RANGELEY — North Carolina native violinist and fiddler Andrew Finn Magill will be presenting a program at the Rangeley Public Library on Wednesday, July 23 starting at 6:00 p.m.

The traditional dance music of the Southern U.S. is inextricably linked with the music of Scotland and Ireland. Andrew Magill was born in the Appalachian Mountains into an Irish-American family that plays Irish music. Since his earliest days, the fiddling traditions from both sides of the Atlantic have been present in Magill’s life and musical career. In this interactive presentation, we will explore how the history of Scottish and Irish immigration has influenced the evolution of traditional Southern fiddling. Magill will demonstrate various fiddle styles, bowing techniques and repertoires and the audience can ask questions. The performance is meant to be participatory and inspire larger conversations about immigration, identity, and Irish & Scottish music’s place in the larger tapestry of Southern culture.

Magill is a Fulbright Fellow, North Carolina Arts Council Fellow, All-Ireland fiddle finalist, and 2024 Seifert Jazz violin finalist in Poland. He has been featured on PBS, TEDx and multiple times on NPR. His 2016 album, “Roots” debuted at #46 on the folk DJ charts and he has released seven albums since. Magill grew up studying traditional Irish music, oldtime, bluegrass and swing every summer with the best fiddlers in the world at the Swannanoa Gathering. It was this childhood that was the genesis for his presentation “The Connections Between the Fiddling Traditions of Ireland, Scotland, and Appalachia”.

This program is offered free to the residents and visitors of the Rangeley Lakes region. However, we do request that you sign up in advance at the Rangeley Public Library or by calling (207)864-5529.