Natalie MacMaster

Cape Breton fiddle virtuoso Natalie MacMaster will present two concerts in Randolph. (Provided / Jack Rowell)

At Chandler Feb. 26-27

Cape Breton fiddler and step dancer Natalie MacMaster and her band will return to Chandler Music Hall in Randolph for two performances, Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m.

MacMaster has played to full-house audiences in past visits to Chandler, so reserving tickets by calling the box office at 802-728-6464, or online by e-mailing tickets@chandler-arts.org is recommended.

"MacMaster’s a ball of fire, performing jigs and reels with unstoppable foot-tapping energy and ballads with irresistible, keening passion," said the Los Angeles Times.

Another critic noted that, "The music is in her blood and it is with sheer joy that she shares her fiery jigs and reels, quieter waltzes, and new contemporary pieces. Her audiences witness her absolute love of the music and, right from the start, are convinced that something special is about to be experienced. As she swoops and dances, and jumps and laughs with boundless energy, her deep connection with her art is evident and her energy is contagious."

Macmaster first picked up the fiddle at age nine and hasn’t looked back. She won numerous rewards for her early traditional recordings and has received abundant accolades with her subsequent releases, including "In My Hands" (Rounder), which fuses jazz, Latin, and the guest vocals of Alison Krauss, and the Grammy-nominated "My Roots are Showing" (Rounder).

On "Blueprint" (Rounder) MacMaster combined her talents with instrumentalists such as Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, and Edgar Meyer. This album won her the "Best Female Artist of the Year" and "Best Roots/Traditional Solo Recording" at Canada’s East Coast Music Awards. MacMaster was one of the youngest people ever named a member of the prestigious Order of Canada—Canada’s highest civilian honor.

MacMaster and her husband, fellow fiddle virtuoso Donnell Leahy, of the famed Canadian band Leahy, co-produced her 10^th album, "Yours Truly," in which she continues to incorporate new sounds and concepts into her rich Cape Breton musical heritage. The couple has also launched an Internet radio show entitled Cape Breton Live, which features live performances of musicians in traditional venues along the East Coast.

Chandler Music Hall is wheelchair accessible.

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