2009 Teaching Staff

Fiddle Classes

Fiddle classes are scheduled in the morning and early afternoon and allow participants to study the various styles taught by each instructor. All tunes are taught by ear, and class divisions, ranging from advanced to those who have never played before, are based on students’ rate of learning by ear.

Alasdair Fraser is recognized throughout the world as one of the finest fiddle players Scotland has ever produced; [his] name is synonymous with the vibrant cultural renaissance which is transforming the Scottish musical scene." —Scots Magazine

Renowned performer and master teacher of the rich fiddling tradition of Scotland, Alasdair inspires us to higher and deeper levels of self-expression within an embracing community of listeners, learners and like-minded folk. The variety and expressivity of Alasdair's playing is evident in his numerous recordings—from intimate fiddle/guitar duets, to a more contemporary interpretation of tradition, to high energy original tunes with his Skyedance band. Recent, highly acclaimed albums include "Legacy of the Scottish Fiddle, Vols. 1 and 2," and "Fire and Grace, " which was named Scots Trad Album of the Year for 2004. In Alasdair's class, you will learn a variety of Scottish tune types and how to use special bowings, ornaments and a rhythmic drive to make the tunes come alive.

Hanneke Cassel's approach to music is aptly expressed in the title of her debut album, "My Joy." Alasdair Fraser characterized the album as "…fiddle music played with great stylistic integrity and personal flair…" Hanneke's second album, "Some Melodious Sonnet," released in 2004, contains a variety of her own compositions, some hauntingly melodic, others exuberantly energetic. Hanneke has immersed herself in the music of Scotland and Cape Breton for many years and has won three U.S. National Scottish Fiddling championships. She is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music.

Lesa Terry is at the vanguard of contemporary musical interpretation; an artist whose creative genius consistently brings distinctive innovation to musical performance. After completing a master’s degree in Afro-Latin music at California State University Los Angeles in 2004, this scholar has just completed her forth year at UCLA in pursuit of a doctorate degree in Ethnomusicology.

A native of Pasadena, California, is the descendant of a long line of musical talent. Her mother, an amateur pianist and violinist gave Lesa her first musical instruction. Her father played tuba in show bands traveling up and down the Mississippi River. Ms. Terry’s siblings all play musical instruments including her twin, Mona who performs as a pianist, harpist, and composer in the Davenport, Iowa area. Sister Zela is the principal cellist with the Nice, Philharmonic and Opera Orchestra in France. Youngest sister Teri Terry is an active member of her church choir. .

Deby Benton Grosjean combines the best of both the Celtic and classical music worlds in her playing and teaching. Of her CD, “Beyond the Shore,” Pattie Mills, of Connection Magazine, wrote, “It will touch your heart and dance your soul.” As a teacher Deby has been especially effective in working with kids and is involved in putting on two Celtic music camps for children and teens in the Santa Cruz area. In her basic beginning classes for children Deby’s individual attention will provide young fiddlers with a solid technical foundation while fostering their pleasure in playing.

Ethan Lewis began taking private violin lessons when he was four and a half years old. Lewis attended The Crowden School, from fourth through seventh grade, which is a prominent musically oriented institute in Berkeley, California. Lewis won the Music Teacher's Association Award in 1994, as well as in 1995, going on to win the Music in the Mountains violin competition located in Grass Valley, California, in 1997, and 1998. Ethan has an extensive list of private violin students, who study with him in the local region.

Mariel Vandersteel

Janette Duncan (BA, Music) has benefited from both classical violin training and a fiddling heritage. Her grandfather was a fiddler and her dad a guitar player. Janette’s own fiddling has been particularly influenced and inspired by Bengt Johnson and Alasdair Fraser. She has herself inspired a great many players through her performances—as a member of the Bi-Coastal International Dance Band, Dockside and other ensembles—and her teaching, including beginning string classes in schools, a community college course she teaches on “Celtic Session Tunes,” and private instruction at home in Sonoma County, California. Her students are encouraged to learn to read and write music but also play the fiddle by “ear and heart.”

Janette will teach the basic beginning fiddle class for adults who have little or no experience with the instrument.

Cello Classes

Natalie Haas is in the vanguard of young cellists pushing the envelope of the cello while simultaneously carrying it back into the fold of traditional Celtic music. She has graced the performances and recordings of many renowned fiddlers, particularly Alasdair Fraser, with whom she has been performing in the US and Europe for several years. Since she began teaching at Celtic Connections in Glasgow and VOM in 2002, various music camps and festivals have been eager to engage her. Her recent album with Alasdair, "Fire and Grace," was named Scots Trad Music Album of the Year for 2004. Natalie's powerful and rhythmic playing make it easy to understand why Alasdair says, "In18th century Scotland, the fiddle and cello were the dance band of choice." In Natalie's class you will learn bowing techniques, ornamentation, bass lines and rhythmic techniques to suit the style and mood of a variety of music, including the tunes the fiddlers are learning.

