Musical fireworks are on tap for the evening July 4 performance of the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. The evening show takes place at McCurdy Pavilion, a World War I-era balloon hangar converted into one of the West’s most distinctive performance halls. The fun will start at 7:30pm, and the Pavilion box office will be open at 6:30pm.

• Reserved Seating $20/25; 18 & under free

Thursday, July 4, 2013
Fiddlin’ on the Fourth Evening Show

• Yvon Mimeault and Guy Bouchard—Quebec
• Rich Hartness and friends—North Carolina
• Suzy Thompson—Blues and Rags
• Chirps Smith—Midwestern Fiddler
• Cookie Segelstein and Joshua Horowitz with Mark Rubin—Klezmer

Yvon Mimeault and Guy Bouchard

Former member of the iconic Quebecois band, La Bottine Souriante, Guy Bouchard is a master of Quebecois fiddling. In addition to his extensive recordings with La Bottine, Bouchard doubles as an archivist and historian of traditional Quebecois music. Yvon Mimeault is one of the great fiddlers from Québec. At age 85, this left-handed fiddler, originally from the Gaspesie, is known for his energetic style and original repertoire. Mimeault learned from his family and his nearly 50 years playing in dance halls.

Rich Hartness and friends

South Carolina native Rich Hartness is a seasoned fiddler in the Old Time style. He learned from old master players including Wilson Douglas, Melvin Wine, and the Hammons Family. Having played with musicians Tommy Jarrell and Dix Freeman, Hartness is a regular finalist at the Appalachian String Band Festival.

Suzy Thompson

Suzy is the Festival’s artistic director, who is unique in her ability to fiddle and vocalize at the same time. Over the past three decades, Suzy has been a leading force in many influential roots music groups, including the California Cajun Orchestra, the Blue Flame String Band, the all-woman Any Old Time String, and most recently, the Bluegrass Intentions. Currently, Suzy records and performs in a duet with her longtime musical partner, renowned flat picker Eric Thompson, with the Aux Cajunals and with the Thompson String Ticklers.

Chirps Smith

Chirps has played fiddle & mandolin for more than thirty years with a specialty in Midwestern dance tunes. He played mandolin with the Indian Creek Delta Boys (with fiddler Garry Harrison), The Polecats (with fiddler Mark Gunther), and fiddle & mandolin with The Volo Bogtrotters. Currently he plays with the Little Egypt Pepsteppers and VigorTones, as well as his latest group, the New Bad Habits.

Cookie Segelstein and Joshua Horowitz with Mark Rubin

Cookie is founder and director of the klezmer band Veretski Pass, and has performed with many of the world’s leading klezmer ensembles. She was featured on the ABC documentary, “A Sacred Noise,” heard on HBO’s “Sex and the City,” and is the publisher of “The Music of…” series of klezmer transcriptions. Joshua  Horowitz received his Masters degree in Composition and Music Theory from the Academy of Music in Graz, Austria, where he served as Research fellow and Director of the Klezmer Music Research Project for eight years.  Mark Rubin grew up with a love of music due to his two musician parents and the help of a rebuilt Wurlitzer 78 rpm Juke box installed the family living room. Quickly thereafter he realized his passion lay with the trombone, tuba and bass. Rubin has performed and recorded with a bevy of artists including Steve James, Santiago Jiminez Jr., the Bad Livers, and Frank Londn’s Klezmer Brass Allstars.