Home » Events » CONTACT Helpline benefit concert: April Verch Band and Dor L'Dor

CONTACT Helpline benefit concert: April Verch Band and Dor L'Dor

Nov 13th, 2009

Clayton Performing Arts Center, Pellissippi State Community College
865-567-1415

April Verch is a world-class fiddler, a champion Ottawa Valley stepdancer, an acclaimed composer, and a vocalist whose voice has been hailed as "absolutely captivating" by the Toronto Star. April and her band perform a beguiling musical blend, rooted in the Celtic traditions of her Ottowa Valley home and incorporating bluegrass, old-timey, jazz, and Brazilian influences. She is the first woman to win both the Canadian Grand Masters and Canadian Open Fiddle Championships. The Nashville City Paper writes, "April Verch sings with such stark, direct intensity that it's almost surprising that her fiddle playing has touches of flash as well as fire."

The eight-piece klezmer band Dor L'Dor is rooted in different traditions, but they share with the April Verch Band the ability to weave together disparate styles into a compelling modern sound. Wayne Bledsoe of The Knoxville News-Sentinel calls their music "wildly creative." The range of instruments played by the band's multi-instrumentalists includes the clarinet, piano, euphonium, drums, guitar, bass, mandolin, and multiple trombones. Their arrangements feature klezmer standards such as "Bulgar a la Naftule" and "Yossel, Yossel" as well as modern folk, jazz, and pop tunes.

Strings for Rings is the annual fundraising event for CONTACT Helpline, which answers over 7,000 phone calls annually from people throughout the 865 area code who need trained listeners or community referrals. Hallerin Hilton Hill will emcee the event, which is sponsored by B&W Y-12 and Jacobs Chiropractic. Tickets are available by phone at 865-584-4424 or online at www.cumberlandmusic.org. Call Allen McBride at 865-567-1415 for more information.