Mattias Thedens is one of Norway's emerging talents on the Hardanger Fiddle, Norway’s national instrument.

Raised in a musical family, Mattias plays tunes from the valleys of Tovdal and Setesdal in southern Norway, with Telemark as his main focus. 

In 2023 he won the National competition, where he was one of the youngest competitors. 

Mattias will be playing solo at this intimate concert, giving the audience a rare chance to hear and learn about this unique fiddle tradition.

Whether playing solo, competing, or performing with Gangar, a folk rock band he formed in 2020, he’s passionate about sharing this rich tradition and keeping it moving forward.

The Celtic Society of Monterey Bay is thrilled to present Skyrie in their West Coast debut.

 

Skyrie is an electrifying contemporary Celtic music trio renowned for their dynamic performances and innovative sound. Their music blends traditional Scottish and Irish tunes, poignant original songs, tunes and soundscapes with modern influences from rock to funk.  

 

Having performed and recorded over many years with multi award-winning artists as diverse as Dougie Maclean, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Big Country and Kathy Mattea, Skyrie have honed their unique style through hundreds of live gigs and sessions. 

 

Based in Fife, Scotland the band comprises versatile composers and multi-instrumentalists Lesley Thompson Smith (Vocals, Fiddle, Pipes, Whistle and Looper), James "Jimmy" Anderson (Guitars, Pedal-Bass and Background Vocals), and Christopher Martin Smith (Vocals, Lyrics, Drums, Whistle and Percussion).

 

Skyrie’s music transcends borders, capturing hearts and minds from Scotland to the world stage.

The musical partnership between consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, "the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling", and brilliant Californian cellist Natalie Haas spans the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Over the last 20 years of creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across the world, they have truly set the standard for fiddle and cello in traditional music. They continue to thrill audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their near-telepathic understanding and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music.

Fraser has a concert and recording career spanning over 30 years, with a long list of awards, accolades, radio and television credits, and feature performances on top movie soundtracks (Last of the Mohicans, Titanic, etc.). In 2011, he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Haas, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, is one of the most sought after cellists in traditional music today. She has performed and recorded with a who's who of the fiddle world including Mark O'Connor, Natalie MacMaster, Irish supergroups Solas and Altan, Liz Carroll, Dirk Powell, Brittany Haas, Darol Anger, Jeremy Kittel, Hanneke Cassel, Laura Cortese, and many more.

This seemingly unlikely pairing of fiddle and cello is the fulfillment of a long-standing musical dream for Fraser. His search eventually led him to find a cellist who could help return the cello to its historical role at the rhythmic heart of Scottish dance music, where it stood for hundreds of years before being relegated to the orchestra. The duo's debut recording, Fire & Grace, won the coveted the Scots Trad Music "Album of the Year" award, the Scottish equivalent of a Grammy. Since its release, the two have gone on to record three more critically acclaimed albums that blend a profound understanding of the Scottish tradition with cutting-edge string explorations. In additional to performing, they both have motivated generations of string players through their teaching at fiddle camps across the globe.

Securely ranked among Scotland’s most skilled and imaginative contemporary folk acts, Breabach unite deep roots in Highland and Island tradition with the innovative musical ferment of their Glasgow base. They have released six increasingly acclaimed albums, while fuelling their creative appetites in collaborations with indigenous Australasian artists, Quebec’s Le Vent du Nord, and most recently as artists-in-residence at 2019’s Celtic Colours festival with Cape Bretoners, Beolach.

 

​Their 15 year adventure has included live performances from Sydney Opera House to Central Park NY. They have racked up an impressive array of accolades including five Scots Trad Music Awards, nominations as ‘Best Group’ in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and  ‘European Album of the Year’ in The Songlines Music Awards.

​An exciting new chapter begins in 2020 with the introduction of the supremely talented, multi instrumentalist Conal McDonagh to the band and work beginning on ‘Dùsgadh’ a newly commissioned film with original score in collaboration with animator Cat Bruce.

Breabach are; Megan Henderson (Fiddle, Vocals, Step Dance), James Lindsay (Double Bass, Vocals), Calum MacCrimmon (Bagpipes, Whistle, Bouzouki, Vocals), Conal McDonagh (Bagpipes, Whistle, Vocals) and Ewan Robertson (Guitar, Vocals, Cajon). Acknowledging and respecting the origins of both the music they play and the roots of the band whilst embracing the future with new ideas, energy and belief is a key attribute of the band and has remained a constant theme throughout their 15 years.