Wherligig to play at the Shamrock Restaurant in Thurmont, Maryland in March

Dear Wherligig friends,

Another year has gone by and Wherligig will once again perform at the Shamrock Restaurant in Thurmont, Maryland, http://www.shamrockrestaurant.com/, for St. Patty's Day!

For those of you who have not been to the Shamrock before, this venue is a lovely family-run restaurant in the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains.  The Fitzgerald family who runs it is both first and second generation Irish, and their menu is deliciously authentic.

Performance times are as follows:

Monday, March 14--- 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Wednesday March 16--- 5:30pm to 9 pm

Thursday March 17--- 11:30am to 2:30pm and 4:45pm to 9:15pm

Sunday March 20--- 12:30 to 4:30pm

We will also continue our tradition of performing at the Piney Run Park and Nature Center Coffeehouse during the St. Patty's shenanigans.  This will take place on Tuesday, March 15 at 7pm. Please call 410-795-6043 for reservations.

As many of you know, our fiddler Ryan is in graduate school on the west coast. We are excited that he will be able to join us for all of our performances this St. Patty's! Come join us and say hi to Ryan before he returns to his pile of books and papers! We look forward to seeing you!

Wherligig: Traditional Music from the Celtic and Nordic countries

Go to www.wherligig.com for more information on an ensemble performing centuries-old musical traditions.

20110226 Wherligig at Shamrock in March

LABELS: MUSIC WHERLIGIG, PHOTOGS KOONS KEN

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

Wherligig-Dobin's Flowery Vale

LABELS: MUSIC WHERLIGIG, PHOTOGS KOONS KEN

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

Wherligig-Dick Gossip's Reel-Heather Breeze-Radstock Jig

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My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/

Kym Byrnes: Family that plays, stays together

Family that plays, stays together

By Kym Byrnes

06/20/07 Westminster Eagle

Ken, Stephanie and Ryan Koons have turned their love for music into a family affair.

The husband, wife and son trio, known as Wherligig, will perform traditional Celtic and Nordic music in celebration of the Summer Solstice this Thursday, June 21, at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster.

Initially formed in 1985, Wherligig has evolved over the years in the type of music the group plays, the instruments they use and the members who play in the band.

Ken and Stephanie have been the core of the band since its inception, and several years ago son Ryan joined them to make it a family gig. In addition to creating their own music based on the traditional sounds of Nordic and Celtic music, Ken also hand crafts many of the unique instruments they play.

"We are really excited that Ryan will be playing the nyckelharpa at the concert. This is one of the oldest continually played instruments in the world," said Ken. "It is an unusual instrument, shaped like a violin but with keys on it. It took me a year to build it and just hours for Ryan to play notes on it."

According to Ken, music is a passion for the entire family, an opportunity to spend time together doing something they love. He said the pursuit of music is full time for the family -- they are constantly working on music and instruments and preparing for upcoming shows.

When they're not performing or preparing, Ken is a photographer and Stephanie is a kindergarten teacher. Ryan will be starting his sophomore year at Dickinson College in the fall.

"Wherligig is full time as far as effort, we are always working and preparing for the next job," Ken said.

He said that Wherligig has also been a musical journey for the family over the years.

Each genre they have played led them to something else; Ken said they were always searching for the roots of the music they were playing.

They started in American Old Time music, transitioned to Celtic, then Nordic.

"For us, it's all about the instruments. When we perform we mix in all elements and take the time to explain the importance and influence of each," Ken said. "We are lucky that Ryan is in college in Pennsylvania, he's close enough that we can still play together," said Ken. "The music is really good for the family and the family is really good for the music.

"Our goal is to have fun. We enjoy it because we're together, and I think the music shows that," Ken concluded.

For more information about Wherligig, visit www.wherligig.com.

Wherligig will perform a Summer Solstice Concert on Thursday, June 21, at 7 p.m. at the Carroll Arts Center, 91 W. Main St., Westminster. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for CCAC members, seniors and students 18 and younger. Tickets can be purchased through the Arts Council by calling 410-848-7272.

20070620 Kym Byrnes Family that plays stays together

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/