Friday, December 14
7:00 pm

Tania Opland and Mike Freeman have been dividing their time between North America and Europe for over twenty years with a multi-cultural repertoire featuring hammered dulcimer, violin, Native American flute, cittern, recorder, guitar, hurdy-gurdy and percussion. Mike’s irreverent sense of humour and Tania’s stunning vocals provide the springboard for a rollercoaster ride across several continents and back again. They have recorded eight albums between them (including two collaborations with best-selling author Anne McCaffrey), and make numerous appearances as studio musicians on other recordings in the U.S., U.K., Ireland and Canada.

William Pint and Felicia Dale are best known for music of and from the sea: music that reflects its many moods, and the immense vitality of those who live and work on it. Their store of material includes traditional and neo-traditional maritime songs from several cultures, as well as some truly wild instrumental material with early European roots on hurdy gurdy, guitar and Irish whistle. Their high-energy style and eclectic repertoire have earned them high praise from their concert and festival appearances in the United States, Canada, Britain, Holland, and even Estonia.

In 2009 the two couples were asked to do a double-bill Holiday concert in Seattle. They took the opportunity to work up a set of quartet material to weave into the program. The feedback from both audience and organizers was so enthusiastic that they decided to work up a full show for 2010. These “Winter’s Return” concerts have become a seasonal tradition, each year mixing favorites from past shows with newly polished selections. Expect some sing-along choruses, mixed-up baroque and medieval music and, over all, a quality of fun, camaraderie and celebration.