Hi, The KVMR Celtic Festival draws over 10,000 people to the Nevada County Fairgrounds for headline music and festivities on the first weekend in October. It's the biggest single fundraiser for community radio KVMR - a stunning event and a defining moment for the community. Please contact me for a feature story on the event. I'll gladly provide press passes and line up advance interviews with headliners. LOTS of great photos available.

THANKS, Peter Peter Wilson 530-477-0708 - office 530-913-5534 - cell peter@stringsconcerts.com

WHO: Community Radio KVMR 89.5 FM WHAT: 19th Annual KVMR Celtic Festival WHEN: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, October 2-4 10:00 am to 10:00PM on Saturday 10:00 am to 8:00PM on Sunday Seniors are admitted at 9:00 am on Sunday only for complimentary coffee, scones and preferred seating. Friday, October 2, 4:00 to 7:00PM - FREE Youth Arts Program 7:30 to 11:00 – Ceilidh Dance WHERE: Nevada County Fairgrounds 11228 McCourtney Rd, Grass Valley, CA 95949 TICKETS: $12 - $50, Camping and RV hookups are available Tickets at http://www.kvmr.org/celticfestival/tickets.htm or by calling 530-265-9073 Information at celtfest@kvmr.org or 530-265-9073 WEBPAGE: www.kvmrcelticfestival.org CONTACT: Peter Wilson, peter@stringsconcerts.com, 530-913-3345 HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS - http://kvmrcelticfestival.org/press-room/ LOTS of great photos available ****************************** The 19th annual KVMR Celtic Festival and Marketplace mixes Celtic music and magic October 2, 3 & 4 in Grass Valley, California at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, a bucolic setting on 100 acres among giant ponderosa pines . There are eight stages and performance areas. Our main stage hosts many of the best Celtic musicians on the world stage. The Nevada County Fairgrounds is transformed into a Celtic Village and headline concert venue. World-famous Celtic musicians perform on our main stage to. Mainstage musical headliners for this year include Galician piper Carlos Nuñez, Irish squeeze box master Sharon Shannon, Irish sister quartet Screaming Orphans, Boston fiddler Hanneke Cassel, Irish singer/songwriters Cassie & Maggie MacDonald, Celtic rockers Da imh, California duo Paul Kamm & Eleanore MacDonald, Sacramento’s own One Eyed Reilly and many more. Shopping and dining opportunities abound with over 50 vendors and a complete Irish Pub. Hundreds of regional performers, singers, bagpipers, actors, jugglers and storytellers roam the fairgrounds. We will again be offering our Free Friday Youth Arts Program, giving local students ages 10-18 the opportunity to participate in workshops with headline performers. Also returning will be the Friday night Ceilidh – a Celtic party with music, dancing and revelry under the stars. Musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments and join in with jam sessions and workshops scheduled throughout the weekend. History buffs can explore several encampments of “Guilds” who re-create points and places in time. Exciting and educational, the Celtic Animals exhibit houses falcons, eagles, hawks, owls, sheep and ponies. Revelers make music into the night in the campgrounds complete with tall trees and a lake. Camping and RV hookups are available on-site. Amateur and professional athletes test their strength and skill in Scottish Games. Children are kept engaged with arts and crafts, story telling, and romping on the straw bales. We hope you and your family will join us for this year’s KVMR Celtic Festival.

