tex. During his nine-year stay at HSU he directed many plays including Tartuffe, Li'l Abner, Guys and Dolls, The Seagull, The Dining Room, J.B., The Triumph of Love and Exit the King.In the fall of 2000, Ivey joined the faculty of the theatre and dance department at SUNY Fredonia as associate professor and chair of theatre. His 10-year career at Fredonia has been highlighted by productions of The Learned Ladies, The Cherry Orchard, Our Town, Candide, The Wizard of Oz, The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Women's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of A Christmas Carol, Hansel and Gretel, Marat/Sade and most recently Sophocles' Electra. Recently promoted to full professor of theatre, Ivey will direct Carlo Goldoni's The Venetian Twins this coming spring.
Throughout his career in academia, Ivey has kept his performance career alive by working with various theatre companies including Theatre Three and The Dallas Repertory Theatre in A Little Night Music, The Showoff and The Man Who Came to Dinner and with Chautauqua Opera in productions of Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man and Street Scene.
Inaddition, he trained with Antonio Fava at the Scuola Internazionale dell'Attore Comico in Reggio-Emilia, Italy in the tradition of commedia dell'arte. His continued study of the commedia has prompted him to create Il Piccolo Teatro dell'Edera a traveling commedia production in which he performs the characters of Dottore, Capitano, and Zanni.
Sponsored by the Robert H. Jackson Center
FREE Admission (ticket required)
Acclaimed storyteller Christopher Shaw entertains the kid in all of us in this special interactive performance. The program starts out with Chris telling one of his premier Adirondack Tall Tales that will have the kids (and probably the adults, too!) rolling in the aisles with laughter.
Then, as the title implies, It's YOUR Turn ... Chris selects members of the audience to come onstage and leads them through the telling of their own "round stories." The round story technique has long been used to introduce young storytellers to the craft, and challenges their verbal, memory and imaginative skills.
We guarantee you'll be surprised at who shines during this performance. Remember what happened to Art Linkletter when he featured kids on his show ... they said the darndest things!
This is a program for kids (ideally grades 3 through middle school) or anyone who has ever been a kid.
Although admission to this event is FREE, tickets are required and may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 716-679-1891.
Sponsored by the Fredonia Teachers Association.
General Admission $10
Ticket includes onstage post-performance reception
An evening of storytelling & song for adults ... hosted by Fredonia's favorite irishman Doug Manly and featuring acclaimed Adirondack storyteller, singer and songwriter Christopher Shaw, this evening of wild and witty songs & stories is guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and make you laugh out loud.
Christopher Shaw was raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. He was born the son of a commercial steamboat pilot on Lake George. Shaw worked the big boats and grew up listening to the songs and stories passed down from generation to generation, never suspecting he later would bring them to audiences all over the world.
For more than 10 years, Shaw toured for Taylor Guitars traveling from Anchorage to Berlin as a clinician demonstrating American folk and country style guitars. In addition to his trips for Taylor, he has sung songs and told stories at such highly respected venues as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Old Songs Folk Festival and Chautauqua Insitution, as well as in music halls, festivals and coffee houses all across the U.S. and Europe.
He has produced a number of TV soundtracks for Public Television. He wrote the soundtrack for and was the voice of Seneca Ray on the television special "Seneca Ray Stoddard: An American Original," seen coast to coast on PBS. Most recently, a live concert special titled "Chris Shaw: Live in Concert" was shown on PBS stations throughout the country.
Shaw has nine recordings under his belt. His 1988 debut, "Adirondack," has been inducted into the Library of Congress Folk Archives.
Thomas Pandolfi in his 2009 Opera House performance Featuring Thomas Pandolfi
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members, $10 Students)
Great Performers Concert Series
After receiving a rousing standing ovation following his Evening of Gershwin concert in 2009, pianist Thomas Pandolfi returns to the Opera House for a bicentennial birthday salute to two of the world's renowned composers - Frederic Chopin and Franz Liszt.
Critically acclaimed for his interpretation of the two great composers' works, Pandolfi will include several well-known and beloved pieces:
Apres Une Lecture du Dante (Fantasia quasi Sonata) ... Liszt
Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat ("Dream of Love") ............. Liszt
Valse Oubliee No. 1 ("Forgotten Waltz") ..................... Liszt
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in c-sharp ....................... Liszt
Polonaise in c, Op. 40, No. 2 ................................. Chopin
Four Etudes ........................................................ Chopin
No. 1 in A-flat, Op. 25 ("Aeolian Harp")
No. 8 in F, Op. 10
No. 3 in E, Op. 10 ("Tristesse")
No. 12 in c, Op. 10 ("Revolutionary")
Fantasy-Impromptu in c-sharp, Op. 66 .................... Chopin
Polonaise in A-flat, Op. 53 ("Heroic") ........................ Chopin
Pandolfi is an exciting virtuoso who, with each passing season, is becoming more and more sought after by audiences, and showered with superlatives by critics for his passionate artistry and amazing technique. His orchestral appearances often feature not only the beloved masterpiece concerti by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Liszt, but also the equally brilliant ones by Paderewski, Rubenstein and Moskowski. Additionally, in the "pops" genre, Pandolfi is considered a leading interpreter of the works of George Gershwin.
