Band Bios – USA Lineup
Teresa Horgan – Flute, Whistle, Lead Vocals Teresa Horgan, from Co. Cork, has an emotive singing style. “She has just enough world weariness in her vocals to interpret…songs and make them her own.” – Tony Lawless, tradconnect. She has two albums with ‘FullSet’ and is soon releasing two albums, one with ‘The Outside Track’ called ‘Light up the Dark’ and one with guitarist, Matt Griffin, called ‘Brightest Sky Blue’. She was also privileged to perform on ‘The Late Late show’. She has toured extensively and shared the stage with The Chieftains, Declan O’Rourke, Andy Irvine and more.
Fiona Black – Accordion From the Highland village of Evanton, Fiona Black developed a love of music and dance from a young age. The feisean movement provided her the opportunity to nurture her passion through learning to play the piano accordion. Fiona went on to attend the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music where she honed her skills as an accordionist and gained valuable experience arranging, performing, composing and recording. Fiona set off for Limerick in 2005 where she completed a BA with Honours in Irish Music and Dance. During this degree, Fiona further developed her skills as a performer, arranger, teacher and composer while also traveling to Cape Breton during her third year of studies. Fiona’s accordion style incorporates many different influences, intertwining her native Scottish style with Irish, Swedish and Cape Breton repertoire, always adding her distinctive rhythm and vibrancy.
Ailie Robertson – Harp Ailie Robertson from Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of Scotland’s leading young traditional musicians. She is a musician in the broadest sense: composer, arranger, teacher, improviser and harp virtuoso. Her accomplishment on the clarsach is such that leading Irish flautist Niall Keegan said: “Ailie’s synthesis of Irish, Scottish and contemporary harping technique into an individual style represents the realisation of otherwise unimagined possibilities for the Celtic harp.” Ailie grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was immersed in the harp world from an early age. She began playing the clarsach when she was eleven years old and through her piano and clarsach lessons she developed a love for both classical and traditional music. In 2009 she was nominated for ‘Up and Coming Artist of the Year’ in the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards. Ailie is in great demand as a teacher around the world, and has published six books of harp music.
Mairi Rankin – Fiddle, Step-dance Born in Mabou, Mairi Rankin is a fiddler and step dancer who has been influenced by some of the best Cape Breton traditional musicians and instructors on the island. She has developed her own unique style by being immersed in such a rich musical culture. Mairi has been fortunate to tour nationally and internationally as a performer and educator in both fiddle and step dance. She has performed as a solo artist, a side musician, and as a member of the Cape Breton Celtic super group Beòlach and the Scottish/Irish/Canadian band The Outside Track. Mairi has recorded one solo album, two each with Beòlach and The Outside Track and been featured on numerous compilations and recordings.
Eric MacDonald – Guitar Eric McDonald is a fast rising face on the traditional music scene. A former student at Boston's Berklee College of Music, he is accomplished as a mandolinist and DADGAD guitarist. His refined accompaniment can be heard on recordings by artists such as Katie McNally, Brendan Carey Block, Pesky J. Nixon, Rebecca Wudarski and others. He tours as a member of the inter-continental Scottish trio Cantrip, as well as alongside fine musicians such as Will Woodson, Ryan McKasson, Connor Garvey, Andrea Beaton and others. Eric's debut solo release "Rove" is a combination album of mandolin/guitar duets alongside guitarist Bethany Waickman and a collection of traditional ballads, self-accompanied. Eric is a well known instructor, having spent five years on staff at the Club Passim School of Music in Cambridge MA, teaching privately and annually at summer camps such as Maine Fiddle Camp.