CASEY MURRAY

     Casey Murray is a talented multi-instrumentalist currently studying Cello Performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Casey has a background in many diverse styles including fiddle, folk, classical, improvisation, and more.

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     Music has been an important part of Casey’s life from a very young age. Her journey started at age three when she first began studying at The Kanack School of Musical Artistry in Rochester, NY.  Having the unique experience of being homeschooled for all of her K-12 education, Casey was able to spend her free time at The Kanack School learning to play a wide variety of styles on several different instruments.  She is now proficient at cello, guitar, banjo, fiddle and more.

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     Casey enjoys playing music for contra dancing; social folk dancing, similar to square dancing. Part of what draws her to this scene is the intense energy of playing for live dancers and the combination of older traditions and innovation. She’s on the road most often with her dance band Ginger Majority—a group of young female instrumentalists who blend driving rhythm and complex harmonies with both traditional and original tunes.  Another ensemble is Food For Thought, Casey’s long-time duo with fiddle player Daphne Pickens. Casey and Daphne met when they were young children at The Kanack School of Musical Artistry and have now been playing and composing together for more than fifteen years. Food For Thought released their first album To Zamir in 2013. Casey also often collaborates with accomplished musician, composer, and producer, Andrew VanNorstrand. Together they have been exploring an intimate acoustic sound, performing many original songs and tunes.

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     Her most recent project is Sailbow, a contemporary Celtic duo with fiddle player Emilie Rose of Grass Valley, CA. The two met at Berklee College of Music in the American Roots Music Program in 2016. While Casey and Emilie have different backgrounds stylistically, the original compositions and creative diversity they both bring to the band offer a wonderfully distinct sound. They’ve traveled around the United States performing concerts, contra dances, and festivals such as KVMR Celtic Festival in California. Casey and Emilie also perform in a band called Willow Down with fellow Berklee students Megan McGarry and Kat McLevey. Willow Down has performed at noteworthy events like Freshgrass Festival and The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.

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     Casey has been developing her skills as a session musician and appears on several recent recordings including The Waltz Album (Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand, 2015), In the Midst of a War (Catalina Gonzalez Hinrichsen, 2015), and Magic Fantasy Dream Dance (Great Bear, 2016) and has performed on many recording projects with fellow Berklee students.  

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     Casey is also a gifted educator. She teaches private lessons and group classes using Suzuki, Creative Ability Development, and fiddle pedagogy on string instruments. She has been a guest teacher and faculty member at KSMA Chamber Camps, KSMA Fiddle Camps, and Creative Ability Development Workshops. This year she will be a guest artist at Eastport Strings Creative Ability Development Workshop in Maine and a faculty member at Whole Music Camp in northern California.  She has also enjoyed working and studying with faculty members at Mike Block String Camp (as the D’Addario full scholarship recipient), Pure Dead Brilliant Fiddle Camp, and Harmony of Song and Dance at Pinewoods (scholarship recipient).