Cantrip

From the strong base of its Celtic roots, Cantrip branches out into the music of other European cultures. With swirling border pipes, raging fiddle, thunderous guitar, and three rich voices, Dan Houghton, Jon Bews, Eric McDonald, and Alasdair White take audiences on a cultural journey, putting their own spin on each musical style. Known for their innovative arrangements, high-energy songs and tunes, and dry wit, Cantrip has toured throughout Scotland and the US, expanding the boundaries of Celtic music along the way.

Cantrip sprung from a local music session in Edinburgh, Scotland over 20 years ago. The band name is an Old Scots word meaning a charm, magic spell or piece of mischief, and it aptly describes the unexpected twists and turns in the quartet’s musical arrangements as well as the compelling potency of their musicianship. Dan Houghton (bagpipes, flutes, whistles, guitar, bouzouki vocals) has won the Scottish Lowland and Border Pipers’ Society Open Borderpipes and New Composition events, as well as the Maitre de Cornemuse at St. Chartier. Eric McDonald (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, vocals) found his way to traditional music through the rich music scene in Boston, and studies with guitarist/mandolinist John McGann and cellist Eugene Friesen at Berklee College of Music. A prize-winning graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Jon Bews (fiddle, vocals) came to Scots music from a classical education by way of Goth rock, quickly becoming one of Edinburgh’s most in demand fiddlers. Alasdair White (fiddle) is widely regarded as one of the leading exponents of Scottish fiddle music touring, teaching, and performing with some of the best known names in Scottish, Irish, and Breton music on both sides of the Atlantic.

Co-presented with Twilight Music.