2018 Harkness Stage Performers

Catherine Koehler

Catherine Koehler has been singing and performing for over 40 years. The songs she grew up with as well as the stories she has adapted from contemporary and historical sources have delighted audiences of all ages throughout the southeast and beyond. Easily shifting between Broadway show tunes and bluegrass, she has recently reclaimed her Celtic culture by focusing on traditional Irish tunes, many recalled from her childhood.

She has appeared at such venues as The Great Lakes Gathering, North Texas Irish Festival, CelticFest Mississippi, Fairwynd, Celtic Fest New Orleans, and the West Tennessee Celtic Festival. She was awarded the Kathleen O'Connell Memorial Bardic Award in 2014 and was a medalist at the 2016 regional Fleadh Cheoil in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Heirloom

Heirloom features Keith and Lauren Plaskonos, Martheine Birkle Ludwig and Christian Morris, playing both haunting and lively music on a host of instruments. These include guitar, hammer dulcimer, bouzouki, fiddle, tin whistle and bodhran. Lauren accompanies with lovely vocal. Keith and Lauren are both state champions on hammer dulcimer.

Keith leads a worship band in Fort Worth. Martheine is a classically trained violinist with interests in Irish music and influenced by such artists as Liz Carol and Kevin Burke. Christian is currently studying Irish music through the Travis Avenue Fine Arts Academy and has attended O’Flaherty’s Music Retreat. The four have been friends at Hope Church for many years.

Linda King and Michael William Harrison

At NTIF on the Urchin Street stages
come Michael and Linda with songs for all ages.
There are songs about things we can see and can touch,
like ponies and bats and fishmongers and such.
We’ll sing other songs that you can sing too,
bears, dragons and saints to just name a few.
There’s a song of a garden and a crow in a tree,
wise words from mom and a ship on the sea.
So come all ye children it’s Urchin Street time
let’s sing and be merry, let’s dance and let’s rhyme.

Linda King and Michael William Harrison have been staples of the NTIF community for many years. Performing both as solo performers, former members of the band Amberhawke and as a duo, their special blend of children’s songs are enjoyed by young and old. When they perform, the Urchin Street stage expands to include the whole audience with kazoos, noise makers and sing-along songs allowing the audience to become a part of the show!

Linda King has studied and sung a variety of musical styles including not only Celtic but classical, pop and gospel and composes in a variety of genres. A polished solo performer she has sung at festivals from Texas to California to Ohio and back. Michael William Harrison is a sought-after folksinger of American, Irish and Scottish folksongs. Michael cut his music teeth in Detroit some time back as a singing drummer working with folk music icon, Michael Smith (“The Dutchman”). The mid-seventy’s demise of many of the folk music rooms left him in search of a new direction and in 1977 he headed for Texas, quickly making a name as a folksinger.

Micheal Price

A performer for over four decades, he brings a wide variety of talents and experiences to the stage. Comedian, singer, songwriter, guitarist nightclub DJ and fashionista's nightmare. Each of his shows brings a variety of songs and subjects.

His history of performance started in Augsburg Germany with in a duo with guitarist Mani Blank. Playing Coffeehouses and bars they developed a unique sound and style and an enthusiastic following. After 1976, Micheal left the Army and returned to Fort Worth, Texas.

He was fortunate to team up with singer - songwriter David Sparks, who was instrumental in forming the highly successful, Celtic groove band, the Blarney Brothers in 1989. Along with Rodger Harrison, Steve Harrison, Matthew Williams and Randy Christian the bands following grew quickly! In 2003 the band spun off several new projects including the TRINITY RIVER WHALERS. More dynamic albums followed. 2015 brought the end of the Whalers and Micheal moved to Saint Cloud, Florida and kicked his songwriting into high gear as a solo performer.

The new CD “American Dream” which features 7 new original songs including “How Did You Get By”, “Sweet Ireland” “Widow’s Walk” and “Piñata Man Blues” is in process.

Reel Treble

The friendship of these young talented musicians and dancers started through their passion for playing traditional up-tempo tunes from Irish, Scottish and Old Time music. They want to share their passion for music with people of all ages, so they’ve added the perfect mix of Celtic tunes with a fusion of rock & theme songs!

They are: Antonio Santiago on tenor banjo, mandolin, tenor guitar & acoustic guitar, Arthur Hatch on button accordion, flute & whistle, Elijah Vuong on acoustic bass, Jordan Merritt on fiddle, and Sam Hatch on acoustic guitar & harmonica.

They are also excited to have the Irish dance duo The Guinn Girls, Mattie & Moira, Preliminary Championship Dancers to join them!

They have performed throughout Texas and Louisiana at venues & events including, The State Fair of Texas, The Cowtown Scottish Society, The Tartan Festival, The Sherman Celtic Festival and Highland Games, Texas Scottish Festival & Highland Games, Celtic Bayou Festival, North Texas Irish Festival, McKinney Celtic Music Festival, Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival, Tyler Scottish Festival & Highland Games.

A Big THANK YOU to their teachers & mentors. They would not be the musicians & dancers they are today. Daniel Mehalko, Gordon McLeod, Paul Dryer, Clare Cason, Ken Fleming & Shandon O’Regan Irish Dance Academy.

Sarah Copus

Sarah Copus is an award-winning, Billboard charting singer/songwriter and harpist. She has been performing and recording for over 7 years with her parent's platinum selling band, 2002, and more recently as a solo artist. For a musician under 16, she has had some extraordinary success: two albums hit the Billboard charts that feature her as lead singer, radio airplay across hundreds of stations worldwide, and a Best Vocal Album award at the Zone Music Reporter Awards Show in 2015. Her 2017 album “Moorland Winds” was accepted into the first round voting for the 60th GRAMMY Awards.

Her first recordings in the Irish language appear on the album “Winter Air” in 2013 when she was only 9 years old. Sarah has also been featured as a soloist at concerts with major touring artists like Celtic Woman and The Irish Tenors. In July 2016, she sang a duet with Emmet Cahill of Celtic Thunder during his performance in Dallas. She has also performed as an opening act for Irish musical sensations, Téada at their “Irish Christmas in America” tour.

Sarah is an active member in the Texas Celtic music scene, performing at venues including: Allen Civic Auditorium, North Texas Irish Festival, Trinity Hall, The Celt, Sherwood Forest Faire, Poor David’s Pub, Lone Star Wine Cellars, Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games, and The Sherman Celtic Festival. Sarah sings in Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Italian, Welsh, and English.

Traidisiun

Traidisiun is a DFW-based acoustic folk band. Their music is an eclectic mix of traditional Irish and Scottish music, plus a little Bluegrass and a few Appalachian influenced tunes. Band members include Kade Brummet, Ana Skrnich, Caleb Woolverton, and Ben Woolverton. The band plays a mixture of high energy instrumental numbers mostly from the Irish tradition along with wonderful folk and Celtic songs performed by lead singer Ana Sknirch with Ben and Caleb Woolverton. Band members have played in other folk groups including FM455 and Reel Treble. Ana, Caleb, and Ben are also instructors at the North Texas School of Irish Music.

The band has been around just one year, but has already booked the top folk festivals in North Texas (NTIF, Sherman Celtic Festival, McKinney CELTic Festival, Texas Scottish Festival, McKinney Arts in Bloom, and Allen Arts Festival), and has been confirmed as a monthly weekend performer at The Celt Pub as well frequent shows at other venues like Lone Star Wine Cellars, Filtered Coffee, Local Yocal, and a number of private birthday and wedding events. Stan Penn, owner of the Celt Pub called them one of the most exciting new young bands he has seen.