Erynn Marshall
Encyclopedia
Erynn Marshall is a Canadian old-time
fiddler, ethnomusicologist, teacher, author.
She was originally from Victoria, British Columbia
and later lived in Gibsons, British Columbia
. In 1998 she traveled to Toronto
to pursue graduate studies at York University
, graduating in 2003 with an M.A. degree in ethnomusicology
. In 2006 she received an Appalachian Fellowship from Berea College
in Kentucky
, where studying Kentucky fiddle styles for three months. Her fiddle instructors include Melvin Wine
, Lester McCumbers
, Leland Hall, and Art Stamper.
She has performed with The Haints Old Time Stringband since 2007. In addition to playing, teaching, and writing about old-time music she also composes tunes. She has recorded with Eve Goldberg
and Justin Rutledge
.
Marshall has lived in Galax, Virginia
since 2009. Since 2009 she has served as concert coordinator for the Blue Ridge Music Center
.
She received a CBC
Galaxie Rising Star Award in 2006 at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival
. In 2008 she won the fiddle contest at the Clifftop
festival in West Virginia
, the first female and the first person from outside the United States to do so.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
fiddler, ethnomusicologist, teacher, author.
She was originally from Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
and later lived in Gibsons, British Columbia
Gibsons, British Columbia
Gibsons is a coastal community of 4,200 located in southwestern British Columbia, Canada on the Strait of Georgia. It is the main marine gateway to the Sunshine Coast....
. In 1998 she traveled to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to pursue graduate studies at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, graduating in 2003 with an M.A. degree in ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
. In 2006 she received an Appalachian Fellowship from Berea College
Berea College
Berea College is a liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky , founded in 1855. Current full-time enrollment is 1,514 students...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, where studying Kentucky fiddle styles for three months. Her fiddle instructors include Melvin Wine
Melvin Wine
Melvin Wine was an American old-time fiddler from the state of West Virginia. He lived in Copen, in Braxton County, West Virginia....
, Lester McCumbers
Lester McCumbers
Lester McCumbers is an old-time fiddler from Nicut, West Virginia. His students include Erynn Marshall and Jake Krack.He also makes fiddles, sometimes using local woods....
, Leland Hall, and Art Stamper.
She has performed with The Haints Old Time Stringband since 2007. In addition to playing, teaching, and writing about old-time music she also composes tunes. She has recorded with Eve Goldberg
Eve Goldberg
Eve Goldberg is a Canadian Jewish folk musician, singer and songwriter from Toronto, Ontario. Musically, she draws from a number of different traditions and influences such as blues, country, bluegrass, jazz, swing, and contemporary and traditional folk music.-Life and career:Born in the Boston...
and Justin Rutledge
Justin Rutledge
Justin Rutledge is a Toronto-based alt-country singer-songwriter signed to Six Shooter Records.Rutledge's musical style is often compared to that of American alt-country singer Ryan Adams. His influences, both of the literary and music world, include Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, Richard Brautigan...
.
Marshall has lived in Galax, Virginia
Galax, Virginia
Galax is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bounded to the northeast by Carroll County and to the southwest by Grayson County. The population was 7,042 as of 2010...
since 2009. Since 2009 she has served as concert coordinator for the Blue Ridge Music Center
Blue Ridge Music Center
The Blue Ridge Music Center is part of the Blue Ridge Parkway system and is located at Milepost 213 near Galax, Virginia. The center celebrates the history and performance of old time mountain music of Virginia and North Carolina and is largely concerned with local artists who best show this...
.
She received a CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
Galaxie Rising Star Award in 2006 at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is an annual four-day outdoor music event held the second weekend of August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, established in 1980 by Don Whalen. The festival continues to draw many people from around the world as both spectators and performers. The current producer of...
. In 2008 she won the fiddle contest at the Clifftop
Appalachian String Band Music Festival
The Appalachian String Band Music Festival is a weeklong gathering of thousands of string band musicians and their friends from across the country and around the world, who each year since 1990 have assembled near the New River Gorge in West Virginia in late July/early August to celebrate the...
festival in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, the first female and the first person from outside the United States to do so.
Books
- 2006 - Music in the Air Somewhere: The Shifting Borders of West Virginia's Fiddle and Song Traditions. West Virginia University Press.
Films
- Ill Fly Away Home (Bravo)
- The Clifftop Experience (Outlook, West Virginia Public Broadcasting)
External links
- Erynn Marshall official site
- Erynn Marshall MySpace page
- Erynn Marshall biography
- The Haints Old Time Stringband site
Video
- Clifftop documentary featuring Erynn Marshall