FREE YOUTH ARTS PROGRAM - Friday, October 2 from 4:00 to 7:00PM The Celtic Festival's Friday Youth Arts Program has grown to be a wonderful afternoon of music, magic, dance and arts instruction for aspiring artists. Participants, ages 10-18, learn from world-class artists and festival headliners. Youth participants in the program can take 1-3 consecutive workshops of their choice. The FREE program includes workshops and a discounted youth day pass for attendees. ************************* FRIDAY NIGHT CEILIDH - Friday, October 2 from 7:30PM This year the KVMR Celtic Festival will get a running start on Friday night with our first-ever Friday Night Ceilidh - an evening of Celtic music and dance featuring Reel of Seven and internationally acclaimed dance caller Linda Henderson. Reel of Seven is considered one of the country’s premier Celtic dance bands featuring Andy Imbrie on piano, fiddler Deby Benton Grosjean, cellist Renata Bratt, with percussionist Gary Campus keeping the beat. They've released two CDs and have collectively performed throughout USA and abroad. There’ll be line, circle, and couple dancing for all ages and abilities. No need to come with a partner - it’s a great way to socialize and meet friends. The Friday Night Ceilidh will be held at the Ponderosa Hall at the Nevada County Fairgrounds with indoor space for dancing, an outdoor deck with food and a full service pub, and beautiful garden space for relaxing and enjoying the evening. ************************* Carlos Núñez “…if it’s possible to become a pop star playing traditional music on bagpipes and recorder, Núñez could be the man,” -Los Angeles Times Few pop stars pack the energy, virtuosity, imagination, daring, and charisma into their concerts and recordings as Galician multi-instrumentalist Carlos Núñez does. He is the world’s most famous player of the gaita, the bagpipes of Galicia, Spain’s northwest, Atlantic Ocean-abutting region rich in vibrant, uniquely expressive Celtic traditional music. Nevertheless, several decades ago Paddy Moloney, leader of the celebrated Irish traditional band the Chieftains, called Galicia “the unknown Celtic country,” implying that traditional music as exciting as Galicia’s was overdue for a global breakout in awareness and acclaim. Like the Chieftains, who became Ireland’s foremost ambassadors of Irish traditional music by spreading its appeal internationally, Carlos Núñez has become Galicia’s foremost traditional music ambassador by doing the same. He takes that important responsibility very seriously but without a shred of self-importance. Born in 1971 and raised in the Galician port of Vigo, where he initially picked up the gaita at age eight, Carlos both embodies and reflects the irrepressible spirit of his native music. But he also understands the pitfalls of traditional music becoming incrementally complacent in approach and insulated from innovation. Under those conditions, even the heartiest music can eventually slip into predictability. Carlos respects and seeks to safeguard Galicia’s musical legacy while also skillfully exploring fresh, fascinating realms of possibility for it. In 1994 The Chieftains, whom Carlos had initially met at Lorient’s Inter-Celtic Festival, invited Carlos to perform with them at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. It was a highly auspicious U.S. concert debut by him, and since then he has toured and recorded several times with the Chieftains, including on their albums Voice of Ages (2012), San Patricio (2010), The Long Black Veil (1995), and Santiago (Carlos worked closely with Moloney in developing this Galician-sparked, Spanish-focused project from 1996). The latter two CD’s earned Grammy awards, and Carlos as a solo artist received Latin Grammy nominations for Os Amores Libres in 2000 andMayo Longo in 2001.

The gaita is Galicia’s signature sonic symbol, dating back at least to the 11th century, and Carlos’s utter mastery of this bagpipe has been integral to its rising popularity inside and outside Spain. His ability in fingering the chanter to bend, extend, or cut notes, sustain and change tempos, explore harmonic nuances and tonal colors, and complement and counterpoint other musicians’ playing is nothing short of astonishing, and those musical hallmarks are not limited to his playing of the gaita. At the Royal Conservatory in Madrid, Carlos took lessons on the recorder, for which he received the highest possible grades, but it was his subsequent self-training that raised his proficiency level to studio and concert-hall quality. “The recorder is a very personal, intimate instrument,” Carlos pointed out. “The gaita has drones, so its sound is powerfully earthy. With the recorder, you can fly like a bird.” Carlos’s instrumental arsenal also includes the ocarina, assorted whistles, Scottish highland pipes, uilleann (Irish) pipes, bombarde (a kind of Breton oboe), biniou koz (Breton bagpipes), and pastoral pipes (18th-century precursor of the uilleann pipes). This impressive panoply of instruments provides Carlos and his audiences with a variety of textures matched to that of his repertoire. On Inter-Celtic, Carlos’s range is again exemplary and exhilarating, abetted by his own core band and another star-studded roster of special guests. Among the other 14 standout tracks are “Vento das Cies” (exuberant muiñeira, or Galician traditional jig, featuring button accordionist Sharon Shannonand bouzouki-bodhrán player Dónal Lunny from Ireland), “Gavotte/Pandeirada” (atmospheric, animated pairing of harper Alan Stivell’s Breton-steeped