Bruce Molsky

Grammy-nominated, described as “an absolute master” (No Depression), Bruce Molsky transports audiences to another time and place, with his authentic and personal interpretations of rarities from the Southern Appalachian songbook and other musical traditions from around the globe. Best known for his work on the fiddle, Bruce’s banjo, guitar and his distinctive, powerful vocals also resonate with listeners. His combination of technical virtuosity and relaxed conversational wit makes a concert hall feel like an intimate front porch gathering.

Bruce's take on tradition has landed him in collaborations with some of the world's most highly respected players from roots to rock. He is a special guest on legend rocker Mark Knopfler’s recent CD, “Tracker.” His 1865 Songs of Hope & Home with Anonymous 4, was on Billboard’s top 10 for weeks. Along with Andy Irvine & Donal Lunny, Bruce is a founding member of the supergroup Mozaik, with three recordings. You can see Bruce on the BBC TV “Transatlantic Sessions” with Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas, and on “David Holt’s State of Music” on PBS. He stays active touring and recording with longtime collaborators Darol Anger, Tony Trischka and Mountain Drifters’ Allison de Groot.

The July ’24 release of Lockdown Breakdown, Bruce & Darol Anger’s brand new duet fiddle record, is an important pit stop in their years-long trip of collaborating. They continue to love exploring and chasing a shared musical vision that changes and grows as they go, and has powered at least a couple of generations of listeners and players. The project features original compositions, significant vocal songs from America’s recent past, and traditional tunes from all over the world.

February 2022 marked the long-anticipated release of Bruce’s solo guitar CD: “Everywhere You Go,” a coming-together of new interpretations and arrangements of a wide swath of tunes and songs performed in his own quirky and personal finger style guitar.

Bruce holds the title of “Visiting Scholar in the American Roots Music Program” at Berklee College of Music, where he is the go-to guy for the next generation of roots musicians.

“Performing and teaching traditional music are the biggest things in my world. For me, being a musician isn’t a standalone thing; it informs everything I do in my life. It’s always been about being creative and being a part of something much bigger than myself, a link in the musical chain and part of the community of people who play it and love it.”

Patrick Ourceau

Fiddler Patrick Ourceau was born in France where he discovered and started to play Irish music. He spent most of his adult life living in New York city and is now based Toronto, Canada. Mostly self taught, Patrick’s music was influenced early on by the discovery of recordings of the legendary fiddle players Paddy Canny, Bobby Casey and Paddy Fahey. Since the mid eighties, Patrick has been regularly visiting Ireland and especially county Clare. During those trips, he has been able to regularly meet and play with many local musicians, among them the legendary fiddle player Paddy Canny and flute and fiddle player Peter O’Loughlin. Patrick moved to New York City in 1989 where he quickly became an integral part of that City’s rich traditional Irish music community. Patrick was especially influenced there by the style and repertoire of Woodford, Co. Galway flute player Jack Coen.

Patrick has been a member since 2003 of the trio Chulrua, led by the legendary accordion player Paddy O’Brien. In the past twenty years, Patrick has toured all over North America and Europe in a variety of duets, trios and bands, most notably with Ennis, Co. Clare concertina player Gearoid O hAllmhurain; Tulla, Co. Clare accordion player Andrew Mac Namara and with the legendary Tulla Ceili band, on the band’s last American tour. Patrick has been featured on a host of recordings, including the 2007 Chulrua release The Singing Kettle, on Shanachie Records; Live at Mona’s in 2004 with Guitarist Eamon O’Leary; Tracin’ with concertina player Gearoid O hAllmhurain; on flute player Cathal McConnell’s Long Expectant comes at Last; on accordion player John Whelan’s Celtic Roots; on Steve Johnson’s Lowlands, released in 2009 and on theTG4 CD and DVD release Geantrai, a compilation celebrating the first ten years of the popular traditional Irish music television program.

Patrick is in great demand as a teacher and throughout his career, he has taught at most major traditional Irish music schools, summer camps and festivals in the US and Canada. in addition, he taught at the Europadanse week in Vannes, France; Patrick has also taught at the Armagh’s Piper’s Club in County Armagh in Northern Ireland, and at the Fleadh Nua in Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland. He is currently involved in the development of Toronto’s Traditional Irish Music School which he opened in 2010 with local piper Debbie Quigley. He also teaches in an Irish music after school program at St. Paul school in downtown Toronto, that was inspired by the need of the children of that part of the city for enriched extracurricular opportunities, and by the historical connection of the school to Toronto’s Irish ancestry.

Véronique Plasse

Véronique Plasse, a trained actress and a musician, has joined the world of traditional music since a score of years, working at enhancing Québec's cultural heritage. Her commitments and involvements are driven by goals which are at the heart of whatever she undertakes: creation, gathering, preservation and diffusion. Endowed with a very sensitive and positive energy, Véronique really enjoys bringing to the public her knowledge and a kind of cultural expertise she acquired through encounters and research. Spurred by her passion for Québec traditional music, this violinist and singer has been active on the international traditional folk scene for about 20 years. Recognized by her fellow trad musicians as a high-calibre performer, Véronique strongly believes that we must carry on the effort of creating moments and places where beauty, sharing and human interaction weave the threads of a sociocultural fabric we can all call our own. Véronique performs also in several other significant projects: Beaton-Plasse, Les Commandos Trad, Barbo and Hurlevent.