Celtic couples to perform at North Church

?FARMINGTON — New England Celtic Arts will present “Celtic Couples” at North Church Concerts with the Farmington Historical Society on Thursday, Oct 19. Curtain is 7 p.m. with a jam session and pie social starting at 6:15 p.m.

At the forefront of the Franco American community in the Greater Portland area, one finds the musical duo of Don and Cindy Roy who have long entertained audiences in the Southern Maine area and beyond. Don is the Dean of Acadian and Franco traditions in Maine. Performances by Don Roy include the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The Library of Congress performance was reviewed by the Maine Arts Commission. Other notable concerts include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Merkin Concert Hall, The Barns at Wolf Trap, two appearances with Garrison Keillor,, and performances at the American Folk Festival.

Erica Brown Shipman developed an interest in music at an early age. At the age of 7, she was competing in fiddle contests with kids twice her age. At age 9, she was traveling throughout New England, Canada, and even Louisiana with the Maine French Fiddlers. Erica also performed as a special guest with Mac McHale And The Old-Time Radio Gang for five years. Currently, she has her own bluegrass band, Erica Brown & The Bluegrass Connection, which performs all over New England. Erica is also a member of The Stowaways, Darlin’ Corey and The Record Family Band. Erica Brown was a recipient of a 2006 Maine Arts Commission Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Award and was recognized as a Master Artist by the Maine Arts Commission that same year.

Matt Shipman (guitar) currently resides in Portland, and is a performer and teacher of acoustic and traditional music. He attended the Hartt School of Music for a time where he studied jazz trumpet before going back to his first love of traditional and acoustic music. This appreciation of traditional music is reflected in his college career, a 2004 graduate of Vermont College, majoring in a self designed major of Traditional Music Studies. For this study he traveled through Nova Scotia, North Carolina and Maine recording and compiling songs and stories from people he met, which later culminated in a radio documentary about traditional music in the 21st century.

North Church is at 12 High St.; tickets are $15. FMI: 207-778-2006 or www.necelticarts.com

Matt Shipman and Erica Brown Shipman

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