composition and a Galician tune), “Two Shores” (poignant Galician melody principally played by U.S. guitar ace Ry Cooder and Carlos that came from a 19th-century Galician zarzuela, or folk opera), “Is the Big Man Within?” (lively Irish traditional jig played by Carlos with the Irish traditional band Altan), and “Over Nine Waves” (Carlos’s beautiful, contemplative composition inspired by the legendary story of the ancient Milesians, who sailed from northern Spain to Ireland and became ancestors of the Celtic populace there, a number of whose descendants would emigrate centuries later to northern Spain and especially Galicia to escape hardship). Building strong, durable bridges between distinct yet kindred Celtic traditions with passion and care, he remains a global force to be reckoned with in all of music today. www.carlos-nunez.com www.facebook.com/pages/Carlos-Núñez/ ************************* Sharon Shannon “This is music of many layers and various resonances… Nothing, though quite prepares one for the beast that is ‘Flying Circus’, an acoustic guitar begins a strum, which Sharon takes up, giving the signal for all hell to break loose. Mass and undignified dancing breaks out but that is in its essence the charm of a Sharon Shannon performance – in truth, bringing it all back home.” – Sligo Live “Irish musician Sharon Shannon has carved out an impressive career through verve and talent. She gets a strong, almost “vocal” tone from her accordions; her instrumental technique is remarkable, yet looks effortless; and her smile could light up a small fishing village by itself.” – The Guardian Sharon Shannon has music at her fingertips….literally! The accordionist from Ireland has achieved legendary status throughout the world and has made the much-maligned accordion ‘cool’ in her home country. Renowned for her collaborations, not just in Irish traditional music, but through all musical genres, Hip-Hop, Cajun, Country, Classical and Rap. Sharon has recorded and toured with a who’s who of the Irish and Global Music Industry, including Bono, Adam Clayton, Sinead O’Connor, Jackson Browne, John Prine, Steve Earle, Mark Knopfler, The RTE Concert Orchestra,

The Chieftains, The Waterboys, Willie Nelson, Nigel Kennedy, Alison Krauss and Shane MacGowan – a list that is testament to Sharon’s versatility as well as talent. She has entertained US President Bill Clinton and Irish Presidents Robinson and MacAleese and more recently The Sultan of Brunei in Australia. Sharon records and produces her albums at her own studios ‘Poets Corner’ outside Galway in Ireland; and she owns her own record label – The Daisy Label. The genre-defying star has had multi-platinum album sales and has had several number one albums, singles and DVDs in her home country. A prolific composer, Sharon is currently writing an album of traditional tunes for full Concert Orchestra arrangement. She is also working on a new album with guest singers to be released in 2009 – and has just completed working on Neil Jordan film with Colin Farrell. Sharon’s last album ‘The Galway Girl’ has gone 4 times Platinum in Ireland and the title track has won the Meteor Award for most downloaded song for the last two years. This year’s Meteor Awards honoured Sharon as the youngest ever winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award. www.sharonshannon.com www.facebook.com/sharon.shannon1 ************************* The Screaming Orphans “…unique in all the world. No one else can quite create their pop, rock and Gaelic-influenced songs.” – That Mag “Screaming Orphans are neither screaming (thank heavens) nor orphans. What they are is fun. And talented. And exciting to hear.” – 67 Music The Screaming Orphans are four sisters with the good fortune to have been raised in the magic of Bundoran in County Donegal, Ireland. There is a great tradition of music to be found in Irish homes especially in the Gaeltacht or Irish-speaking areas which have produced the likes of Clannad, Enya and Mairead, Micheal and Triona Ni Dhomhnaill. Their home was no exception. They’d been singing and playing traditional Irish music but when they hit their teenage years they knew it was time to start their own band. Their first gigs were at local surf festivals at Bundoran playing covers. They were soon writing their own music and travelling to Dublin to play the singer/ songwriter clubs including Whelans. At one of these shows they were seen by the director of London based Blue Mountain Music publishing company founded by Chris Blacktheyll of Island Music and subsequently signed a deal with them. Their next break came with an invitation to play at a St.Brigid’s day concert in Kildare along with truly great Irish artists like Christy Moore, Liam O’Maonlai, and Sinead O’Connor. Sinead then asked them to be her back-up singers and open for her on her Gospel Oak Tour. They toured across Europe, America and Canada, and appeared on David Letterman and other TV shows as part of her show and as a band in their own right. The following year was spent with world music star, Babba Maal, singing at his homecoming concert in Dakar, Senegal, and contributing vocals to his album “Nomad Soul.” They also recorded with Peter Gabriel and were backing vocalists on the Joni Mitchell track “Magdalene Laundries” for the Chieftains “Tears of Stone” album. A year later, they signed with Warner UK and recorded their debut album in Normandy France with the legendary Mike Hedges, who has been producer for the likes of Siouxie and the Banshees, U2, Manic Street Preachers, Texas, and Travis.

