Calendar
Submit calendar info to:
calendar@corvallisfolklore.org
Portland FolkMusic Society presents
Singtime Frolics
a spring weekend of singing, jamming, learning, sharing and good food at Portland FolkMusic Society’s annual retreat.
Guest artist
Linda Allen
click HERE for more information
Tannahill Weavers
The Tannahill Weavers are one of Scotland’s premier traditional bands. Their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, and original ballads and lullabies. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich and varied musical heritage of the Celtic people. These versatile musicians have received worldwide accolades consistently over the years for their exuberant performances and outstanding recording efforts that seemingly can’t get better…yet continue to do just that.
The Tannahills have turned their acoustic excitement loose on audiences with an electrifying effect. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies, driving rhythmic accompaniment, and rich vocals that make their performances unforgettable. As the Winnipeg Free Press noted, “The Tannahill Weavers – properly harnessed – could probably power an entire city for a year on the strength of last night’s concert alone. The music may be old time Celtic, but the drive and enthusiasm are akin to straight ahead rock and roll.”
Born of a session in Paisley, Scotland and named for the town’s historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the group has made an international name for its special brand of Scottish music, blending the beauty of traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms. Over the years the Tannies have been trailblazers for Scottish music, and their tight harmonies and powerful, inventive arrangements have won them fans from beyond the folk and Celtic music scenes.
In 2011 the band was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, and in 2014 they were joined by innovative piper Lorne MacDougall. Lorne comes with a high pedigree, having arranged and performed pipes for the Disney Pixar movie “Brave”, Dreamworks “How to Train Your Dragon 2”, and the BBCs “Dr Who”, along with a long list of other accomplishments.
As they embark on their 50th anniversary year in 2018, they are firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage. From reflective ballads to footstomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits.”An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new.” –New York Times
Scotland’s Tannahill Weavers play acoustic instruments, but the atmosphere at their shows is electric. The quartet is as tight and as versatile as any band in the Celtic music revival. They can summon rock ‘n’ roll intensity or haunting introspection.”
– The Boston Globe, Boston MA
“…as close to perfect as it gets in an imperfect world.” – Sing Out!
“…the Weavers’ unpretentious manner and superlative playing set them apart from most other Celtic groups… In a world where good taste has become a scarce commodity, the Tannahill Weavers are a wealthy bunch.” – The Charleston Gazette, Charleston, SC
“…world class musicians with passion and a healthy sense of fun, keeping alive and making accessible the very heart of the tradition itself.” – Mojo Magazine
The Nettles
Laura Brophy – fiddle;
Kevin Johnsrude – guitars;
Michael Proctor – bass;
Brian Bucolo – percussion;
The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere.
Kelsey Hartman
Since I am a “contraholic,” I can often be found any given weekend dancing or calling a contra dance. My inspiration for calling comes from Frannie Marr, who got me thinking that there was life in contra off the dance floor, and Nils Fredland, whose callers’ workshop at American Week (BACDS) in 2012 spurred me down the caller’s path.
Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)
First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.
First and Third Sundays
We will mix Balkan, Israeli and other folk dances each week, with occasional live music from Balkan, Israeli and other traditions. Watch the calendar for announcements about special dances, but just come to each dance and learn all sorts of dances.
NOTE: Different location – Methodist Church Community Hall
Campaign for Reel Time
From Portland
- Betsy Branch – fiddle
- Mark Douglas – piano
- Bill Tomczak – reeds, percussion
Campaign for Reel Time is an exciting Northwest band featuring Betsy Branch on fiddle and guitar, Bill Tomczak on clarinet, saxophone and percussion, and Mark Douglas (tonight) on piano. With their mix of instruments and improvisatory natures, plus their deft interweaving of dance-music genres, you never know what to expect from this trio, other than stimulating and inventive dance music. Their delight in playing together translates to the dance floor, and you are likely to hear plenty of laughter from the stage.
Isaac Banner
A long-time contra dancer and Seattle transplant, I’ve worked for several years to become known in the Pacific Northwest for my particular blend of humor and dance instruction. With contagious excitement, a warm cadence, and a cheerful personality, I strive to bring moments of magic into the lives of newcomers and veteran dancers alike. Contra has always held a special place in my heart and I try to share that love with every dance I visit.
Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)
First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.
First and Third Sundays
We will mix Balkan, Israeli and other folk dances each week, with occasional live music from Balkan, Israeli and other traditions. Watch the calendar for announcements about special dances, but just come to each dance and learn all sorts of dances.
