On Saturday, February 13th at 8:00 P.M., Branches and Roots Festival organizers, in association with Home Routes, will present 10 String Symphony at Ormstown’s Gigzz-Musique Resto.
Based in Nashville, the acoustic folk duo is made up of Rachel Baiman and Christian Sedelmyer, both talented vocalists and violinists—Baiman is a former Illinois State Fiddle Champion, while Sedelmyer is a classically trained violinist.
Their album, “Weight of the World”, was launched on October 23rd, 2015. Since then, it has reached No.3 on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts. The group has also been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered: “Newest and Most Promising Voices in Americana” while Ricky Ross of BBC Scotland has dubbed the duo’s music to be “…really, really beautiful.” Both players are also veteran sidemen with famous bands—Sedelmyer is a member of the Jerry Douglas Band, while Baiman has toured with several bands. She has also performed at the Grande Ole Opry with Mike Snyder, and played strings for country music superstar Kacey Musgraves. Hauntingly beautiful, the duo’s collaborated effort, 10 String Symphony, has resulted in music that is both original and memorable.
Known for their annual music festival, Branches and Roots Festival is actually a yearlong effort, working to present a minimum of four concerts to the community between festivals. “We like to present a good balance of local and out-of-town artists,’ says Branches and Roots president Wolf Kater. “A good example of a local artist is the Durham County Poets, who are now making inroads into the US. They started out as a group formed for our festival.” The organization has also hosted several renowned artists including New Hampshire’s Bill Staines, a stalwart of the American folk music scene, and more recently, original folk singer Oliver Swain of Victoria, British Columbia. The Chateauguay Valley itself has no lack of artistic talent either, as can be seen with the bevy of local musicians that are presented at every festival, including singers like Stewart Burrows and Ormstown-based singer Bruce Murdoch. The non-profit organization was officially incorporated in 2010, but will be celebrating its 14th year come autumn. Since its inception, it has worked to support the musical community, contributing to the artistic hub that is constantly growing in the valley.
A year ago, the Branches and Roots Festival joined forces with the Home Routes organization in an effort to bring more musical acts to the area, producing concerts that are put on in the comfort of people’s homes. Artists are paid via donations while being hosted in whichever house they perform in. The whole thing takes place within the span of a day, and has allowed for the continued growth of the folk music community in the area. “Home Routes is a coast-to-coast effort,’ says Kater. “It’s a really fun way to meet new and exciting musicians,” he added.
For more information on 10 String Symphony’s show or to make a reservation, call 450-829-3463.
