Up & Coming Celtic

Watch out Ashley MacIsaac! Richard Wood may only be 21, and with baby face and body piercings you might not take him seriously at first glance. What a mistake! This Prince Edward Islander plays a mean, mean fiddle, and is headed toward superstardom. He was a major highlight of the festival!

Richard Wood Web Site

In a festival heavily weighted with mellow acoustic guitarists, Celtic performers gave the audience a chance to get up and dance. The audience here was delighted by the closing song in a workshop with established Celtic superstars Rawlins Cross and the up and coming April Verch.

April Verch, who like Richard Wood is only 21, appears to be another up-and-comer on the Canadian Celtic music scene. Although I confess I hadn't heard of her before, I was highly impressed by her lively performance. Her bio says she's received more than 400 awards for fiddling and step dancing, including the 1997 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship and the 1998 Canadian Open Championships in Shelburne, ON.

I'll be watching for more of her!

April Verch Web site