Salem Folklore Community’s
33st Annual
Westwind Weekend
of music and dance
A beautiful setting on the Oregon Coast. A pristine, sheltered beach, tidepools galore, wildlife in the water, woods, and air, hikes that lead to superb vistas up and down the coast. It’s a weekend at the beach, with music and friends old and new. It’s always sunny at Westwind, AND it almost always rains. Which is to say, any weather can happen.
A growing, family friendly community. More than a fourth of those who attend the Westwind Weekend are young people. Kids bring their friends. They dig in the sand, play Frisbee, hike, play cards, dance, play music, drink hot cocoa, help out, hang out, and build lasting memories.
Non-stop music jams. At any moment you’ll find swing favorites on the front porch, old-time in the shed, and Irish/contra tunes in the kitchen. Some of the finest musicians in the Willamette Valley come to Westwind and are joined by folks just learning to play and everyone in between.
Contra dancing and more. Friday and Saturday evenings feature the Westwind All Star Orchestra playing tunes, and dance programming that’s aimed at all ages and abilities. Expect family dances, contras and squares, and a set of Scandinavian favorites. Also find musicians jamming and swing or zydeco dancing underway outside the main hall.
Camper-led workshops. Gumboot dancing, daisy chain squares, swing chords, beach talk, favorite folk songs: come with your special talent to share or learn something you’ve never heard of before. Sunday morning expect time for singing the gospel of our non-denominational love of community.
A Saturday camper concert. Enjoy listening to the crazy, creative, and sublime as your fellow campers perform, or put together your own high or low art performance and step up onto the whale bone stage.
Happy, hearty vegetarian food. Beth Littlewolf has been our cook for 25+ years. She makes wonderful fare that brings us all together in the historic Wilson Lodge for family-style meals. Meals at Westwind include snack Friday evening, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and early-wake up breakfast fare plus brunch on Sunday.
Note different location: OSU MU Ballroom
Countercurrent
From Seattle:
- Brian Lindsay – fiddle
- Alex Sturbaum – guitar
Countercurrent is a contra dance and folk music band in western Washington, featuring driving guitar, foot percussion, lyrical fiddle, and harmony vocals.
Tarka Ayres
Tarka Ayres credits contra dance with helping keep her mental stability through school. She started dancing in 2004 and has called dances in Oregon and Washington since 2012. Dancers appreciate her ability to integrate new dancers into the community, her clear teaching and succinct calling, and her choices of challenging dances.
Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)
First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.
First and Third Sundays
We will mix Balkan, Israeli and other folk dances each week, with occasional live music from Balkan, Israeli and other traditions. Watch the calendar for announcements about special dances, but just come to each dance and learn all sorts of dances.
Sophie & Fiachra Trio
The Sophie & Fiachra Trio are a group of musicians sans frontières who refuse to let the Atlantic sunder their love of their own and other’s Irish and Québecois musical traditions.
Comprising of Irish uilleann piper Fiachra ORegan, Québec fiddler/singer Sophie Lavoie, and guitarist André Marchand, the trio take traditional Irish and Québécois traditional music, blended with Lavoies lithe and masterful compositions. Their choice of songs will “captivate the most casual listener”.
“Its refreshing to hear a traditional band reference the present with such subtlety and finesse”
-Quotes from Siobhán Long, of The Irish Times
Released in 2016, Un canadien errant features a mixture of Irish & French-Canadian traditional music and song. It has been nominated for Traditional Album of the Year for the ADISQ awards in Quebec and Traditional Album of the Year in the Canadian Folk Music awards. In the latter, the album also gets Sophie Lavoie a nomination for Best Trad. singer of the year for her vocal tracks.
The 3rd Annual Corvallis Guitar Festival is just around the corner and will provide a bumper crop of talent, entertainment, and participation in the world of classical guitar and ukulele! The three concerts, workshop, lecture and Master Class will all be taking place at the 1st Presbyterian Church on 8th St downtown Corvallis on Saturday May 11th starting at 10:00am in the morning through 9:30pm in the evening.
The concerts feature Ian O’Sullivan, a great Hawaiian classical guitarist and ukulele musician, and Grammy Award winning classical guitarist Bill Kanengiser. Also, in line with our goal to bring local guitarists out of the woodwork, there will be a short concert performed by the Corvallis Guitar Ensemble led by Cameron O’Connor.
