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Dan Macdonald
Violin & Fiddle
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Dan is an educator and
accomplished performer. He is in high demand throughout Southern Ontario, where he
performs and teaches at various venues and events. Dan joined Allegro Music 2004. His
teaching style combines elements from the famous Suzuki method with the focus on having fun
learning the instrument.
Dan comes from a family of musicians from Ironville, Cape Breton Island. He began
playing fiddle at a very early age. His fiddle education came from the surrounding music
culture of the island, but mostly from his father, Lloyd MacDonald, a well-known and
respected Cape Breton fiddler. Cape Breton Fiddler's Association practices, the Gaelic
Maud in St. Ann's, playing for dances, Highland dance and stepdance groups formed the
basis for his music. The big Cape Breton concerts: Big Pond, Cheticamp, Highland Village
day, Broad Cove and many others were the backdrop of his childhood.
In the late 1980's,
Dan, his parents and brothers formed Scumalash, a traditional Cape Breton band.
Between 1988 and 1992, Scumalash toured Scotland, England, France and Wales, playing
festivals and folk clubs. They also recorded a self-titled album. Scumalash recently
returned from a reunion tour throughout England, where they played to sold-out crowds and
conducted workshops at the Sidmouth International and Warwick Folk Festivals.
Dan left Cape Breton to pursue studies in Jazz drumming at St. Francis Xavier
University in Antigonish. While spending some years in Newfoundland, Dan was introduced to the
traditional music of Newfoundland and Ireland, inspiring him to play the fiddle again. In
2001 Dan moved to Ohio, where he began playing with a traditional Irish
group, Toraigh. The group toured the Celtic festivals of the Midwest,
including Cincinnati, Dayton, Newport and many others. He was also able to compete twice
in the Midwest Fleadh (regional Irish Music Competition) in the senior fiddle and ceilidh band competitions with a band
involving some of Detroit's foremost Irish musicians, placing second in both categories.
After two years in Ohio, Dan moved to Toronto, where he became a co-host at
the Irish music session at Dora Keogh Irish pub and later became a
member of the traditional Irish group, Spraoi. Spraoi has played to sold out
audiences at the Tranzac, Hugh's room and the Brampton Folk Festival and is presently
working on their first album. In 2006, Dan became involved in "The Magic of Ireland", an
Irish dance and music show, with which he has toured the UK, Canada, the USA and Europe.
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Vera Burmenko
Violin
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Vera is a talented and passionate performer and educator. Her violin
repertoire consists of classical, folk-gypsy, jazz, and contemporary genres, including
improvisation. She joined the Allegro Music instructing team in 2006. She encourages practice,
progress, confidence and success in every student. Her teaching focuses on helping a
student achieve good technique, tone quality, intonation and musicality all while having
fun learning the instrument.
Vera holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Violin Performance from York University. In
September 2009 she will further her music education at York University, pursuing a Master
of Arts Degree in Violin Performance and Composition. In 2008, Vera and her colleagues
from York University formed the I-Strings Quartet, providing professional quality
music for weddings and events. She is a member of the Mississauga Symphony, a community
orchestra performing every month at The Living Arts Centre in Mississauga. She also
performs at various local shows, parties, and other special events with the Gypsy
Passion Trio, which has recently recorded and released their first CD.
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