Complete with with the sounds of near hurricane like background wind, virtuoso banjo tuning solos and stage banter,  this workshop was a journey into pre-1950s (and beyond) music with a few masters of traditional and old-time tunes.​

​HANNAH SHIRA NAIMAN
Hannah Naiman grew up just north of Toronto but her family was steeped in the musical tradition of the Appalachian Mountains. Her banjo-driven songs draw on folk traditions she heard time and again through her parent’s music and community. While Hannah’s style is decidedly Appalachian folk, she’s also influenced by styles outside the genre, such as English and Irish ballads, African spirituals and gospel music, as well as the pop and indie music that filled her younger days – Tori Amos, Ani Difranco, and other strong female songwriters. Singer of the Year at the 2017 Canadian Folk Music Awards.

SHEESHAM & LOTUS & ‘SON
The end of the twentieth century saw the formation of Sheesham & Lotus, a simple musical duo whose main concern was to revive fiddle music and good-time songs of years past. In the years following, they have become one of the most popular old-time roots acts in North America. Noted for their highly original presentation, Sheesham & Lotus & ‘Son have created a sonic and visual language that is very much their own, utilizing instruments of their own creation such as the Sepia-phonic Monophone, and the Contrabass HarmoniPhoneum.

DUNCAN CAMERON
Duncan Cameron is a Celtic singer and multi-instrumentalist currently living in Sudbury. He chose the fiddle as his first instrument, but now also plays mandolin, guitar, Irish bouzouki, tin whistle, harmonica, bodhrán and English concertina. Traditional Irish, English and French-Canadian groups have contributed much of Duncan’s repertoire, but classical, country, and other popular styles of music have also added to his creative approach. He has toured, recorded with, and composed music for many groups including The Pierre Schryer Band (Juno nominated in 2004), Fig for a Kiss (nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2006) and The Irish Descendants.