Cello

Ariel, a classically trained cellist from the Boston area, is one of few musicians to be challenging the boundaries of cello-playing. She graduated from Northwestern University in 2008 where she studied cello performance with Hans Jorgen Jensen, and is currently studying with renowned jazz musician Hankus Netsky at New England Conservatory where she will receive a masters degree in 2011. A winner of ASTA’s 2009 Alternative Styles Award, her heart currently lies in exploring the American roots tradition, 1920’s and 30’s jazz, and in composing songs and tunes influenced by her diverse musical tastes. As part of an accompanied duo with her sister, Ari & Mia are opening hearts and dance floors throughout the States with music that explores the realm where their own compositions cross paths with older traditions. Ariel also performs, tours, and records with Scottish National Fiddle champion Hanneke Cassel, is a member of the Boston-based trad band, Long Time Courting, and plays with New England’s highly acclaimed fiddle band Childsplay. She teaches at various fiddle camps during the summer and has her own private studio.

www.ariandmiafriedman.com for more info.

Elsie Gawler is a multi-instrumentalist and songster rooted in Maine’s traditional folk music and culture. With her family, the Gawler Family Band, she has played throughout the state and beyond, sharing traditional fiddle tunes, songs, and original works since she was 6 years old. From this foundation she has branched out and launched her debut solo album, Sweet As Honey. The album is a collection of 9 original songs inspired by sacred connection to earth and community. While continuing to play regularly with The Gawler Family Band, her other projects include duo Elsie & Ethan, and trio The Gawler Sisters. She has also been a long-time member of the group Childsplay. (more…)

Daniel is a Philadelphia-based cellist, student, and teacher. He’s played with the Richardson Chamber Players, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Philharmonic, and various other ensembles and contradance bands. He released “Ride EP,” a DVD of original multimedia art, in 2012. He co-founded and served as artistic director of the Ottsville Traditional Arts Center in Bucks County PA from 2013-6, and has also taught at Maine Fiddle Camp, Fiddle Hell, Summertrios, Princeton in Asia, and Open Access to Music Education. He endeavors to make his cello teaching as accessible as possible to all, and to emphasize the participatory nature of the traditions he teaches.

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McKinley James is a cellist studying at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. She has also played with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, Middlebury College Orchestra, McGill Symphony Orchestra, and the New England Conservatory Symphony, and soloed with the Champlain Philharmonic Orchestra.
She is a founding member of the band Night Tree. The group, all students at NEC, were named the Conservatory’s WildCard Honors Ensemble for 2016-2017. Awards for this title included a sponsorship from NEC, a headlining performance at the historic Jordan Hall, and a year of working with Winifred Horan, fiddler and co-founder of Irish super-band, SOLAS. As acoustic sextet Night Tree, Brian O’Donovan, Senior DJ at Boston’s own radio station, WGBH, calls them “One of the most exciting roots-based music groups to emerge from the New England Conservatory in many years. Their individual chops and adventurous approach make Night Tree a band to watch for.” Together they have toured throughout the US, opened for Solas in Portsmouth Music Hall, and played in Jordan Hall, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Public Library, and Rockwood Music Hall. They released their debut album in 2017 and toured in Europe in 2018. She has also toured in China with her piano trio. She studied with Yeesun Kim at the New England Conservatory for her Bachelor’s Degree

Abby Newton is well known for her groundbreaking work in the revival of the cello in American and Scottish traditional music. She began her career touring with Jay Ungar and John Cohen in the Putnam String County Band, the first modern string band with a cello. She has produced and performed on over a hundred folk recordings including 17 CDs with Scottish singer, Jean Redpath. Abby’s solo CDs “Crossing to Scotland” and “Castles, Kirks, and Caves” have earned her critical acclaim both in the US and abroad. She has been the director and cellist of the Shokan Chamber Artists, Trillium Piano Trio, and currently performs in the Celtic Trio “Ferintosh”, “Celtic Crossing”, the “Mother-Daughter String Band” and “Esopus Chamber Orchestra”.

Classically trained cellist Beth Robinson has been teaching cello to students ages 4-adult for nearly 30 years. Based in Potsdam, NY, she began playing for dances in the late 1980’s at a time when there were few cellists to guide her and so she looked to other instrumentalists for inspiration. Her mentors and teachers include fiddlers David Kaynor, George Wilson, Claude Methe, pianist Jacqueline Schwab, and guitarists Dana Whittle and Paul Marchand. (more…)