"Exuberant and rhythmic, somehow both wild and innocent, delivered with captivating melodic clarity and an irresistible playfulness," says the Boston Globe about Hanneke Cassel’s playing. Such charismatic fiddling has brought the native Oregonian many honors and awards. She is the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, she holds a Bachelors of Music in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music, and she has performed and taught across North America, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, India, and China. She creates sounds on the cutting edge of acoustic music, while retaining the integrity and soul of the tradition.
Hanneke’s trio includes cellist Mike Block (who regularly performs with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble) and guitarist Christopher Lewis. Hailed by Yo-Yo Ma as the "ideal musician of the 21st Century", Mike Block is a pioneering multi-style cellist, composer, and educator living in Boston. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Mike is an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music. Canadian-native Christopher Lewis provides the driving guitar sound in the group. In addition to his work with Hanneke, he has been involved with album production and performance in the Boston indie rock scene.