"Our home away from home," MacMaster said. The couple, four of their seven children and the band were traveling by bus. MacMaster and Leahy are on a 21-stop tour with "Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond," and MacMaster was speaking on the phone recently from Eureka, California. Their first album playing together was titled "One."
"Exultant" is a term that's been used to describe Leahy. "Jubilant," said one review of MacMaster. But Donnell, you have his music - it's definitely Ontario but it's his own style as well," MacMaster said.īoth have also worked in other genres, but there are words that have collectively summed up the effect of each of them when performing. "A large portion of the night is what you would expect - Cape Breton. Cape Breton music is considered Scottish-French Celtic, and in MacMaster's case you could say that the Scottish element holds sway. While they are both extraordinary fiddle players, there are some musical differences in their styles and influences although the "mileage" has been triumphantly overcome. They'll be together March 15 at The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts for their show "Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy: Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond," presented by Music Worcester. The two are now considered to be "Canada's reigning couple of Celtic music."
"We dated for two years, broke up for 10 years, and then we got married," MacMaster said. However, there was some "distance" for a while in terms of their personal connection. WORCESTER - It is about 1,174 miles from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, to Lakefield, Ontario.Ĭanadian fiddle players Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy are not nearly that far apart musically in comparison with their respective hometowns.