Mi’kmaq fiddle; the Villalobos Brothers, Claremont Creative Center, and more!

Mi’kmaltic: Morgan Toney, Fiddle

May 13, 2023 @ 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Union Episcopal Church

Join us for a performance by Canadian Mi’kmaq fiddler and singer Morgan Toney offering music he calls “Mi’kmaltic” (Mi’kmaq + Celtic). Enjoy this great event in the outstanding acoustics of the historic Union Church. Admission is by donation, and students are free – support live music in our community! This concert will be offered live in person, and online.

Morgan will be visiting Maple Avenue School as part of his Upper Valley Residency in partnership with BarnArts.

ABOUT MORGAN

Music’s an almost alchemical force to Canadian Mi’kmaq fiddler and singer Morgan Toney. From the first time he really heard music, sitting on the floor of his uncle’s house transfixed by a DVD of Phil Collins, to 2022 where he’s one of the most in-demand young fiddlers and singers in Atlantic Canada, was nominated for three East Coast Canadian Music Awards, and his debut album, First Flight, is being reissued by Indigenous record label Ishkode RecordsIn just a short amount of time, Toney’s been able to invigorate both the Atlantic music communities and Mi’kmaq communities by bringing together the fiery fiddling of Cape Breton Island with the old songs of the Mi’kmaq, one song dating back up to 500 years. He calls this fusion Mi’kmaltic (Mi’kmaq + Celtic) and it’s his way of celebrating his language and heritage. He’s honoring the elders who’ve taught him the songs and the language, and he’s taking his place on the front lines of Eastern Canada’s cultural divide.

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Villalobos Brothers

May 26, 2023 @ 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Union Episcopal Church

Join us for the Internationally Acclaimed Grammy-winning Villalobos Brothers as they perform their original music that fuses Mexican folk with jazz and classical traditions. We suggest registering for tickets in advance for this show to ensure you will have seats for this incredible opportunity to hear these artists in the excellent acoustic space at Union Church.

Tickets for this event are sliding scale, pay what you can. Student tickets are free. Offered live in person and live-streamed/on demand. Register now.


The Villalobos Brothers are a Grammy-winning family band, that has been acclaimed as one of today’s leading Contemporary Mexican ensembles. Their original compositions and arrangements masterfully fuse and celebrate the richness of Mexican folk music with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music. The ensemble’s virtuosic performances have delighted audiences throughout Latin America, India, Russia, Canada, and over 30 states across the USA. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Latin Grammy Awards, Davies Symphony Hall, Montreal Jazz Festival, the Ford Theatre in Hollywood, the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations, the New Victory Theatre on Broadway, San Jose Jazz Fest, Celebrate Brooklyn, the 66th FIFA Congress in Mexico City, the Blue Note Jazz Festival, the Apollo Theatre and many more. In 2018, they joined forces with Arturo O’Farrill, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and the “Colectivo Conga Patria” for the “Fandango at the Wall” project. This ambitious undertaking, produced by Kabir Sehgal, united legendary international musicians for a live concert at the Tijuana-San Diego border wall which resulted in a live album and documentary film by HBO Max. In February 2023 the album “Fandango At The Wall Live in NYC” won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album of the year. The Villalobos Brothers recently premiered their Symphonic Project, performing sold-out concerts with the San Francisco Symphony, Sun Valley Symphony, Walla Walla Symphony, Yakima Symphony, and Sun Valley Symphony Orchestras. The ensemble has collaborated with legendary musicians including Grammy winners Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Antonio Sánchez, Regina Carter, Eduardo Magallanes, Dan Zanes, and Ana Tijoux. The Villalobos Brothers are on tour, delivering a powerful message of love, brotherhood, and social justice. Their albums “Aliens of Extraordinary Abilities” and “Somos” are available on all digital platforms.

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Community Music Making

Come Sing with Us: Join the new Echo Singers community group. If you like to sing, learn, and have fun with music this is the group for you. Casual gatherings twice a month, open to all singing backgrounds. Find out more:

Djembe and Balafon with Mamadou Diabate

Are you interested in upcoming workshops in world percussion instruments? There are some in the works that may pop up in the coming weeks and months. Contact us to get notified of these special small group opportunities. [email protected]


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