Halali

about

Halali is an American fiddle band comprising Hanneke Cassel, Laura Cortese and Lissa Schneckenburger, all on fiddle, with Flynn Cohen on guitar. The three fiddlers hail from extreme corners of the United States, but met in California at Alasdair Fraser's school for Scottish fiddling when they were teenagers. They formed a friendship that lasted until they relocated to Boston, where they attended music school. Each fiddler brings her distinct style to the band, but all are influenced by a common group of folk heroes in traditional genres such as Scottish, Irish, Quebecois, Old Time (Appalachian), Cape Breton, and Scandinavian. This produces a creative yet harmonious sound that has generated an enormously positive response. Each member of Halali also has numerous individual accomplishments. Hanneke Cassel was the winner of the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship, as well as the '92 and '94 National Scottish Junior Championship. She has a degree from the Berklee College of Music in violin performance and her first solo album was entitled My Joy. Laura Cortese has been featured on tour with Alasdair Fraser, and appeared in the world premiere of Tim O'Brien & The Crossing: Staged with Dance by Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble. She was the 1998 New England regional Scottish Fiddle Champion. New England fiddler and folk singer Lissa Schneckenburger grew up in Maine as an active member of the contradance community, where she cut her teeth as a musician at a very y