Cassie and Maggie MacDonald bring their lively take on Celtic fiddle, piano and vocals to the Mainstay in Rock Hall, Maryland on Saturday May 21 at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $15. For information and reservations call 410-639-9133. Information is also available at the Mainstay’s website https://www.mainstayrockhall.org.
Sisters and collaborators, Cassie and Maggie MacDonald have been enchanting audiences far and wide with their infectious energy, driving Celtic rhythms and lilting melodies. Born to a family with a rich musical heritage and raised in Nova Scotia’s musical culture and traditions, they have used their unique upbringing as a springboard for their own brand of Celtic Roots music.
The music is anchored by the powerful, lively fiddling of elder sister Cassie MacDonald and the beautiful piano work, guitar and clear vocals of her younger sister Maggie MacDonald. Still in their 20s, both are accomplished step dancers.
This is the kind of family music that has always fueled the Maritimes, and there’s a very real closeness and joy in this music that can only come from siblings making music together. They are equally at home playing tunes passed down through generations of musicians, seamlessly weaving a theme from the Moonlight Sonata into a set of sure fire reels or bringing a breath of fresh air with their original compositions and arrangements. They manage to stay true to their Celtic roots while exploring and testing the boundaries of traditional music.
They started at the ages of five and six as Highland Dancers in Nova Scotia. They didn’t start playing music until they were nine or ten. As their music has developed, dance has remained an important part of their shows. Cassie says, “Step dance has a really interesting tradition in Nova Scotia, because it is almost like another instrument. Step dancers are really regarded as musicians … They know which steps will fit well with each particular tune and they almost have a bigger repertoire than a fiddle player would. It’s really incredible to watch the old dancers. They really interpret the tune through their feet.”
Their extensive touring schedule has included appearances at festivals and concerts throughout North America and in Europe. When asked about how their shows in Canada differ from their shows in the US, Cassie MacDonald said, “We play a lot down here and we always try and give a little background—more than we would do if we were playing Canada, giving a history of the music and telling people the origins of it. … There’s a very rich tradition of music being passed down from generation to generation, and we always like to include a few of those anecdotes.”
Their most recent recording “Sterling Road” has earned awards and great reviews and their new recording “The Willow Collection” will be released this year.
The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street.
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