The wonderful trio Terpsichore was in town briefly following their appearance at the Midwest Scottish Weekend 2024. We were very pleased to have them play for English dancing and our listening pleasure!

House Dance and Concert with Terpsichore

Sunday, June 9, 7:00 p.m.

• at the Studio, 228 Clinton Ave. Oak Park IL 60302 (come down driveway to the building at the end)
• Suggested donation $15 per person, or sliding scale
• Because of limited space, we requested those coming to sign up in advance (preferably by June 5) to help us plan possible dance programs and seating.

Terpsichore: Elke Baker, Liz Donaldson, and Ralph Gordon

Champion fiddler Elke Baker, expert pianist Liz Donaldson, and versatile bassist and cellist Ralph Gordon make up the trio Terpsichore, named for the Greek muse of dance. Terpsichore is known for its unique ability to perform inspired and nuanced music based on the dance traditions the British Isles. They play regularly for Scottish and English country dancing, contra dance, ceilidh dances, and many other styles of music. They have performed all over the U.S. and Canada and have toured in Scotland, Ireland, England, Japan, and closer to home at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore Hall.

U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion Elke Baker‘s distinctive, dance-driven fiddle style has made her one of the most sought-after Scottish fiddlers of our time. Performing solo and with Ken Kolodner, Robin Bullock, Terpsichore, Sugar Beat, Trio con Brio, Olde Vienna, and others, Elke has both a range and depth of skill surpassed by very few. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Birchmere, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Sanders Theatre at Harvard University, in most of the fifty States, and on four continents. She is world-renowned as a Scottish country dance musician, bandleader, and arranger. The Washington Post writes, “Baker’s fiddle nearly throws off sparks,” while Celtic Beat calls her recording “a CD of rare delight, precise technical skill, and fulness of soul.” Her music was featured in the soundtrack of the film The Boyhood of John Muir. A scholar of Scottish music, Elke taught for many years at the Washington Conservatory of Music, was Artist-in-Residence and lecturer at Montgomery College and a panelist at Harvard University. Elke has recorded eight albums, including new releases Better Days, On a Cold Winter’s Day with Ken Kolodner, Wait ’til You Hear This One! with Sugar Beat, and A Dancer’s Best Friend with Terpsichore.

Pianist Liz Donaldson is nationally known for her profound understanding and expert interpretation of traditional dance music. A full-time musician who has played for dancing for many years, Liz is known for her innovative back-up style incorporating exciting rhythms, textures, and harmony lines. Liz plays and teaches many styles of dance music, including Scottish, English, American contra and square dance. She was a pianist-presenter at the Smithsonian Institution’s two-year special exhibit on the history of the piano, “Piano 300.” Liz plays with many traditional folk music bands, and in addition to three albums with Terpsichore, has recorded and produced numerous albums of English, Scottish, and American dance music, including English Echoes and Waverley Station. Liz’s books of Scottish country dance music have become an essential resource for aspiring Scottish dance musicians everywhere. Liz has played and taught music from coast to coast in the U.S. as well as in Ireland, England, Scotland and Japan. Liz’s contributions to Scottish music were recognized in 2018 when she was awarded the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society’s Scroll of Honour for lifetime achievement in Scottish music and dance.

Ralph Gordon (bass and cello) is a classically trained musician educated at West Virginia University and the Manhattan School of Music. He played for many years with the innovative folk band Trapezoid, and his skills span a wide range of musical styles from chamber music to big band swing. The Charleston Post Courier remarked, “His playing is more sophisticated and technically accomplished than the next ten string players of any sort and he uses his instruments to subtly ground, stabilize, and inspire the rest of the ensemble as they pursue their experimentations.” He is in great demand in the Washington D.C. area as a freelance artist and a session musician. He can be heard on more than sixty recordings, including Scottish, English country, contradance, hoedown, folk, bluegrass, klezmer, blues, swing, jazz combos, and big band styles. Ralph has played for 25 years with Terpsichore, and has worked extensively on revitalizing folk cello style.

Their recorded music is available for sale at http://www.potomacvalleyscottishfiddle.org/webstore and downloadable music at https://elkebaker.bandcamp.com/releases

Elke Baker—Terpsichore

bakerez1@aol.com www.elkebaker.com