July 4-6, 2013 at Fort Worden State Park, the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes will showcase the bearers of the North America’s fiddle traditions with a full bevy of concerts and dances. Fiddlers, guitarists and mandolin players from such diverse musical regions as Basque country in Spain, Cape Breton, Mexico, Québec, and many various American styles will play in master jams, lead dances and headline mainstage shows in McCurdy Pavilion, a World War I-era balloon hangar that has been converted into a 1,200-seat concert hall.
The more than thirty-year tradition of Fiddle Tunes at Centrum started in 1977, when named Bertram Levy began the Festival in order to bring the music of the traditional Southern Mountain fiddle to the Pacific Northwest. Levy hired fiddlers to teach a week-long workshop that culminated in a full weekend of performances. About 150 people attended the workshop. The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes now serves more than twice as many people and the original vision of the Festival has remained, said Centrum executive director Rob Birman.
“Centrum’s international recognition was attained, in large measure, by the renown and meteoric growth of the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes,” said Centrum executive director Rob Birman. We’re honored to be one of the few places in the country that is preserving all elements of traditional fiddle music, from those of the U.S. and beyond. In that sense, Centrum is sustaining the role of passing culture from one generation to the next, which has always been a vital part of shaping history and influencing what is known as contemporary music. Pound for pound, Fiddle Tunes performs way above its weight class. There is nowhere else in America where one can experience such variety and innate talent in one setting.”
Performers include (Old Time) Chirps Smith and Dot Kent, Bobby Taylor and Kim Johnson, Vivian Williams and Phil Williams, Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose, Joseph Decosimo, Rich Hartness, Riley Baugus, and Dan Gellert; (Basque) Joseba Tapia, Arkaitz Miner and Xavier Berasaluze; (Down East) Don and Cyndy Roy;
(Klezmer) Cookie Segelstein and Joshua Horowitz, and Mark Rubin; (Texas-Polish) Brian Marshall and family; (Quebecois) Yvon Mimeault and Guy Bouchard; (Turicato, Michoacán) Los Jilguerillos del Huerto; (Cape Breton) Dawn Beaton and Barbara Magone; and (Louisiana) Edward Poullard, Cedric Watson, and Desiree Champagne.
Thursday, July 4
Fiddlin’ on the Fourth Afternoon Show
McCurdy Pavilion
1:30 pm; $20/25
Joseph Decosimo and friends—Tennessee
Brian Marshall and Family—Texas-Polish
Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose—Arkansas
Dawn Beaton and Barbara Magone—Cape Breton
Fiddlin’ on the Fourth Evening Show
McCurdy Pavilion
7:30 pm; $20/25
Cookie Segelstein and Joshua Horowitz with Mark Rubin—Klezmer
Yvon Mimeault and Guy Bouchard—Quebec
Rich Hartness and friends—North Carolina
Chirps Smith—Midwestern Fiddler
Friday, July 5
Free Fridays at the Fort
Nora Porter Commons
Noon to 1 pm; free
Fiddle Tunes Showcase
Cajun and Creole Dance
Littlefield Green
7 pm; $15
Edward Pouliard, Cedric Watson, Desiree Champagne, Joel Savoy, Jesse Lege, and friends
Saturday, July 6
Fiddle Finale
McCurdy Pavilion
1:30 pm; $20/25
Joseba Tapia, Arkaitz Miner and Leturia—Basque
Don and Cindy Roy—Down East from Maine
Dan Gellert—Old-time from Indiana
Bobby Taylor and Kim Johnson—Old-time from West Virginia
Vivian and Phil Williams—Old-time from Washington state
Jos Jilguerillos del Huerto—Michoacán, Mexico
Fiddle Tunes ticket packages are also available. Visit www.centrum.org or call 800.746.1982 for more info.