Busy weekend of events for Cape Breton music

Dance/Ceilidh - Cape Breton Square Sets, Gaelic piping
With Ben Miller, Anita MacDonald and Tyson Chen - Friday Nov. 22
RCAF Officer's Mess at 8pm.
158 Gloucester St. Ottawa
Tickets in advance: $10 at Ottawa Folklore Centre
Tickets at the door: $15

Workshops in Cape Breton Style Fiddle and Piano - Saturday Nov. 23
Faith Lutheran Church, 43 Meadowlands Dr. (Between Merivale and Woodroofe)
Beginner/Intermediate Fiddle/Piano 9am-12noon
Intermediate/Advanced Fidde/Piano 1pm-4pm
Intermediate Scottish Smallpipes/border pipes 1pm-4pm

House Concert -Cape Breton Ceilidh - Saturday Nov. 23 7:30pm-9:30pm
An evening of high energy Celtic fiddle, with Cape Breton fiddler Anita MacDonald, accompanied by Tyson Chen of Mabou, and with special guest Ben Miller on Scottish small pipes and border pipes. Jam session to follow - bring your instruments!
Hosted by Aylene and Brian Gracie at 925 Parkhaven Ave. 613-820-1535

Reserve seats for the house concert, or in the workshops by email to cbsession@cbsession.com. Workshop registrations accepted onsite, space permitting. House concert reservations are recommended but we'll squeeze you in even if you haven't reserved.
More information/maps for all events are available at cbsession.com.

Although barely recovered from Celtic Colours International Festival where she both performed AND worked as stage manager and media spokesperson. Anita, along with Tyson Chen are both ready to bring a bit of that Celtic Colours feeling to the National Capital, they are also bringing a piper with them to round out the experience.

Anita is uniquely qualified to perform of traditional Cape Breton music, having spent more than seven years with the cultural component of Feis an Eilein at Christmas Island Cape Breton where she had close contact with some of Cape Breton's oldest and most respected tradition bearers. She's a triple threat, being an accomplished Gaelic singer and songwriter, a noted step dancer AND a fabulous fiddler. Putting her exposure to the oldest traditions of the Island together with her Gaelic speaking and dancing gives her playing the 'lift and lilt' that makes the Cape Breton fiddle so well liked around the world. Add to that her youth, energy and enthusiasm and she becomes an unstoppable force!

Anita and Tyson will be sharing the spotlight this year with an amazing piper. Ben Miller is a player of Scottish smallpipes, Border pipes, and Highland pipes, whose repertoire and style draw mainly on the Gaelic traditions of Western Scotland and the Canadian Maritimes, blended with a healthy dash of Irish tunes for good measure. Early in his career Ben left the pipe band scene to pursue traditional Scottish and Cape Breton dance music. He now teaches and performs in Scotland, USA, and Canada.

Tyson is originally from Ottawa, although he has been living and playing in Mabou, Cape Breton for several years now. He is immersed in the Celtic music scene in Cape Breton and performs at many ceilidhs, concerts and dances with some of the Island’s best known fiddlers, including Anita MacDonald. He can often be seen at the keys at Celtic Colours International Festival, the Glenora Distillery, the Red Shoe Pub or a West Mabou square dance.

Thanks, Beth