"A Couple of Scottish Strathspeys" performed by Hanneke Cassel and her band (www.hannekecassel.com) with David Knight in concert at the Institute of Musical Traditions (www.imtfolk.org), Takoma Park, Maryland, USA on February 22, 2012.

"Exuberant and rhythmic, somehow both wild and innocent, delivered with captivating melodic clarity and an irresistible playfulness," says the Boston Globe about Hanneke Cassel's playing. Such charismatic fiddling has brought the native Oregonian many honors and awards. She is the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, she holds a Bachelors of Music in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music, and she has performed and taught across North America, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and China.

Hanneke's latest release, For Reasons Unseen features an all-star cast of musicians--including Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Rushad Eggleston, Casey Driessen, Brittany Haas, Keith Murphy, and Aoife O'Donovan. Influences from Scotland to China, along with grooves and musical innovations from the hip Boston bluegrass/Americana scene, fuse together to create a uniquely American approach to Scottish music. She creates sounds on the cutting edge of acoustic music, while retaining the integrity and soul of the Scottish tradition.

In addition to her solo act, Hanneke tours regularly with Baroque/Celtic group Ensemble Galilei, and has performed with the Cathie Ryan Band, Cherish the Ladies, Alasdair Fraser, and Matt Glaser and the Wayfaring Strangers. She is an active member of Boston-based band Childsplay (featuring 20+ fiddles made by Bob Childs) and co-founder (with Laura Cortese and Lissa Schneckenburger) of Celtic chick band Halali. She teaches regularly at Alasdair Fraser's Valley of the Moon and Sierra Fiddle Camps, Boston Harbor Fiddle Camp, and the Club Passim School of Music. Hanneke's fiddling has graced the stages of The Boston Hatch Shell (performing with Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block), Boston's Symphony Hall (opening for Judy Collins), Mountain Stage, The Plaza Hotel, and the Lincoln Center.

Sound: Art Isaacs, Dave Eisner, Dave Richardson

Camera: Dick Tufts, Laura Christoplos, Emily Whiting, Ralph Lillie

Editing: Ralph Lillie

© 2012, Institute of Musical Traditions

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