Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy—Two Fiddles Two Pianos

To fans of fiddle music, Natalie MacMaster needs no introduction. In a recording career that spans 25 years, this Order of Canada recipient has released 11 albums with sales of over 200,000. She has won two JUNO Awards, 11 East Coast Music Awards, been nominated for a Grammy, is in great demand as a charismatic performer and has collaborated with artists as diverse as Yo-Yo Ma (on the Grammy-winning album, Songs of Joy & Peace), Alison Krauss, Jesse Cook and Bela Fleck. Though acknowledging that she can be a musical chameleon, Natalie stresses that, above all else, “I play Cape Breton fiddle.”
Her husband, Donnell Leahy, is no stranger to the awards podium himself. He is the oldest brother of the internationally-acclaimed family musical group Leahy, winners of three JUNO Awards. Widely recognized as one of the best Celtic fiddlers in the world, his high-energy playing style also makes him a highly popular performer.
The Cape Breton-raised MacMaster and the Ontario born-and-bred Leahy grew up with different fiddle music traditions and they still utilize different techniques on their beloved instrument. While retaining their own individual styles, they have now learned to complement each other’s playing in a way only a married couple with such personal chemistry and a joint passion for music can.
Songs (albums): Fit as a Fiddle, No Boundaries, In My Hands, Leahy, One
Tickets on sale June 26