Ringrose & Freeman: Samhain

// SAMHAIN: A HALLOWEEN SHOW AT STANLEY-WHITMAN HOUSE //

Did you know many modern Halloween customs derive from old Celtic practices? Much of the ancient Celtic world - extending from French Brittany to English Cornwall, across Scotland and throughout Ireland - celebrated the end of the harvest season and the onset of the darker winter months with the great festival of Samhain (pronounced “Sow-in”). The Celts believed that on this day, the veil between the living and spirit world thins, allowing spirits from the underworld to roam more freely and pose all manner of mischief and danger to the living. Join Ringrose & Freeman in the Whitman Tavern of Stanley-Whitman House as we explore the Celtic roots of Halloween with stories, songs, and tunes about banshees, hags, witches, and all things spooky.

// ABOUT RINGROSE & FREEMAN //

This unique Celtic duo combines singer/guitarist Dan Ringrose, whose voice has been called "stunning", and fiddler Jeanne Freeman, who has been described as "effortlessly virtuosic." Together, they bring a lively freshness to traditional and original tunes and songs, along with stories, poetry, and humor. They have been featured on Connecticut Television, as well as many other television and radio programs, and have performed at numerous music festivals and venues.

"Fiddler extraordinaire Jeanne Freeman ... a casual virtuosity...the music is light, airy, and fun, and...really, really good....guitarist Danny Ringrose showcases a stunning voice in a duet that demonstrates why he and Freeman often perform as a duo...." - The Fretboard Journal

Dan Ringrose was reared on Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem music and began singing their songs by the age of three. With his rich and powerful baritone voice, a mischievous sense of humor, and a comfortable command of the stage, Dan has entertained crowds in festivals, fairs, and concert halls for 30 years. Along with numerous radio and television appearances, he has performed with some of the most notable names in Celtic music, including Tommy Makem, fiddler P.V. O’Donnell, The Clancy Brothers, John Whelan, and others. He has taught at the Connecticut Academy of Irish Music and has a number of solo recordings.

Jeanne Freeman is the founder and Director of the Connecticut Academy of Irish Music, where she teaches Irish fiddle to students of all ages. Classically trained in her early years, Jeanne studied Irish fiddling with friend and mentor, the late Donegal fiddler P.V. O'Donnell. Jeanne has performed as the featured Irish fiddle soloist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and has been the Guest Artist for Simsbury Public School’s town-wide String Festival. She teaches and performs regularly and hosts traditional Irish music sessions throughout the area. Jeanne appears on a number of recordings, including her solo debut CD, “The Fiddler You Are.”

FMI: www.ringroseandfreeman.com

// ABOUT THE MUSIC IN THE TAVERN SERIES //

Stanley-Whitman House's Music in the Tavern Series presents artists and shows differently than a club show- instead, our house concert is more up close and personal. All of the artifice is stripped away. No stage, no dressing rooms, no barrier between the performer and the audience. The SWH Music in the Tavern series is more like being one step closer to the way music was intended- an artist traveling from town to town, telling stories, and making friends. Come check this out!

// ABOUT THE MUSEUM //

Stanley-Whitman House is a living history center and museum that teaches through the collection, preservation, research, and dynamic interpretation of the history and culture of early Farmington. Programs, events, classes, and exhibits encourage visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in history by doing, acting, questioning, and engaging in colonial life and the ideas that formed the foundation of that culture.

FMI: https://www.s-wh.org

Host or Publisher Stanley-Whitman House