Canadian Fiddle Sensation Natalie MacMaster Returns to Buffalo State College

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The Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall proudly presents Canadian celtic fiddling sensation Natalie MacMaster on Friday, November 22 at 8:00pm. This is Natalie MacMaster's third appearance at Buffalo State, after delighting capacity crowds for the last two years. Her appearance at the Performing Arts Center is part of the 2002-2003 Great Performers Series, presented by M&T Bank. Ticket prices range from $29.50 - $15.00. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave. or by calling 716-878-3005. Box Office hours are Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm.

At the age of 33, Natalie MacMaster is a 20-year veteran of performance music. She began playing the fiddle when she was 9 and was touring Canada at 13. She is a multi-award winning superstar in Canada and quickly gaining recognition in the United States. In addition to her Grammy nomination for My Roots Are Showing as "Best Traditional Folk Album" in 2000, Natalie's accolades include four gold records in Canada, eleven East Coast Music Awards (including 2002 Entertainer of the Year), five Canadian Country Music Awards for Fiddler of the Year, and two Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent to the Grammy). Her latest release is a double live album featuring performances at the Mississauga Living Arts Center and a square dance on her native Cape Breton Island. With her movie star looks and athletic dancing, Natalie MacMaster has the unique ability to merge traditional tunes with contemporary arrangements to the delight of audiences.

A native of Cape Breton Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, MacMaster comes from a musical family with a Scottish lineage. MacMaster's dedication to traditional Cape Breton music is strong. Unlike the more familiar Irish fiddle style, it's a method that employs very little improvisation. Her shows offer a mixture of musical elements ranging from traditional jigs and reels to occasional Latin rhythms and pop grooves.

Her shows also include highly spirited segments in which she combines traditional Irish step dancing with her fiddle playing. The Houston Chronicle raved that "she may be the only violinist who can twirl across a stage while playing six notes a second and never missing a beat?her feet hit the stage with the same dexterity that her fingers hit the strings."

The 2002-2003 Great Performers Series is sponsored by M&T Bank, The Buffalo News and WBFO.

Media Contact:
Jeff Marsha, Director of Operations, Performing Arts Center | 7168783032 | marshajl@bscmail.buffalostate.edu