WCU Stories      February 18, 2020

Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host two free old-time and bluegrass performances the first week of March.

The Berea Bluegrass Ensemble will perform Monday, March 2, while fiddler Andrew Finn Magill takes the stage on Thursday, March 5. Both shows begin at 7 p.m. and will take place in the recital hall of the Coulter Building. WCU's School of Music is co-sponsoring the shows.

The Berea Bluegrass Ensemble is made up of students who, during their time at the liberal arts work college, show off their singing and picking skills in exchange for course credit and the opportunity to make lifelong friends and share their music with audiences around the world. Their concerts are a blend of traditional bluegrass and mountain music with contemporary influences.

Magill has six albums to his credit, and is known for playing fiddle tunes steeped in traditional Irish, Brazilian choro, jazz and old-time, bluegrass and swing fiddle music. Fascinated by the connections between the fiddling traditions of Ireland and Scotland and the "musical cousins" of old-time and bluegrass, Magill created a musical program that explores the connections between these styles through fiddle tunes. This presentation is part of his larger commitment to music education.

For more information, call the Mountain Heritage Center at 828-227-7129 or visit mhc.wcu.edu.