Artists’ reception slated for Saturday; Canadian folk music featured April 25

Don’t forget the artists’ reception tomorrow for the two new shows at the Art Center tomorrow. Joan Arrizabalaga and Edw Martinez will be showing “But Wait ... There’s More” in the E.L. Wiegand Gallery, a selection of new ceramic and mixed media works.

The Classroom Gallery will feature “The Space Between,” new ceramic works by Catherine Schmid-Maybach. All three artists will participate in a panel discussion at 4 p.m., followed by a reception from 5-7 p.m. Both the panel discussion and reception are free and open to the public.

Le Vent du Nord, a driving force in Canadian folk music, will bring their eclectic sounds to town on April 25.

Their hard driving soulful Quebecois music is a close cousin of Irish/Celtic music and they leaven the joyful sound with a touch of New Orleans polyphony and a little R & B.

The quartet fuses button accordion, guitar and fiddle with the sounds of a hurdy-gurdy. This unique stringed instrument—also known as a “Wheel Fiddle”— produces sound by a crank-turned wheel pressing against the strings.

Since the group formed in 2002, they garnered a lot of critical praise and two JUNO awards (the Canadian Grammy) and were named Artist of the Year by the Folk Alliance International. They’ve performed at a variety of venues around the world from Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival to Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage

The band has released eight CDs and their national tour is in support of the newest album “Tetu,” which was released last month. The members of the band are Nicolas Boulerice (hurdy gurdy), Simon Beaudry (guitar and bouzouki), Olivier Demers (fiddle and guitar), and Rejean Brunet (accordion).

Tickets are $17 for CAC members $20 for non-members and can be picked up at Jeff’s Copy Express, ITT @ NAS Fallon or by calling Churchill Arts at 775-423-1440. The band will also hold a free and open to the public conversation on their music and musical influences at 5 p.m. in the Art Center’s bar.

Please note the time change on the talk, from 3-5 p.m. to accommodate the band’s travel schedule. For more information call Churchill Arts at the number above.

Kirk Robertson covers the arts and may be reached at news@lahontanvalleynews.com.