This year for our annual Winter Celtic Music Festival, the Celtic Society of Southern Maryland proudly presents Genticorum’s return to the area for afternoon workshops, 2 – 4PM, and evening concert 7:30 pm, Sunday, 10 January 2010. The Celtic Society will be working with St. Mary’s Ryken High School, Leonardtown, MD as a collaborative effort to present this event to the community.

Genticorum is a very talented, humorous, witty Québécois trio from Montreal, Canada. Their music is energetic, uplifting and even soulful – all sung in the Québécois French language, but prefaced always with an explicit translation in English. The three young men, Pascal Gemme (fiddle, feet, vocals), Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand (flute, bass, fiddle, vocals), and Yann Falquet (guitar, jaw harp, vocals) blend musical talents and personalities together beautifully. They received the Canadian Folk Music Award in 2008 for “Best Traditional Album” on their latest CD, “La Bibournoise,” as well as “Best Ensemble” in 2005, and nominated for several other similar awards.

The diverse musical arrangements offered throughout Genticorum’s concert will leave you mesmerized, amazed and finding it hard to believe that so much is coming from only three musicians. They are one of the most sought-after exponents of Québécois musical culture, having now performed and toured across North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania – more than 15 countries in all. Genticorum members, in part and in whole, have also performed with Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, and have become regular teaching staff for Alasdair’s Sierra Nevada Fiddle Camp in California.

If you want to learn more before the workshop/concert, a Youtube or Google search will offer oodles more about this lively group, and of course, visit their website www.genticorum.com. We are so fortunate to have this opportunity to present them to you again. More details are available at www.cssm.org, email fiddling@cssm.org, or call (443) 975-0972. Afternoon workshops from 2pm – 4pm will include fiddle/feet, flute/penny whistle, and guitar. As usual, seating will be limited for the workshops, so register early.

This event is sponored in part by SOMD.com, the Cafe des Artistes and the Executive Inn and Suites in Leonardtown. Win free tickets at www.somd.com!  Create your own weekend getaway package with the discounted room rates at the Executive Inn and Suites, enjoy a lovely gourmet preconcert meal with a complimentary glass of wine, all within walking distance of the concert.