While they can never forget their roots in traditional Irish music, the Screaming Orphans draw on a diverse set of influences ranging from Simon & Garfunkel, The Bangles to The McNulty Family, with a strong focus on melody-driven songs with pop and rocks strains. Being surrounded by so many different influences has inspired us to explore new and exciting song writing and performance concepts. Their CDs reflect Their Celtic roots but cross many cultural boundaries, which might explain why they recorded “Listen and Learn” in France and Malta, “Circles” in Nashville, Tennessee, “East 12th Street” in New York City and “Belle’s Isle,” “The Jacket’s Green,” “Lonely Boy,” “Sliabh Liag” and “Toy Theatre” in Ireland. And if you’re wondering about their name… A friend of Joan’s (Damien Granaghan) came up with it one night and they loved the name because they were going out on the road on their own and they were leaving behind Their Mam who had been their lead singer for years and Their Da who was their manager/sound engineer and so they became “orphans.” The “screaming” bit is what usually occurs when surrounded by family and they are known to hit certain high notes that could be interpreted as scream-like. That and their secondary school used to be an orphanage so there you have it. Joan Diver – drums, vocals Angela Diver – bass, violin, vocals Gráinne Diver – guitar, vocals Marie Thérèse Diver – keys, accordion, vocals www.thescreamingorphans.com www.facebook.com/screamingorphans ************************* Da imh “One of the most exhilarating acoustic bands on the Celtic map…” – Irish Music Magazine Taking their name from the Scottish Gaelic word for kinship, ‘Gaelic Supergroup’ Da imh (pronounced dive) are a 5 piece band based in Lochaber in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland; an area as much renowned for its scenic beauty as for its rich musical and cultural heritage. A long-established favourite at folk festivals in Scotland, Ireland and across Europe, 2014 saw the group win the “Eiserner Eversteiner” European Folk Music Award in the 23nd German Folkherbst competition and also nominated for Folk Band of the Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards. Joined by Gaelic champion, Griogair Labhruidh, on vocals and Uillean Pipes, adding the depth and power of his commanding vocal performances to an already phenomenal instrumental arsenal of bagpipes, fiddle, whistles, mandola and guitar. From pyrotechnic jigs and reels to achingly poignant ballads, they run the full expressive gamut of folk music at its best, and are justly renowned for their thrilling live shows. Daimh have released 5 studio albums to date. Their most recent; Tuneship once again sees the band blazing a new trail in the Scottish music scene with their own instrumental compositions skilfully integrated with traditional Gaelic Songs.This is a great Gaelic band and definitely worthy of the title Gaelic Super Group. THE BAND: Angus MacKenzie: Highland Pipes/Border Pipes/Whistles A Gaelic-speaking piper from Mabou, Cape Breton Island on Canada’s East Coast residing for the past 17 years on the Isle of Skye. His piping style draws on his strong South Uist roots along with the dance-influenced rhythms of Cape Breton music. 2012 saw Angus, along with his brother Kenneth nominated for Roots Traditional Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards for their album, Piob is Fidheall. Gabe McVarish: Fiddle

