FIDDLE TUNES, FOLK SONGS & FANCY FOOTWORK
Friday, November 20, 2026 | 7:30 PM | General Admission
Fiddle tunes, folk songs and fancy footwork are the featured fare from this acoustic duet, who are longtime Opera House favorites!
John Kirk is the primary vocalist and instrumental wizard on fiddle, mandolin & more. Trish Miller plays banjo, and guitar, and provides fancy footwork with percussive dance steps. Together, this married couple has been working and teaching in upstate New York for more than three decades. They present traditional tunes and witty songs with unique arrangements and warm clear vocals.
Old time music is the basis for their repertoire, but they also like to mix in some originals, Celtic, early country songs, humorous selections, and Appalachian clog dancing. Many songs and tunes are rooted in the local lore of the northeast woodlands. Their story-telling songs and poetic pieces make their shows fine entertainment for all ages.
In 2022, Kirk was inducted into the North American (& NY) Fiddler’s Hall of Fame. The duet has twice been nominated for Eddie Awards in New York’s Capitol district. Both of them are music instructors at Skidmore College, and Kirk is part of the music faculty at Bennington College, as well.
They have been awarded numerous grants for concerts and teaching including their selection by the US State Department to visit various cities in Eastern Europe. As teaching artists, Kirk & Miller have conducted school programs and residencies in music & dance heritage since the 1990s. For many years they have taught at summer music camps, museums, libraries, coffeehouses and more. From Carnegie Hall to their local Flurry Festival, Kirk & Miller entertain and work to carry on lively traditional tunes and dances.
The Folk in Fredonia Music Series is sponsored by the Gilman Family
