Twin fiddlin' with Hope Grietzer

Kathy loves to join fiddle forces with Hope Grietzer, a wonderful fiddle player from Owego, NY.  Together, Kathy and Hope create a rich synergy of driving rhythm and soaring harmonies. 

Originally from Johnson City, NY, Hope fell in love with fiddle music in college, playing in the Geneseo String Band under the leadership of ethnomusicologist Jim Kimball.  She now keeps a busy schedule performing, teaching and leading jam sessions. Hope is a Rocky Mountain Region Fiddler of the Year and was recently nominated for induction to the New York Fiddlers' Hall of Fame. [Visit Hope's web site]

With Hope at a ceilidh dance at Kathy's house
photo © Seamus Davis 2007

With Hope and Tom at the Syracuse contradance
photo © Jim MacWilliams 2006

Tom Hodgson

Tom is an excellent guitarist renowned in NY State and beyond for his outstanding musicianship. He has accompanied many acclaimed fiddle players, including Martin Hayes and George Wilson, and currently tours nationwide with Randy Miller and Eric Anderson in their trio Celticladda. Tom is in high demand as an accompanist at contra dances and other events in the Central NY region, playing with a variety of musicians including fiddlers Laurie Hart and Eileen Nicholson.

When the three of us get together, the musical sparks (and the dancers' feet) really fly!

"Three great musicians—dual fiddles and a super rhythm guitar—prove that the whole is more than the sum of its parts!" - Ted Crane, Tompkins County Country Dances organizer and dance caller.

John Wobus

John is an accomplished pianist who has developed his contradance and English style over nearly twenty years of playing for dances in the Central New York region. John currently plays in a variety of ensembles, including in Contranella with his daughter Megan Beller and son-in-law Charley Beller, Heart's Delight with David Smukler, Laurel Sharp, Eileen Nicholson, and Zeke Smukler, and in Rosie's Ready Mix with Hope Grietzer and Curt Osgood. John can often be found with his fiddle at jam sessions in the Ithaca vicinity. [Visit John's site.]

 

At Smart Monkey Cafe, Ithaca
photo © Seamus Davis 2008

With Tom Quigley and Marie Shaver at Fiddlins' Fun Fest, Binghamton, NY, 2007

Tom Quigley

Tom Quigley has many years of experience playing a wide variety of music on any and all strummable instruments (including guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo and bass), and also piano and accordian.  Tom is  active in a number of bands in the Binghamton, NY area, playing bluegrass, contradance, celtic, Applachian old-time, rock, country, bluegrass, folk, and blues.  Kathy and Tom have been having a lot of fun playing together since 2006, appearing at concerts, festivals, dances and playing in the pub! [Visit Tom's site.]

Ellis Hollow Fair 2006
photo © Seamus Davis 2006

is Kathy's duo with pianist John Lewis. From 2003 through 2007, MG played for contra and English dances, and at festivals, concerts, parties and special events. MG made their concert debut in October 2004, performing for Cornell's Society for the Humanities at the historic A.D. White House. In Fall 2007, John and his family moved to Anchorage, Alaska. We are expecting to hear news of his musical endeavors in the far North very soon!

"Thanks so much again for the really wonderful concert yesterday. I enjoyed every minute of it! Thanks, too, for the time, care, and research that went into the marvelous structure of the program, interweaving music, history, and ethnography. It's a shame we couldn't have broadcast it as a radio program!" Brett de Bary, Director, Society for the Humanities, Cornell.

is Kathy on fiddle with Roberta Truscello on piano, a duo named for our love of hats and of English dance tunes (a "maggot" is a favorite tune). Since Summer 2005 we have been playing for dances and other events in the Central NY area, including a performance at the Ellis Hollow Fair in September 2005. We made our contra dance debut with a New Year's dance in Ithaca on Dec 30, 2005. [Visit MM's web site]

"I had a lovely time last night. The mad-hatter ladies sure can drive a dance!" - Pamela Goddard, Tompkins County Country Dances organizer and dance caller.

Ellis Hollow Fair 2005
photo © Ted Crane and Mike Ludgate 2005

Seidaiko
Celtic fiddle meets Taiko drumming when Kathy performs with Seidaiko, presenting traditional Japanese and modern choreographed percussion and movement. Seidaiko is led by Sensei Olen Lane, Hanshi of Seishi Karate Ithaca. Performance venues have included the Ithaca Festival and the Johnson Museum at Cornell.

Your Friends and Neighbors
 On Monday evenings in the summer, Kathy plays for contradances on the Ithaca Commons with Your Friends and Neighbors, a come-all band. Experienced players jam alongside new musicians, there's always good camaraderie and fun! Details here.

Kathy has had the good fortune to play with many fine musicians from the Ithaca area and beyond, including caller and fiddler David Kaynor, fiddler Lissa Schneckenburger, fiddler Laurie Hart, hammer dulcimer player Curt Osgood, Rochester bands Arugula and The Contrabandits, Ithaca duo Kitchen Chair, and Ithaca callers and musicians Ted Crane, Pamela Goddard and Nancy Spero.

When she can get back to California, Kathy loves to play with her old friends in the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers.