August Week I Fiddle
Éric Favreau
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
Éric Favreau comes from a family of traditional musicians and has spent a great deal of time playing with other fiddlers, learning their repertoire and studying their varied styles. Éric has explored and exploited various sources including archives and personally made field recordings and has accumulated a rich and fascinating repertoire. Over the years, he has garnered a profound understanding and vast knowledge of Québécois traditional music. (more…)
Frank Ferrel
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
Maine coast musician, Frank Ferrel is considered one of the seminal traditional New England and Maritime fiddlers. In fact, Boston Globe music critic, Scott Alarik called him, “One of the finest living masters of the genre.” his CD recording, Yankee Dreams, was selected by the Library of Congress to be included in their, “Select list of 25 examples of American folk music on record.” (more…)
Pascal Gemme
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle
Pascal Gemme has a degree from St-Laurent College (Montreal) in arranging and classical/jazz guitar, he has since been searching for seldom-heard songs and melodies, interpreting them in his unique and unmistakable style. Originally inspired by his fiddling grandfather, he has played with (and learned from), most of today’s great Quebecois fiddlers and singers. On top of teaching fiddle lessons on a weekly basis in his village of Waterville, QC, his teaching highlights include the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in Limerick, Ireland, the Goderich Celtic College in Ontario, Quasitrad Music Camp in Australia, The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Alasdair Fraser’s Fiddle Train, Sierra Fiddle Camp and Valley of the moon…AND Maine Fiddle camp of course (the best one of them all)!
Ed Howe
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
Born into a musical family, Ed started playing fiddle at the age of 4, learning Suzuki method. His musical interests cover a wide spectrum from Bluegrass to Celtic and beyond and he has been a regular instructor for Maine Fiddle Camp since 2003. Howe has an extensive electronics background, and took an interest in the electric violin. He plays a 5-string NS Design electronic violin and is a featured artist on the NS design artist page. (more…)
Elaine Malkin
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
Elaine Malkin has played the violin since the age of 5. She was part of the resurgence of contra dances in Maine in the early 70’s, having learned from Otto Soper and Dudley Laufman. She played New England contra dances until 2009, when she began an intensive study of Québécois fiddle with mainly Éric Favreau, but also with Lisa Ornstein, André Brunet, Yvon Mimeault, and Liette Remon. This music has completely captured her heart and she uses a traditional Québécois repertoire for contra dances, concerts, and other venues. Learning, teaching, and sharing this special music is her greatest joy.
Steve Muise
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
Steve Muise has been fiddling his family’s Downeast Style for many years. (His parents are 1st and 2nd generation Nova Scotians) He founded the Franklin County Fiddlers, a group of high school musicians that tours around Maine and way beyond displaying, promoting and learning about fiddle styles. Steve is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and is a stringed instrument teacher in the MBRSD schools (Farmington area). Steve was honored with the “Maine Music Educator of the Year” award in 2007 from MMEA. Steve enjoys playing all styles, ranging from Downeast (maritime), Québécois, Celtic, and jazz, and can be seen playing music with his dad Paul, Boréal Tordu, Frigate, Muisette and the Franklin County (more…)
Helen Newell
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, August Week II
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle
Helen Newell grew up in Maine surrounded by the New England Folk scene. Her parents, Kaity and Carter Newell are founding members of Maine Fiddle Camp, and Helen has spent every year of her life at MFC, first as a camper and now as a staff member since 2018.
Helen graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2022, where she studied Western classical music, American roots, jazz, and traditional music from all over the world. She has an active performing life as a professional violinist—playing in orchestras, musicals, recording sessions, chamber groups, and folk bands.
An important aspect of Helen’s musical life is teaching. She currently teaches online violin lessons to students of all ages and abilities all over the US! Depending on her student’s goals, she likes to explore different genres, repertoire, and techniques such as improvisation, composing, and arranging. If you are looking for your next step in your musical journey, her teaching philosophy is to make playing the violin enjoyable and effortless, reduce tension, and find styles that make you love music even more!
Kaity Newell
Instrument: Fiddle, VoiceSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
Kaity teaches fiddle in Damariscotta and has played for dances for many years with The Maine Country Dance Orchestra, and with the band The Lady Bugs. A native of Great Britain, Kaity has brought many a fine tune from the British Isles to our local dances. Kaity also plays viola in the local community orchestra and has four children, all of whom play music and come to camp every year.
7 Creek Lane Damariscotta ME 044543 207-563-8440
John Pranio
Instrument: Fiddle, Guitar, HarmonicaSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
John started his early musical life as a drummer, but by some miracle got hooked on traditional music in his teens.
John’s been teaching fiddle and harmonica at MF Camp since its start in the mid 90’s. He’s been known to get a few silly skits going for the evening variety show. He teaches fiddle, guitar and harmonica privately and can be contacted at [email protected] 338-0296 (cell 213-3294).
Maggie Robinson
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle, June Weekend I Fiddle
Maggie Robinson has been teaching fiddle since 2003. She began taking fiddle lessons the age of 10 and became concert mistress of her school orchestra during her senior year. Many years later she discovered Contradancing and fell in love with the music She took the violin out of the closet and began learning fiddle tunes. She completed a course in 2003 at the Hartt College of Music, Theater, & Dance on “Teaching Fiddling”.
Currently she is teaching at several locations in greater Portland, and also regularly calls for contra dances around the state.
Lissa Schneckenburger
Instrument: FiddleSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Fiddle
A new England fiddler and folk singer, Lissa grew up in Maine as an active member of the folk music and dance community, where she cut her teeth as a musician at a very young age. She has continued to explore music throughout her life, leading to her graduation from The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts (2001). Her list of mentors includes Greg Boardman, Alasdair Fraser, David Kaynor, and Hankus Netsky. While embracing a diverse pallet of musical influences, she still stays true to her New England roots.
For more info on Lissa, check out her website at www.lissafiddle.com
Pam Weeks
Instrument: Fiddle, Mountain Dulcimer, Piano, VoiceSession(s): August Week I, August Week II, June Week, June Weekend I
Instrument by Session(s): August Week I Fiddle, August Week II Fiddle, June Week Mountain Dulcimer, June Weekend I Fiddle
Pam sings and plays several instruments in the folk trio, T-Acadie, is fiddler and singer for the Maine-based Cajun dance band, Jimmyjo & the Jumbol’Ayuhs, plays fiddle and mountain dulcimer in the contradance band, Scrod Pudding, and performs solo or with guitar player and caller Bill Olson. She is an accomplished tunesmith and has composed scores of tunes, from lively jigs and reels, to entrancing airs and beautiful waltzes.