The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center: 605 Main St Middletown, CT 06457

Tickets: https://buttonwood.networkforgood.com/events/83034-helen-and-rose-jackson

Rooted in the musical traditions of New England, Dearest Dear present traditional tunes from Ireland, New England, Quebec, and France, and craft vocal harmonies for age-old songs with modern relevance.

Rose Jackson came up in the rich folk scene of western Massachusetts. Equally at home in the concert hall and on the dance stage, she studied under fiddler Becky Tracy (Nightingale, Wild Asparagus) from whom she inherited a wide repertoire of music from Quebec, New England, Ireland, and France, a deep love for old tunes, and the intuitive sense of rhythm and danceability which infuses her playing. From multi-instrumentalist Pete Sutherland (Pete’s Posse), she developed her ear for song arrangement and harmony. She's toured festivals nationally with her band Polaris, and now plays with her quartet Stove Dragon and duo Helen & Rose. In 2024, she received one of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s competitive Grants for Creative Individuals for her work as a tradition-bearer of New England fiddle music.

Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Helen Kuhar currently resides in Cambridge, MA. Helen began exploring their connection to folk and Celtic music in 2020 while studying with renowned guitarist Alex Sturbaum (Countercurrent). Since then, Helen has become involved in the thriving New England music scene through playing contra dances and concerts with their band Good Company. Helen also performs with Upstate New York fiddler Tim Ball, whose debut solo album Upstate Crossroads was the No. 1 CD of January 2023 on the FAI Folk music chart. Helen can also be found leading Irish sessions in and around the greater Boston Area.

Together, Dearest Dear invites audiences in for stories, melodies, and lyrics that unite us all in our shared humanity.