Each year, Chad's fiddle & stepdance students have the opportunity to perform in a Celtic Christmas show for residents of a retirement community in Ottawa, and our June Recital which showcases students' accomplishments over the season of lessons. Watch for us at local charity and community events during the year as well!
Check our our recent Virtual Recital.
Our very first Virtual Recital.
Irish Music Magaizine - CD REVIEW
CHAD WOLFE
Clogs & Jigs & Reels ... Oh My!
Sometimes we lrish forget that our people before us who emigrated to
‘foreign parts’, not least Canada and the United States, brought with them
their feet as well. And the feet of their descendants do today the same
things that we see here in Ireland - the old-style dancing that is now so
widely regarded and sometimes referred to as sean-nos dancing. And it's
often forgotten that other Western Europeans who emigrated over the
centuries to North America had feet as well and did the same sort of thing
what is called in Newfoundland “doin a few scuffs”.
I must say that I am impressed with this new CD of Chad Wolfe's, Clogs
& Jigs & Reels... Oh My! It's really exciting to see this new young
generation of dancers doing what the people did before them in the music
and the dancing. Indeed, where Chad is from in Ontario the tradition in
music, song and dance is stronger than ever. In the 60s, I remember
renowned fiddle players like Graham Townsend playing for the maestro
himself, Donnie Gilchrist, a major influence in the field of Canadian folk
dance. Donnie was a key figure in the promotion of Ottawa Valley step
dancing and its recognition as a unique style.
Chad's CD is organized for dancers to easily navigate through the
variety of tempos of clogs, jigs, reels, and medleys. I agree with Kyle
Burghout, North American Irish Fiddle Champion, when he says, “My
favourite part of the album is the ongoing interplay between fiddle and
piano a signature sound of the Canadian tradition, executed masterfully
by Chad Wolfe (fiddle) and Mark Allen (piano).”
Other accompanists are guitarists, Corey Thomas, Ted Chase and on
cello is Emma Grant-Zypchen. Xavier Leahy, newest member of the
famous Canadian Celtic band, Leahy, contributes both his guitar and
accordion skills. I had the pleasure of seeing his family perform in the late
1960s when I was singing in Peterborough, Ontario.
Adding to the delightful performance, dozens of tunes in the various
medleys are given intriguing titles like, Toto and Your Little Wolfe Too, The
Hearty Tin Man of Ballymote, Munchkin Maids of Castlebar, The Higher
Level Scarecrow, and The Reel Twister (the hand of a wizard is at work
here). Did I say I was impressed with this CD? I am and I think you will
be, too. Also, this fiddler and teacher of dance is a pretty good hand with
his feet and worth checking out online.
Aidan O'Hara - Irish Music Magazine