Highlights of the 2009-10 season include the world premiere of British composer Simon Proctor's dazzling and unique "James Bond" Piano Concerto in London. He also performed this work in the U.S. with the St. Augustine (FL) Symphony and with Symphonicity in Virginia. Pandolfi also made guest solo appearances with the Maryland Symphony, the Great Falls (MT) Symphony, Pennsylvania's Allegro Chamber Orchestra and The George Enescu Philharmonic in Bucharest, Romania, among others.
A graduate of the Juiliard School, Pandolfi earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees as a scholarship student.
"Pandolfi is a standout among today's young pianists, demonstrating a great technician's grace, finesse and polish. His virtuosity and strength might have had some believing that Liszt himself had taken over the keyboard." - Asheville Citizen-Times
"... high level pianism and tasteful, diversified musical ideas ... crystalline texture and deft coloration ... charm and bracing elan." - New York Concert Review
Listen to a clip of Pandolfi performing Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat (Dream of Love)
MarmadukeA suburban family moves to a new neighborhood with their large yet lovable Great Dane, who has a tendency to wreak havoc in his own oblivious way when canine comic strip star Marmaduke leaps to the big screen with this family-friendly comedy starring Owen Wilson as the voice of the loveable lug.
"The film is packed with adorable dogs and kids, with both Marmaduke and the dad ultimately coming through as heroes." ~ Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News
Rated PG for some rude humor and language, 88 mins.
Admission to Family Night at the Movies is FREE! Children MUST be accompanied by and adult. No food or drink is allowed in the theatre.
Winners, Great American Duet Sing-Off
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series
For Anne and Pete Sibley, it is the simplicity of the music: the words, the vocals, the harmonies. The storytelling and intimate nature of their original songs has drawn fans and encouraged the husband and wife duo to keep delivering. They aren't afraid of making music that is personal, pairing it down, staying true to their instincts. The audiences and the communities and the correspondence from their fans in the past five short years has made it very rewarding for the couple and reinforced their commitment to their music.
Raised in New England singing in choirs, studying all types of music - except folk and bluegrass - Anne and Pete stumbled upon their true calling when they moved west to Jackson Hole, Wyoming - the land of the Tetons. They consider folk and bluegrass the people's music, nature's music; and they sing it freely and graciously. In April 2009, the Sibleys took top honors in the "Great American Duet Sing-Off" on NPR's A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keilor.
Anne and Pete have recorded four well-received CDs, including one for Christmas. They celebrated their newest release, Coming Home, in April 2009, just as they were winning the Sing-Off.
"What emerges front and center are the couple's transcendent harmonies, vocal renditions that embellish already artful songwriting." - Bluegrass Now magazine
"Their harmonies are warm, tight and soulful; and their performances simple, poignant and unforgettable." - Nashville Public Radio
Featuring Ashley MacLeod
with Clann Na Cara Irish Dance
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day a wee bit early with this special performance of Celtic music and dance!
Ashley MacLeod is from Dalkeith, Ontario, in the county of Glengarry, a hotbed of Scottish culture in Canada. At the age of 10, she literally picked up a fiddle and began playing. In the next few years, she proceeded to win many awards at fiddle competitions throughout Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. At age 14, she was invited to play at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championships as a Junior Showcase artist - an honor given to only four young people across Canada each year!
Bulding from there, MacLeod has gone on to perform her musical magic before thousands of captivated fans all over North America. She has collaborated with many outstanding musicians, including the four-time world champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band and Celtic rock band Hadrian's Wall. She also has performed on recordings with artists The Paperboys, The Shiners and Rathkeltair, among others.
In 2002, she released her first CD titled From the Heart of Glengarry, a collection of traditional Scottish fiddle tunes arranged in Ashley's inimitable style. Her much-anticipated follow-up CD Hold Fast was released in August 2006 to rave reviews.
In 2003, MacLeod performed with the Ottawa Police Services Pipe Band at New York's Carnegie Hall as part of a Canadian presence in September 11th Memorial observations. She has performed on Country Music Television (CMT) with country music artist Johnny Reid. Most recently, she toured Europe with the Juno Award-winning band The Paperboys.
Living in a community so steeped in its Scottish heritage and raised on a farm that has been in the family for more than 200 years gives MacLeod a spirit and depth in the music she plays. Her strathspeys, jigs and reels vibrate with strength, and her waltzes and airs are colored with an aura of peacefulness. It is a gift; and it flows freely from the heart - from the heart of Glengarry.