Hailing from Northern California, where his family settled after emigrating from Morar, Lochaber via Prince Edward Island. At the age of 17 Gabe travelled to his ancestral homeland of the Scottish Highlands where he spent a year studying music under the tutelage of fiddler and tradition bearer Angus Grant Sr. After completing a degree in Scottish music Gabe released solo album Eclection, a culmination of fiddle styles and repertoire from both sides of the Atlantic. Murdo Cameron: Mandola/Mandolin/Accordion Murdo comes from a long line of traditional Gaelic singers and was immersed in music growing up Glenelg, a wee village a stones throw across from the Isle of Skye, famous for being twinned with Mars. A member of the Mountain Rescue, Murdo started out as an accordion player and piper, who in the last few years has been a busy guitar accompanist and stringed things enthusiast. Griogair Labhruidh: Gaelic Song/Uillean Pipes/Whistles/Guitar Griogair belongs to hereditary Argyllshire piping traditions that go back for generations. He was brought up next to Loch Lomond and was drawn towards his family’s traditions, history and language from a young age. Griogair sings, speaks and writes in the Gaelic dialect of the Ballachulish area and has learned this from a living tradition to which he has a direct connection. He writes many of his own Gaelic songs and pipe tunes and has released two critically acclaimed solo albums. Ross Martin: Guitar From Arisaig though now lives in neighbouring Morar. A fisherman from early teens until his twenties and now an active member of the Coastguard, Ross has gone on to tour Europe and the U.S. with Irish singer Karan Casey. Ross’ unique style of guitar accompaniment has him in demand for numerous projects including Dual, a collaborative exploration of traditional Gaelic music of Scotland and Ireland by Danu singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoimh and Brave singing sensation, Julie Fowlis. www.daimh.net www.facebook.com/daimhmusic ************************* Hanneke Cassel “Exuberant and rhythmic, somehow both wild and innocent, delivered with captivating melodic clarity and an irresistible playfulness…” – Boston Globe Hanneke Cassel’s fiddling has brought the native Oregonian many honors and awards. She is the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, she holds a Bachelors of Music in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music, and she has performed and taught across North America, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, China, and India. HANNEKE’S LATEST RELEASE, Dot the Dragon’s Eyes (February 2014) features an all-star cast of musicians – including Mike Block, Rushad Eggleston, Jeremy Kittel, Keith Murphy, Christopher Lewis, Dave Wiesler, Ryan McKasson, Cali McKasson Kovin, and Ariel Friedman. Influences from the Isle of Skye and Cape Breton Island fuse together with grooves and musical innovations from the hip Boston bluegrass/Americana scene to give Hanneke a uniquely American approach to Scottish music. She creates sounds on the cutting edge of acoustic music, while retaining the integrity and soul of the tradition. IN ADDITION TO HER SOLO ACT, Hanneke has performed with Baroque/Celtic group Ensemble Galilei, Irish singer Cathie Ryan, Cherish the Ladies, Alasdair Fraser, and Makem & Spain. She is an active member of Boston-based band Childsplay (featuring 20+ fiddles made by Bob Childs) and co-founder (with Laura Cortese and Lissa Schneckenburger) of Celtic chick band Halali. She teaches regularly at Alasdair Fraser’s Valley of the Moon and Sierra Fiddle Camps, the Mike Block String Camp, Harald Haugaard’s International Fiddle School, and the Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School. Hanneke’s fiddling has graced the stages of The Boston Hatch Shell (performing with Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block), Boston’s Symphony Hall (opening for Judy Collins), Mountain Stage, and Lincoln Center.

