Our GA-uests!- Filk Programming

Sam Baardman and Susan Israel

Guests of Honor, Sam Baardman & Susan Israel
"Sam Baardman and Susan Israel are veterans of the Canadian folk music scene. At home in a variety of folk settings, Sam is a versatile and gifted instrumentalist, songwriter and lyricist. His original music ranges from the socially-conscious to the deeply personal with songs that are lyrically rich, penetrating and perceptive. You know his songs: Come Down to the River, Kicking the Stone Home, Songs of Waterloo, Solar Flare, Breathe Easy, The Amazon is Burning, Time, The Rookery. Sam is a professional photographer, too, and we're going to work out a way to exhibit some of his art at GAFilk.

Susan Israel, Sam’s long-time musical partner, is the talented fiddle player whose accompaniament winds sweetly through Sam's songs. Susan is passionate about music, and she is active in the Winnipeg folk music scene as a performer, fiddle teacher and composer. She worked as teacher for over 20 years in elementary schools, instructing adults in English as a Second Language, and as a program consultant in theatre and dance. Susan managed artists in the Schools Residency Program, and became the Arts Education Manager. Susan and Sam have two adult children, both of whom are also accomplished musicians.

 

 
Toastmasters, Teresa & George Powell
The Powells have been a mainstay at GAFilk for almost as long as there's been a GAFilk. Teresa, the beautiful and talented bass player and singer with Three Weird Sisters, introduced her equally handsome and talented husband George to the filk community. Then George brought his sax and Brian Richardson on drums formed Mary Crowell's jazz/blues trio Play It With Moxie. Teresa's strong harmonies and bass joined the Moxie crew the next year. Later two of their children, Carly Gibson (lead guitar) and Andrew Powell (sax and toaster) turned into Moxyites, because the nut doesn't fall far from the tree. We've all admired their skills, their chops, and their fabulous outfits. They are wonderful, witty, and wildly talented people who deserve recognition for their individual abilities. We're proud to have them as our toastmasters.

Teresa and George Powell

Our Interfilk Guests, Fianna Christina Chamberlin and Thom Gressman took their band's name from the sworn followers of the legendary Irish hero Finn MacCumhail. As members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, they engage in both martial pursuits and the more genteel arts. They both are Civil War re-enactors as well, serving with the 56th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and Hampton's Pennsylvania Artillery Battery. Fianna performs an eclectic mix of styles ranging from traditional Celtic folk and SCA filk, to rock parodies and original compositions. Christina Chamberlain, a self-described "convention-baby", is based more solidly in the filk tradition. She attended her first filk-sing with her father at the age of five. She plays 6 and 12-string guitar and Irish bozouki, and sings with a dark-honey alto. Her partner in music, Thom Gressman, describes himself as "a bit musically schizophrenic" with a liking for almost every musical style. He came to filking from the Celtic folk tradition, where he learned to play 6 and 12-string guitar, mandolin, banjo and pennywhistle.

Fianna

Plus our SUPER SECRET GA-UEST(S)!  Once again, GAFilk is bringing in another special surprise guest(s). This someone (or someones) contributed in a mighty way to the sf/fantasy world, loves the filk community, and rarely gets an opportunity to attend a convention without the pressures heaped upon "pros". We want to give this person (or persons) the opportunity to simply enjoy the convention and have a good time.

  • This Year's Super Secret GA-uest
  • Previous Super Secret GA-uests....
  • GAFilk GA-uest History
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