An evening of Celtic explorations

Details

Catnip Fling full profile / Hammered dulcimer, cello, violin / 3 musicians

Other players: Kristen Jones, Jody Marshall, Chelle Fulk

Full program notes

Catnip Fling loves to mix it up with their wide-ranging repertoire featuring everything from Irish toe-tappers such as “Toss the Feathers” and “Haste to the Wedding” to elegant English Country Dance repertoire and original tunes—including their namesake, “Catnip Fling.” Traditional Appalachian ballads and Celtic-tinged takes on Beatles hits and TV themes are also fair game for the ensemble, whose members love to draw musical inspiration from many sources (including, as you might have guessed, their feline friends!).

Historical context

Through the centuries, the cello, violin, and hammered dulcimer have been used in settings ranging from kings’ courts to symphonic halls. The dulcimer, thought to be the ancestor of the piano, is the oldest of these, having gotten its start in the Middle East as early as 700 BC. and evolving into a parlor instrument before being overtaken in popularity by the new-fangled piano. We love playing in the intimate settings our instruments excel in: the parlors, living rooms, and front porches where audience and performers have a close connection.

Videos from this ensemble