Tickets for the concerts are now available downtown at Grassroots Books and Music store on 2nd St, Corvallis; tickets are also available online at Brownpaper Tickets: https://cgf2019.brownpapertickets.com/.
More information is available on the Guitar Society website: www.corvallisguitarsociety.org
It’s going to be an inspiring and hugely enjoyable event with a wide variety of guitar (and ukulele) music styles so mark your calendars, and here’s the schedule:
10:00am – 12:00pm Masterclass with Bill Kanengiser: 4 students, 30 mins each free
1:00 – 2:00pm Featuring James Bishop Edwards, Cameron O’Connor & Tom Strini free
Discussion and music performance from the period 1750-1800 when the newly developing early Classical six single string guitar and the traditional five and six course Baroque double string guitar were contemporary. The lecture includes two historical instruments: a 1798 Italian guitar (Fabricatore) and an 1800 Spanish guitar (Benedid).
2:30 – 3:30pm Hawaiian Guitar and Ukulele Concert featuring Ian O’Sullivan ticketed
4:00 – 5:00pm Ukulele and Hawaiian Music Workshop with Ian O’Sullivan free
A brief history of the ‘ukulele, prominent players and style, strumming and picking techniques, chord melody, and arranging for ‘ukulele as a solo instrument vs ensemble.
7:00pm- 7:30pm Corvallis Guitar Ensemble Concert Directed by Cameron O’Connor ticketed
7:30pm – 10:00pm Closing Concert: Classical Guitarist Bill Kanengiser ticketed
LOCAL FOLK
the collaborative open stage program of CFS and The Arts Center has started again after a nearly ten year hiatus. The venue, as in the past, is The Corvallis Arts Center and stage. Free and open to all, the stage is open to individual musicians and groups presenting a variety of music under the large “folk” umbrella.
Sign up for a set of two or three songs for a total time of 10-15 minutes in a rotating format. Or, just come to be part of an audience appreciative of local performers.
This month featuring Lorraine Anderson, singer-guitarist.
Local Folk convenes monthly, on second Tuesdays, from 7-10 pm.
Corvallis Folklore Society 2019 Annual Meeting
3:15 to 5:15 PRE-POTLUCK MUSIC JAM in the Fireplace Room. Bring musical instruments, voices, songs & stories. We have 2 hours to socialize, jam, play music & share songs before the potluck. Enter the church from usual parking lot entry doors for the Dances. A map/sign will show how to get to the Fireplace room.
5:30 POTLUCK: Please bring salads, casseroles, pizza and other substantial snacks & finger foods. Coffee, tea and water will be provided. Other beverages welcome.
6:00 MEMBER MEETING: Meeting will start when folks have gotten food & a place to sit. During the next hour or so CFS Board officers will present a review of CFS activities, give a current financial report and propose a slate of candidates to serve on the Board for next year. Members may propose additional candidates to this list & here will be time for questions, comments and suggestions from the community. Approval of candidates will be decided by voice vote.
7:00 Regular CFS Contradance (optional): The last dance of the season with Treehouse playing and William Watson calling.
PLEASE NOTE: The regular Monthly Board Meeting will take place one week prior to the Annual Meeting. All are welcome to observe and/or join this Board discussion.
Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 1:00 at Bill Pfender & Anne Smith’s house:
3704 NW Jameson Dr. in Corvallis.”
Treehouse
- Rachael Young (piano)
- Ben Young (banjo, whistle)
- Bo Leyden (mandolin)
- Shari Ame (fiddle)
bring a mix of Irish, Quebecois, and New England style, and put it together with Pacific Northwest flair. Becky has played for dances throughout Vermont, New Jersey, Arizona, and California, and previously played with Amazon Creek in Eugene. Ben and Rachael come from the Irish traditional session background, having played with many groups across Canada and throughout Washington, Oregon, and California.
William Watson
William Watson, a resident of Eugene, OR, danced his first contra in 1989 and began calling in Texas in 1992. Having called numerous contra events in cities coast-to-coast, William’s extensive experience and soothing voice project a calm confidence. His vigilant and thoughtful dance programming ensures a variety of figures, transitions, and sequences to entertain and support new dancers while offering the occasional challenge for the more advanced. His calling proficiency and sensitivities ensure everyone has a good time.
Beginners lesson starts at 700pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)
First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.
First and Third Sundays
We will mix Balkan, Israeli and other folk dances each week, with occasional live music from Balkan, Israeli and other traditions. Watch the calendar for announcements about special dances, but just come to each dance and learn all sorts of dances.