Joel Cohen had his early musical training in the San Francisco Bay area with Irene Sharp and Margaret Rowell. After receiving his B.Mus. from the University of Western Ontario , further studies took him to Holland until his return to the San Francisco Bay area where he served as co-principal cellist with the Oakland Symphony from 1979 to 1985. Cohen lived in Vienna from 1985 to 1997 where he was a principal cellist of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. During those years he also performed with the Vienna Radio Symphony (ORF/RSO), the Wiener Kammeroper, the Wiener Akademie (on period instruments), and Quartett Yggdrasil. He toured extensively throughout Europe and Asia with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Johann Strauss Festival Orchestra of Vienna.

Guitar Class

Kelly Fleming is probably best-known for his Irish folk and blues/rock styles of play. The son of early jazz musician Van Fleming, the singer-songwriter-guitarist has a wide range of musical talents and was named "Musician of the Year" by the Nevada City (CA) Chamber of Commerce in 2001. Fleming has performed in a variety of venues throughout California, Ireland, Alaska, and Northern Ohio over the past 20 years, including concerts, coffee houses, folk festivals, and television and radio appearances. He performs both his original music and covers artists such as James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Bruce Cockburn, Tom Waits, John Gorka, David Lindley, Mark Graham, and Utah Phillips.

Dance Class

Nic Gareiss has studied a broad variety of percussive movement forms, focusing primarily on the dance traditions associated with North American fiddle music. In his teens, Gareiss received dual scholarships from the Wheatland Music Organization and the Augusta Heritage Center to apprentice with the internationally recognized company, Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble. Through high school, Gareiss performed with Footworks, including an ensemble role in "The Crossing," their production with Grammy-winning songwriter Tim O’Brien. At age sixteen, he took second place at the 2003 Cliftop Flat-footing contest. Gareiss currently works with the David Munnelly band from Mayo in Ireland. With Munnelly, Nic integrates the dance traditions of Ireland with American tap, exploring reaction of Irish immigrants to the infectious spirit of jazz they encountered in the 1920s as they settled in the United States. Nic has danced at the Milwuakee Irish Festival, Virginia's Wolf Trap Farm Park, the Ann Arbor Ark, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and most recently at the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland. A student of music and anthropology at Central Michigan University, Nic teaches American clogging and tap dance locally through the Wheatland Music Organization and Vision Studio of Performing Arts in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

Song Class

Laura Cortese is abundantly talented as a singer dancer and fiddler, will be leading and coordinating singing classes this year. She puts her own spin and rhythms on traditional and contemporary songs, deftly strumming, plucking and chopping her fiddle behind her rootsy voice. Cortese's Irish American grandmother first handed her a fiddle at the age of 4. Eight years later, she discovered folk music in what seems like an unlikely place, the bustling metropolis of her hometown San Francisco. "I found an exceptional community of singers, musicians and dancers at the Valley of the Moon Fiddle Camp," she says. "People from age 2 to 80 that just love making music together. It's strange to say, but I think that was the year I decided that music was IT." In 1999, Cortese moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. Over the next few years she played in several bands including fiddle trio Halali formed with two childhood friends. "I had never really sung solo on stage before Halali. I realized songs are an amazing way to connect to an audience." In an apartment across the street from Berklee College, Cortese set out to record her debut album Hush in 2002 (re-released on Jar productions 2004). Hush showcases 12 tracks of pop-inspired arrangement that captures the raw sincerity of traditional Celtic music.

Piano Class

Ludi Hinrichs "Invention, and an "out of the box" approach to life have been the norm for Ludi Hinrichs since childhood. "We had twenty one cats, my dad drove nothing but antique vehicles and would frequently pump out Beethoven and Bach at high decibel levels from our house to the Italians (and my great aunt) across the street from our narrow three story brick house in South St. Louis. Well, they didn't seem to mind- at least I didn't hear any return volleys of Verdi or Puccini."

Before conservatory training and university studies, the sounds and energy of jazz took root, especially the inventions of Monk and Miles, then later on the intriguing sounds of Harry Partch , Terry Riley,Stockhausen and other music- benders." My musical approach has always been to take in as many views of the landscape as possible and then to blend and contribute as needed". A full musical life of performing teaching and writing is complimented by time with his family here in Nevada County, and at home on the San Juan Ridge. Hinrichs has just released a fourth CD, KAIROS /KRONOS - featuring live performances of his works on piano, didjeridu,large gong, trombone, tablas, and voice.

Neil Pearlman is emerging as one of the traditional music scene's most innovative young artists. Legendary Cape Breton fiddler Jerry Holland said that "watching Neil's hands on the piano is like watching two spiders on crack!" His unique approach seamlessly blends Cape Breton piano traditions with jazz harmony and funk/rock grooves. The result is a exciting new sound that remains true to its traditional roots. An accomplished Cape Breton step dancer, Neil grew up playing music and dancing in the family band Highland Soles. As a pianist and dancer, Neil has performed with many of the best musicians on the traditional scene today, including Natalie MacMaster, Kimberley Fraser, Abby Newton, Frank Ferrel, Maeve Gilchrist, Mike Vass and Ed Pearlman. In 2008, Neil and Ed released the CD "On the Edge" to acclaim from musicians, producers and others across the traditional music scene. Neil has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Iron Horse, and Nighttown and continues to tour extensively with Ed Pearlman, Highland Soles, Steph Chou, 1000 Years at Sea and others. Neil is a student at Columbia University in the City of New York, performing frequently throughout the city and on campus.