3rd Annual
Friday March 21, 2025
MUD SEASON SPECTACULAR
A celebration of youth musicians and intergenerational learning in traditional music
3 pm - 5:30 pm:
Dance Tune Workshop
with Nicholas Williams
and Alex Kehler
$25-$35, register in advance
Nicholas (flute and accordion) and Alex (fiddle and nyckelharpa) are multi-talented musicians from the Eastern Townships of Québec. They have played extensively across Canada and the US for concerts, but also for Contra, Québécois, and Bal Folk dancing. They love sharing their experience and repertoire with musicians of all ages. All instruments and abilities welcome. For musicians of all ages (and especially kids and teens!).
7 pm - 9:30 pm:
Evening showcase
and dance
$5 suggested donation at the door
5:30 pm - 7 pm:
Community dinner
and tune jamming
$8-$10 suggested donation at the door
Vegetarian chili, rice, cornbread, toppings, and brownies.
Gluten-free available.
Join Joanne Garton, Oliver Scanlon, Nicholas Williams, and Alex Kehler to play some of your favorite tunes on stage, listen to friends old and new, and join the dance band for a Balfolk dance.
All events take place at the Capital City Grange Hall, 6612 VT Rte. 12, Berlin, VT
Nicholas Williams is a multi-instrumentalist (flutes, accordion, piano), and singer, whose love of musical traditions has taken him on deep explorations of Québécois, Irish, Scottish, and Scandinavian music. He is passionate about musical creativity, innovation and exploration, as well as the incredible power of traditional arts to bring people together through music, song, and dance. He plays with Yann Falquet and Pascal Gemme in the Québécois trio Genticourm, as well as with Laura Risk and Rachel Aucoin in the group Traverse, and with the Alex Kehler & Nicholas Williams duo.
Canadian-American Alex Kehler plays fiddle, violin, nyckelharpa, and cittern. Growing up in Nova Scotia, he now lives in the Eastern Townships of Quebec and enjoys a busy career somewhere between the folk and classical worlds. He is best known for his work as a versatile crossover specialist with La Nef and Skye Consort and has toured with these ensembles in Canada, The USA and in Europe. Alex is also a mainstay of the Québecois and New England traditional music scene, touring with bands Kehler-Williams Duo, and Jeremiah McLane & Timothy Cummings (Triton).
Fiddler, mandolinist and tunesmith Oliver Scanlon began his early training on classical viola. He was introduced to his mentor Pete Sutherland and the parallel universe of fiddle music at the age of nine. In 2013 he co-founded Pete’s Posse and became the youngest member of Sutherland’s long running dance band The Clayfoot Strutters. Oliver now teaches fiddle and mandolin in Syracuse, NY, performs at concerts and contradances with a variety of musicians including his contradance quartet Stove Dragon, and provides live sound reinforcement in New York and New England.
Joanne Garton (she/her) mixes her pervasive passion for Scottish culture with the drive and rhythms of the New England dance floor. She performs, teaches, and records traditional music and dance from Scotland and Cape Breton with big influences from Ireland, England, Quebec, Appalachia and New England. Joanne also steps out on the dance floor at contra, Scottish, and English dances.
The Mud Season Spectacular was started in 2023 to bring youth musicians together and honor long-time mentor Pete Sutherland. Pete was an avid supporter of youth musicians of all ages and impacted the lives of both student fiddlers and teachers throughout his home state of Vermont. The traditions carry on through fiddle jams, trad band classes, singing, composing, and dancing, all alive and well in the community.
