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"Alison's Waltz", performed by Elke Baker (www.elkebaker.com), Ken Kolodner (www.kenkolodner.com) & Robin Bullock (www.robinbullock.com) at the Institute of Musical Traditions (www.imtfolk.org), Rockville, Maryland, USA on December 3, 2012.

U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion Elke Baker has played all over North America and in places as far-flung as Japan, West Africa, and Scotland, as well at The Birchmere (with Ken Kolodner) and the Kennedy Center in her hometown of Washington, D.C. She brings a scholar's depth of knowledge and an extremely engaging manner to her performances, as well as an intimate knowledge of just what makes people want to dance.

The Washington Post praised her CD Glenelg for " the rhythmic energy and deep emotions that Baker generates with her bow, Baker's fiddle nearly throws off sparks," while Celtic Beat called Over the Border "a CD of rare delight, precise technical skill, and fulness of soul." It was featured in the soundtrack of The Boyhood of John Muir, nationally broadcast on PBS television. In addition, Elke's first recording Terpsichore: Scottish Dance Music, with pianist Liz Donaldson, is a classic of the genre and is popular with dancers and listeners around the world.

Ken Kolodner is widely recognized as one of one of today's most accomplished, musical hammered dulcimer artists... (Elderly) and a fine old-time fiddler. Ken has performed for over 30 years as a soloist and in ensembles with Scottish national fiddle champion Elke Baker, his son Brad Kolodner (clawhammer banjo, banjola, vocals), with Helicon (with Chris Norman and Robin Bullock), Greenfire (with Laura Risk), and with many others. He has been featured numerous times on NPR, The Thistle and the Shamrock, All Things Considered, Performance Today, the CBC, the Voice of America, Germany National Radio, and countless radio shows.

Ken Kolodner has often been called the most influential hammered dulcimer player in the U.S. His playing has been described as world class, (Sing Out!), "nothing short of astonishing" (The Connection), outstanding, (The New York Times), marvelous, (The Washington Post), virtuosic, (Audio), stunning in its musicality, (Dulcimer Player News) and not to be missed. (USA TODAY).

Internationally recognized as a master Celtic instrumentalist, Robin celebrates the many moods of the Yuletide season in gorgeous guitar interpretations, augmenting his six-string virtuosity with selections on cittern, mandolin and piano. Combining familiar favorites such as What Child is This, The First Noel, O Little Town of Bethlehem and his show-stopping solo guitar arrangement of Carol of the Bells with lesser-known pieces such as the traditional Scottish carol Rorate, the Irish Wexford Carol and the Shetland Islands fiddle tune Christmas Day in the Morning, Robin weaves a spell from centuries of tradition and the joy of the season, creating an unforgettable evening of acoustic Christmas cheer.

Sound: Art Isaacs, Dave Eisner, Dave Richardson, Jim Ralph

Camera: Laura Christoplos, Dick Tufts, Emily Whiting

Editing: Ralph Lillie

© 2012, Institute of Musical Traditions