Dara
Dara Smith-MacDonald
darathefiddler@gmail.com
Dara Smith-MacDonald was born and raised in Antigonish, but has strong family roots in Inverness. She now resides in Port Hawkesbury. She has been playing the fiddle for over 25 years with a style that is strong, lively and traditional. Dara has played for concerts, ceilidhs, and dances throughout Cape Breton, mainland Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario and the United States. She has performed for the Antigonish Highland Games, the Acoustic Roots Festival, KitchenFest and Celtic Colours. For the past 20 years, she has been teaching fiddle to students at Colaisde na Gàidhlig (The Gaelic College) in St. Ann’s, as well as to many students in her home and around the world via Skype. Dara is a musical director and a board member of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association.
ADAM
Adam Young
adamcdyoung@gmail.com
Adam Young is a sought-after pianist from the community of French Road. His unique style adds depth, solidity, and a joyful forward motion to the music. He created and directed the Louisbourg Playhouse’s popular music and comedy revue, Cape Breton Lyrics & Laughter, which ran for nearly 400 performances over a twenty-year period. He regularly plays at concerts, ceilidhs, square dances and sessions throughout the Maritimes, and has showcased his talents in Scotland, England, Ireland, across Canada and in the United States and Australia. His 2021 double album Yearbook was nominated for Canadian Folk Music and Music Nova Scotia awards, and took home the 2022 East Coast Music Award for Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year.
BRENT
Brent Chaisson
studiodimanche.ca
A multi-instrumentalist from a long line of Chaisson Family fiddlers of eastern Prince Edward Island, Brent Chaisson quickly grew to love traditional fiddle music.
At age 12 he began to learn guitar and commonly accompanies local fiddlers at concerts. His Celtic rock band “Kindle” garnered much acclaim and success with the release of their self titled record.
He gained a 2016 ECMA nomination as a founding member of the trad group “DOC”, and has shared the stage with the Trews, Gordie Sampson, Great Big Sea, and more.