FARMINGTON – Her fiddling is uplifting and lively.

Her singing is gentle and evocative.

Both in concert and in the studio, she is regularly accompanied by some of the country’s best musicians. Recently, she has been closely studying the roots of the Downeast traditional music that she first heard as a young girl.

Fiddler and folk singer Lissa Schneckenburger, who studied with Maine fiddler Greg Boardman and graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a degree in contemporary improvisation, will perform Friday, Jan. 23, in Nordica Auditorium on the University of Maine at Farmington campus.

Performing with Schneckenburger will be guitar player Bethany Waickman. The concert benefiting the Franklin County Fiddlers, will begin at 7:30 p.m., with tickets available at the door.

Schneckenburger, who now lives in Vermont, continues to explore musical traditions, embracing a diverse palette of influences from all over the world while staying true to her New England roots. Her dedication can be heard in “Song,” the first in a pair of CDs, which contains 10 timeless ballads tracing as far back as the 18th century that Schneckenburger carefully set to modern arrangements.

“There is currently a lot of focus on traditional American music from the South and many bands are exploring that repertoire, but no one is getting to hear the amazing wealth of traditional music from the North,” Schneckenburger said.

“This is my first attempt at getting some of that music out there for people to enjoy,” she continued. “The songs and dance tunes combine to create an overview of the culture and the sound of traditional music from the Northeast. The CDs ‘Song’ and ‘Dance’ are two halves of a whole that describes a musical heritage I am very proud of.”

“Song” is being played and reviewed around the world, with features in Sing Out, Dirty Linen, Strings Magazine, and fRoots. The album has been included on numerous top 10 lists this year, including Mojo Magazine and the Boston Globe.

The second CD, “Dance,” is scheduled for release in 2010.

Other honors this year include being asked to perform at Celtic Connections, the Shetland Folk Festival and a concert tour of Denmark with Keith Murphy, Corey DiMario and Stefan Amidon. Last March, Schneckenburger was invited to be a special guest vocalist with the Irish super group Solas.

This year holds more scheduled tours throughout the United States and in Europe.

On Saturday, Jan. 24, Schneckenburger and Waickman will give a concert at 7 p.m. at The Empire, 575 Congress St., Portland. To reserve tickets, $18, visit mktix.com/heptunes.


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