Fiddle Supergroup Childsplay returns to Lexington, New Bedford and Portland, Maine December 5-8, 2013

Northeast Concert Tour Comes on the Heels of Sixth CD As the Crow Flies and Concert DVD

“…a celebration not just of the fiddle maker that’s brought the group together, but a moment for everyone to delve into the music they love…” ~ hearthmusic.com

Fiddle supergroup Childsplay, a who’s who of fiddlers, fiddles and fiddlemaker returns to the northeast for five live performances in Lexington, Mass., New Bedford Mass. and Portland, Maine from Thursday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Dec. 8.

Touring in support of the their new CD As the Crow Flies as well as their concert DVD Live from the Zeiterion Theatre, Childsplay showcases the many sounds and styles of the violin: blues, Appalachian, Celtic, waltz, step dance and so much more.

Childsplay is the creation of Bob Childs, a fiddler who has been making violins for more than 30 years. The group features an incredibly talented group of fiddlers, including the all-Ireland fiddle champion Sheila Falls, National Scottish Fiddle champion Hanneke Cassel,  Boston Symphony Violinist Bonnie Bewick and folk superstar Sam Amidon.  Every member of the Childsplay string section plays a violin or viola hand crafted by Childs in his Cambridge, Massachusetts workshop.

Childs was first introduced to violinmaking by Ivie Mann in Maine. After six years of apprenticeships with Mittenwald-trained violinmakers Anton Smith and Michael Weller, Childs set up his own shop in Cambridge, Mass. Today, Childs continues to produce instruments with a deep, sweet and dark sound whose quality has captured the interest of leading string performers throughout the United States and beyond. As a fiddler himself, Childs was immersed in the Maine fiddle tradition for many years before becoming heavily influenced by Irish music.

In addition to the string section, Childsplay features all-star instrumentalists including Irish flute player Shannon Heaton; bass player Ralph Gordon of Trapezoid; Mark Roberts, who has toured with Don Henley and The Red Clay Ramblers; and Keith Murphy, of Nightingale. While past recordings have featured renowned singers such as Aoife O’Donovan, Laurie Lewis and Mollie O’Brien, As the Crow Flies introduces listeners to the powerful, yet gentle and evocative singing of Lissa Schneckenburger, who has also made her mark in the music world with her own world-class fiddling.

On Oct. 2, Childsplay released As the Crow Flies, their sixth album in 26 years of performances throughout North America and Europe. The CD was produced by Irish fiddling legend Liz Carroll; engineered by Bill Wynn, who has worked with Whitney Houston, Joni Mitchell and Herbie Hancock; and mastered by Grammy Award winning mastering engineer Bob Ludwig. Nearly every piece of music on the recording was composed and arranged by band members.

In addition, Childsplay recently released a new DVD, Live from the Zeiterion Theatre, which was filmed for PBS during the group’s January 2013 performance at the Zeiterion Theatre in New Bedford, Mass. The DVD is on sale to the public and features musical performances, dances and interviews with band members.

• Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
  National Heritage Museum
  33 Marrett Road
  Lexington, Mass.
  Ticket price: $30

• Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m.
  Zeiterion Theatre
  648 Purchase Street
  New Bedford, Mass.
  Ticket prices: $35/$30/$25
  (Tickets to this show are available online at www.zeiterion.org)

• Saturday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m.
  Portland High School Auditorium
  284 Cumberland Ave.
  Portland, Maine
  Ticket price: $20

• Sunday, Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (**3 p.m. performance is sold out**)
  National Heritage Museum
  33 Marrett Road
  Lexington, Mass.
  Ticket price: $30

Tickets to concerts, the CD As the Crow Flies and concert DVD Live at the Zeiterion are all available via www.childsplay.org. The CD is also available on iTunes, CDBaby and other online outlets.

More about Childsplay

Childsplay’s nearly two dozen musicians come from all over the United States and Sweden. They include some of the leading virtuosos in traditional and contemporary fiddle music. The group has performed in the United States and Europe for 26 years, showcasing an unsurpassed level of musicianship with their many different styles of fiddling. Childsplay’s repertoire ranges from the lilting beauty of Celtic jigs and airs to the driving rhythms of hoe-downs to the smoky improvisations of jazz and more. All of the group’s far-ranging stylists are tied together by one commonality: each plays a violin or viola made by band member Bob Childs in his workshop in Cambridge, Mass.

 Check out Bob’s Childs’ interview with WBZ radio here.

Preview of the concert DVD here.