Event

Cape Breton Concert and Dance

Combining the fiery edge of the Scottish Border pipes with the rich sounds of the Cape Breton fiddle, Ben Miller and Anita MacDonald join together, merging traditional influences from Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island, as well as the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. This fresh and talented duo pairs driving dance-tunes with expressive Gaelic airs and songs, bringing their listeners a powerful combination of passion and grace.

This new and exciting duo emerged after a chance meeting at the Celtic Colours Festival in 2013. Anita then joined Ben for his latest recording project, an EP titled On Home Ground, which was released only a few months later, in January 2014. In August 2015, Ben and Anita launched their full length debut album, titled A Day at the Lake. They are currently touring across North America, the United Kingdom, and further afield to promote this fresh, new release.

Tempering the sharp edge of the pipes and fiddle, Ben and Anita are joined by friends from the Maritimes and beyond. They perform regularly as a three or four-piece band, blending in subtle and sympathetic rhythm guitar, the lush, ethereal sounds of the Scottish harp, or the driving groove of Cape Breton-style piano accompaniment, to create a full and well rounded sound. For their US "A Day at the Lake" tour, as well as their Ottawa area events they are accompanied by Tyson Chen on piano.

An evening with something for everyone, Ben and Anita will perform concert -style from 8 to 9pm then we'll roll up the carpets for some down home Cape Breton style dancing!

Ben and Anita are also providing workshops in Gaelic Piping and Cape Breton Stepdancing. More info available at cbsession.com.