Clann Na Cara Irish DanceJoining MacLeod will be dancers from Clann Na Cara Irish Dance. Clann Na Cara was established as a western New York Irish dance school in 2006 by four National and World Champion medalists. Prior to receiving their dance teacher certifications, all four founders were regular performers at the Opera House during St. Patrick Day celebration events. In addition, each has led dancers in performances with such notable artists as The Chieftains, Cherish the Ladies and Natalie MacMaster. The students at Clann Na Cara range in age from 4 to 21 and include numerous Preliminary and Championship dancers.
A.J. Swearingen & Jonathan Beedle With A.J. Swearingen & Jonathan Beedle
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
DFT Communications Spotlight Series
A.J. Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle have been performing this remarkable tribute to the music of Simon & Garfunkel for more than a decade; and their sold-out shows prove the effect on their audience is undeniable.
A chance meeting in 1991, in a local club in Bethlehem, Pa., brought these two talented artists together. After only a brief introduction, they were blending their voices as if they had been performing together for a lifetime. Swearingen's warm baritone and Beedle's soaring tenor combine flawlessly to capture the essence and magic of Simon & Garfunkel's sound of the early years in Greenwich Village.
With a quiet stage and an acoustic guitar, Swearingen & Beedle recreate the memories of Simon & Garfunkel's classic hits, including: Scarborough Fair, The Boxer, The Sounds of Silence, I am a Rock, Homeward Bound, 59th Street Bridge Song, and Bridge Over Troubled Water, as well as more obscure songs such as A Most Peculiar Man, Blues Run the Game, Bleeker Street, Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall and Blessed, to name but a few.
Disover why audiences are cheering for this duo as they capture the magic in the music of Simon & Garfunkel.
General Admission $10
($7 Seniors, $5 Students/Children)
Carousel Family Series
How the cat purred and how the witch grinned, as they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind...
The show tells the story of a Witch and her Cat who set out to fight a witch-hunting dragon. Along the way, the Witch loses her hat, bow and wand. Each time she recovers an item, she makes a new friend - a Dog, a Frog and a Bird - and invites them along on her journey. But her broomstick is not meant for five passengers and - CRACK - it snaps in two.
When the dragon turns up, it looks as though the Witch will be eaten, until Cat and her new friends work together to make the perfect mud monster to frighten away the dragon. In celebration, the Witch, with the help of her friends, conjures a magical new broom - with room for all...
Tall Stories Theatre presents this magical, musical theatre production filled with songs, laughs and scary fun for children (and their grown ups). Adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom features talented musical performers with fantastic puppetry and physical comedy.
"A magical spell of of really enjoyable family fun!" - Maidenhead Advertiser
"An absolute delight." - The Scotsman
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series
Featured in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Canadian fiddler and stepdancer April Verch is a young dynamo credited with introducing roots music to a whole new audience.
Ontario's Ottawa Valley is steeped in cultural history including a musical style and stepdancing heritage influenced by the French, Irish, Scottish, Polish and German settlers of this Canadian region. Verch, a modern pioneer of this tradition is emerging as one of the top female artists in the roots music genre. She has built a repertoire rich in original tunes influenced deeply by the treasure chest of musical jewels passed down through the generations. Her fiddling and stepdancing styles were shaped by the diverse roots of the immigrants drawn to the region's lumber camps in the mid-1800s.
Verch knew as a young girl that she wanted to play fiddle and dance for a living, and by the time she finished high school, she had recorded her first two self-released albums and was touring full time. She studied at Boston's Berklee College of Music and simultaneously captured two fiddling championships - Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion and Canadian Open Fiddle Champion.
April Verch (center) in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter OlympicsIn addition to her fiddling virtuosity and remarkable stepdancing, April has become a soulful songstress, using her vocals to draw the listener into her wistful and evocative lyrics. April's musical tastes continue to grow and evolve, and adding vocals to her repertoire has given even more interest and depth to her performances.
The April Verch Band, with April at the helm on fiddle, delivers richly textured phrasing on traditional roots tunes, bluegrass and newgrass melodies, jazz-influenced compositions and country music all in one electrifying performance. When April trades her fiddling for the rhythmic art of stepdancing, the band takes on the sound of the old lumber camp halls where those without instruments created rhythms with their feet. The metal taps on April's shoes generate exhilarating cadences that enhance her traditional Ottawa Valley arrangements.
"Her style, technique and sheer virtuosity rivals anyone who's ever held a bow. Verch is capable of delivering a variety of material from Carter Family classics to contemporary songs with verve and innovative energy ... a unique mix of old-fashioned and modern sensibilities to make every song special." -- Vintage Guitar magazine
