Building the Tradition: A Conversation Between Generations

The Ralph Page Committee is proud to present

Building the Tradition: A Conversation Between Generations

Laugh, Listen, Learn, Dance, and Jam with some of the finest talent New England has to offer: We combine the best of traditional and contemporary New England contra dance and music with some of the best musicians and dance callers around.

Join us on March 28th, from 1:00-2:30 pm for a RPDW special 2-part event featuring Vince O’Donnell and Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki.

In the first half, Vince and Jordan will talk about their musical journeys and swap some tunes. In the second half, we invite you to join the conversation, sharing your own Ralph Page and dance experiences with Vince, Jordan, and each other.

Vince and Jordan collectively have spent years steeped in the New England traditional music scene. Vince made the transition from Jazz guitarist to fiddling dance musician at the invitation of Dudley Laufman.  He was encouraged to bring his love of improvisation to traditional tunes. Jordan also got his start in Canterbury, taking lessons from Dudley and Jacqueline and starting his dance musicianship at age 8. He’s been at it ever since.

This event is part of our effort to sustain the community that is Ralph Page. So many of you stayed around at the end of the January Ralph Page Event to talk about what Ralph Page weekend means to you, that we wanted to provide another opportunity to gather, listen, and share. And who better than Vince and Jordan to remind us of the wonderful community that we have built around the music.

Event Basics

When: March 28, 2021 on Sunday afternoon 1:00-2:30 pm

Where: Online on Zoom

Admission: The Event is free but we will accept donations to support this series.

Performer Bios

Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki

Jordan was first recognized as part of New Hampshire’s musical culture at the age of 12, when he was the youngest member of the delegation representing the state at The Smithsonian Folklife Festival. He grew up on a combination of contra dances and Celtic music, releasing multiple recordings and performing regularly at dances, parties and even governor’s inaugurations until leaving for college in Middlebury, VT. After graduating, Jordan spent time in both New York City and Ireland, exploring musical possibilities and honing his craft. He then began to carve out a career for himself back home in NH, working with multiple rock bands while continuing to develop his unique approach to traditional Celtic music. 

Vince O’Donnell

Vince O’Donnell plays fiddle for English, Contra and Scottish dancing.  He discovered country dance music in 1965, through Dudley Laufman and the Canterbury Country Orchestra, with whom he still plays.  A former jazz guitar player, Vince loves ensemble interaction, harmonizing and improvising, along with the challenge of keeping all of that reasonably within traditional bounds and making it fun for the dancers.  Every once in a while, he manages to compose a tune.  He has served on the NEFFA Board, and was a founding director of the Dance Musicians Development Fund of the Folk Arts Center of New England, supporting outreach to new musicians, both adults and children.