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George Mason University's Center for the Arts will host a roster of musical programs this holiday season, ranging from rural folk piano to Canadian Celtic to a capella song Date published: 11/26/2009
BY MARCIA A. CHIDESTER FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR For Natalie MacMaster, fiddling has always been a family affair. A relative presented her with her first fiddle. Her father taught her how to play it. And famed fiddler Buddy MacMaster is her uncle. "Music is part of my history--my bloodline," said the 37-year-old Grammy nominee. MacMaster's Christmas show, "A Cape Breton Christmas"--which mingles classic Christmas carols with the Celtic melodies from her native Cape Breton, Canada--is one of six musical events George Mason University will host this holiday season. MacMaster credits Buddy MacMaster for her signature blend of Gaelic, bluegrass, jazz, rock and classical music. "He is responsible for my sound, just through hearing him perform live," she said. It's a style Natalie has dished up for audiences for 27 years. MacMaster yearns to pass the legacy of music on to her three children, who range in age from 9 months to 4 years old. But she is often torn between the time demands of a young family and a musical career that has included collaboration with such notable musicians as Luciano Pavarotti, Paul Simon, Carlos Santana and Faith Hill. To achieve a balance between career and family, MacMaster has cut her schedule to only a fraction of what it once was. "I'm incredibly choosy about what I take on, so I can spend time with the children," she said. MacMaster and her husband, fiddler Donnell Leahy, will embark on a 50-city tour in January, and they are taking their children along. "I just bought a motor home," she said. "I can't wait." Marcia A. Chidester is a freelance writer who lives in the Fredericksburg area.
Date published: 11/26/2009
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