![]() In “American Polka,” he showed his flair for virtuosity in the improvised solos, breakneck notes blurring into a mass of folk riffs.įollowing this, five of the couple’s seven children joined their parents on stage. His style leaned towards the theatrical, abruptly changing dynamics, from a delicate bass murmur to squealing high notes. For her “Traditional Medley,” however, she opted for a calmer take, sitting down and letting the expressive tunes flow through her. MacMaster’s Cape Breton style is usually highly accented and energetic, featuring animated step dancing and bouncing around the stage. In the solo sets, MacMaster and Leahy’s distinctive styles emerged. The duo sped through their early songs, starting with “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and then seamlessly transitioned into a medley of “Joy to the World,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Midnight Clear.” Then came several solos with MacMaster’s lovely “Traditional Medley” of Celtic songs and Leahy’s dramatic “Indifference” and devilishly fast “American Polka.” The warm energy of the two fiddlers and their children spread through the auditorium and the show felt like an intimate holiday party among the 2000 Boulder guests. The music kept coming, nimble, rhythmic and joyous, a steady flow of energetic jigs punctuated with lightning-fast improvisations. Seeing MacMaster and Leahy was an exhilarating experience. The group has received two Canadian JUNO Awards and appeared in the Academy Award-winning 1985 documentary, “Leahy: Music Most of All.” The siblings performed traditional Celtic and folk songs complete with fiddling and step-dancing. As a child, Leahy toured internationally with his 10 other siblings as The Leahy Family. Leahy, an Ontario native, also has deep musical roots. Her uncle Buddy MacMaster, known as the “King of the Jigs,” was also a renowned fiddle player from the 1940s until his death in 2014. MacMaster, a Nova Scotia native, is a world-renowned Celtic fiddler and has collaborated with notable musicians, including Yo-Yo Ma, Bela Flek and Carlos Santana. MacMaster and Leahy, who have been married for 16 years, are a formidable musical duo. MacMaster, along with her husband Donnell Leahy and their talented children, celebrated lively, high-energy with “A Celtic Family Christmas.” The two-hour show flew by, packed full of quick step-dancing and jamming fiddle tunes. With Iridescent, sparkly silver pants, golden hair and whirlwind fiddle playing, Natalie MacMaster commanded the stage at Macky Auditorium on Tuesday. ![]() (Courtesy of Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy) Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy with their children. ![]()
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