OPELOUSAS SPICE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESENTS FIDDLE MUSIC: A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Opelousas, LA) – A rare Fiddle Workshop Concert & Jam Session facilitated by Hadley J. Castille and featuring some of Acadiana’s premiere female musicians will be presented Saturday, June 4, 2011 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Opelousas Spice & Music Festival. Castille said the event will involve performing and demonstrating the various styles of fiddle playing that have evolved over the years to the various styles being played today. Intermediate and experienced fiddle players are welcome to join in the performance activity. The Fiddle Workshop & Jam Session will be held at the Opelousas Little Theatre building located next to the festival site. There is no fee to attend the Fiddle Workshop & Jam session; however, space is limited. The fiddle based event will feature an ensemble of outstanding female fiddlers and musicians. Included in the event are Anya Schoenegge Burgess of Bon Soir Catin, Jane Vidrine of the Magnolia Sisters, Gina Forsyth of Bruce Daigrepont & Friends, Esther Tyree Mertz, founder of Acadiana Fiddles and Strings and of the Acadiana Symphony, and Sarah Jayde Williams of Hadley Castille & Friends. Rounding out the fiddlers will be Christine Balfa of Bon Soir Catin on guitar and Yvette Landry on bass. About the performers: Jane Vidrine of the Magnolia Sisters is recognized around Acadiana, as a musician, folklorist, cultural activist, and teacher. She has been playing and singing since she was young and has always been drawn to the old masters to learn. Anya Burgess of Bon Soir Catin is a fiddle player that any band would love to have in their line-up. Anya incorporates a number of styles into her playing including old-time and country. She also builds and repairs fiddles. Sarah Jayde Williams, who is the grand-daughter of Hadley Castille, has been surrounded by music all of her life, it’s only natural that she would be the fourth generation of the musical Castille clan to pick up an instrument and play. Sarah Jayde is also a member of the UL Symphony Orchestra. Gina Forsyth of Bruce Daigrepont & Friends is an award-winning singer/songwriter, violinist and guitarist. Her southern roots dig deep into the soul of American culture and bloom forth in the form of pertinent, powerful lyrics that rest on the branches of vivid melodies. Esther Tyree Metz, founder of Acadiana Fiddles and instructor at Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, grew up in New Orleans where she studied violin. Her summers were spent practicing with her mom, traveling and attending Suzuki institutes. She began teaching violin as an apprentice teacher in her mother’s studio. Christine Balfa is perhaps one of Cajun music's most talented vocalists and guitar players. She began playing music as a teenager with her father, Dewey Balfa and has continued her family legacy playing in two bands Balfa Toujours and Bonsoir Catin. Yvette Landry, a native of Breaux Bridge, plays with the Lafayette Rhythm Devils and Bonsoir Catin. Dubbed the Queen of Cajun Bass, Yvette is an accomplished vocalist and a classically trained pianist and has toured with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. The Opelousas Spice & Music Festival, a unique celebration highlighting the area’s unique culture, is scheduled for June 2-5, 2011, at South City Park in Opelousas. This year’s festival, which will be held at South City Park, will offer an exciting lineup of musical performers and plenty of “spicy” events including music legend Percy Sledge, who closes out the festival on Saturday and recent Grammy winner Chubby Carriere on Sunday. For more information about Opelousas Spice and Music events, visit www.opelousasspiceandmusicfestival.com or call (337) 948-6263.
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