Bowties

Gordon Stobbe, Fiddle
Greg Simm, Guitar
Nancy Dahn, Violin
Timothy Steeves, Piano

The violin and the piano.  The fiddle and the guitar.  These two pairs, one classically trained (Duo Concertante), one folk-oriented (Stobbe/Simm), come together to juxtapose, contemplate, and explore with the audience their seemingly disparate (or similar?) traditions and artistry.  With virtuosity, insight, imagination and humour they present a thrilling musical experience spanning Bach to Benoit. Between the Duo Concertante’s ravishing renditions of the traditional classics, and Gordon Stobbe’s toe-tapping Metis fiddle tunes, maritime airs and his own heartwarming compositions, all musical possibilities are open to discovery.

The show, originally entitled "Fiddles Unlimited," was the brainchild of Dick Stoker who put the artists together with director Michael Chiasson for a six-venue tour in January 2003 of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Culture Centres.  It was an instant success, and the response has been an overwhelming demand for more. Bowties’ 2004 Contact East showcase triggered an Atlantic tour in the spring of 2005, where delighted audiences enjoyed the show’s “first-class heart and soul”.

Reviews

MUSICAL MAGIC
The Telegram, St. John’s, NL - 2004 East Coast Music Awards - Friday, February 13, 2004
The Rush of Adrenaline by Mark Vaughan-Jackson

"…One of my personal faves of the classical stage was Bow Ties.  This hybrid mix features the classical pianist/violinist husband and wife team Timothy Steeves and Nancy Dahn (a.k.a. Duo Concertante) with Nova Scotia fiddler Gordon Stobbe and guitarist Greg Simm. 

Imagine, if you will, a program where these four musicians trade songs – a snippet of classical violin followed by a snatch of a 15th century Irish jig.  Add in a line of witty repartee and you’ve got a little musical magic – especially when they tag team on a bluesy/trad rendition of a Ravel work segueing smoothly into the real McCoy classical version a heartbeat later"