AWARDS *2008 USA Songwriting Contest 1st place INSTRUMENTAL 3rd place OVERALL *2006 Nomination for Boston Music Award Best Folk Act *1998 Berklee College of Music Strings Award *1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion *1996 Oregon State Texas-style Grand Champion *1996 Berklee U.S. Scholarship Tour Award *1992 and 1994 U.S. National Jr. Scottish Champion DISCOGRAPHY *Dot the Dragon’s Eyes (February 2014) Hanneke Cassel *For Reasons Unseen Hanneke Cassel *Notes From Across The Sea Ensemble Galilei *Waiting for the Dawn Childsplay *Calm the Raging Sea Hanneke Cassel/Christopher Lewis *From the Edge of the World Ensemble Galilei *In the Moment Alasdair Fraser/ Natalie Haas *Silver Hanneke Cassel *Some Melodious Sonnet Hanneke Cassel *The Farthest Wave Cathie Ryan *Many Happy Returns Hanneke Cassel/ Dave Wiesler *Halali Halali *My Joy Hanneke Cassel *Diary of a Fiddler Darol Anger *The Wee Hours Various PRODUCTION CREDITS *Hop High Crooked Still *All that is True Scott Alarik Cassie & Maggie MacDonald www.hannekecassel.com www.facebook.com/hannekecassel ******************* Cassie and Maggie MacDonald “Fun, Exciting, Charming and Talented Cassie and Maggie MacDonald are a dynamic Celtic sister duo who have emerged onto the music scene as the ones to watch.” – Bayside Cassie and Maggie MacDonald encompass everything you could ask for in a musical act, their talent is only surpassed by the joy with which they so generously share it. Exciting and innovative, they have found the perfect balance between musical integrity, and sheer entertainment. While still staying true to their Celtic roots, they have explored and tested the boundaries of traditional music, bringing a breath of fresh air to the genre with their original compositions and arrangements. Sisters, cohorts and collaborators, Cassie and Maggie have been enchanting audiences far and wide with their infectious energy, driving rhythms and lilting melodies.

Born to a family with a rich musical heritage and raised in Nova Scotia, a province steeped in musical culture and traditions, the girls have used their unique up bringing as a springboard for their own brand of Celtic Roots music. Equally at home playing tunes passed down through generations of musicians, as seamlessly weaving themes from the Moonlight Sonata into sets of sure fire reels, Cassie and Maggie are turning heads wherever they go. And the music community has taken note; Galaxie Radio Rising Star award winners, Canadian Folk Music Award nominees for “Young Performers of the Year”, East Coast Music Award nominees for Traditional Album and double Music Nova Scotia Award nominees for New Artist and Roots Album of the year, their accolades and awards speak of a young duo that will surely continue to do great things… Appearing on stages across Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Bermuda and the UK, the list continues to grow as people are beginning to know the names Cassie and Maggie MacDonald. Since their first festival performance at the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival in Ontario, the girls have gone on to be soloists in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo and International Polizi Show in Hamburg, Germany, perform for the French Ambassador in Paris, France, play at the independence day celebrations on Bermuda Island, the Lunenburg Folk Harbour festival, Celtic Classic festival, Stan Rogers International Songwriters festival, Festival Memoires et Racines in Jolliette, QC to name a few. This year will prove to be the busiest and most exciting yet with performances at the Milwaukee Irish Festival, Celtic Colours International festival and Ocrafolk festival in NC, again, just to name a few. “I first met the girls when we were all teaching and performing at The Celtic Roots College and Festival in Goderich, Ontario in 2011. It was Cassie and Maggie that turned my head like no other act there. There is something very special about their sound, their dedication and their spirit that drew me to want to see every moment of their performances! I was not alone; they quickly became fan favourites at that festival as I know they will be wherever they go.” Cheryl Prashkar- President North East Regional Folk Alliance “The dynamic duo, two sisters whose deep family musical heritage is the launching pad for the finest Nova Scotia fiddle tunes, vocals and step dancing. They are the ‘real deal’ whose talent is only exceeded by their charm and passion.” – Warren Robinson (Artistic Director Goderich Celtic Roots festival/ past VP of Folk Alliance) “I did make a major discovery in the Quads (at the 2012 NERFA conference); Cassie & Maggie MacDonald blew me away. They are a Celtic sister duo from Nova Scotia. Cassie plays fiddle and Maggie piano and guitar. I had passed them in a hall and loved them but couldn’t stop to listen. Then I got to the showcase and found that it was them who I was rushing to see. There were no seats left so I had to sit on the floor. Cassie & Maggie are my kinds of musician. I love the Canadian Celtic traditional music. It’s different than most anything else you could hear at NERFA and that’s a good thing. We need a diverse musical world. Being different isn’t enough though. They are also virtuosi. They playing took me to another world.” -Gordon Nash (NERFA attendee) www.cassieandmaggie.com www.facebook.com/pages/Cassie-Maggie-MacDonald/