‘Fiddlin’ Around’ a vibrant blend of Irish and American music
“Fiddlin’ Around,” held Saturday, April 12, closed out the 2024-25 season with a vibrant blend of Irish and American fiddle music. It was conducted by Daniel Wiley, the final of three conductor finalists vying for the permanent music director role.
Guest artist Caitlin Warbelow — best known for her role as the original Broadway fiddler in “Come from Away” — joined the orchestra for a performance that felt like storytelling in motion.
Some selections were drawn directly from Warbelow’s time on Broadway. “Come from Away” is a musical based on the true events following Sept. 11, when planes were diverted to the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. The show captures the chaos and compassion that unfolded there. Two pieces from the musical, including “Me and the Sky,” added emotional weight and familiarity to the program.
Other tunes for the concert were personal to Warbelow herself, including “Porthole of the Kelp,” “Pretty Girl Milking her Cow” and the “Louth Suite,” which made its American premiere during this performance.
The program also honored local tradition and geography. Pieces like “Variations on a Shaker Melody” — excerpted from Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” — “Ohio Riverboat,” and “Old Virginia Reel” celebrated the folk legacy found deep in Pennsylvania’s roots.
As a violinist of 13 years, I felt every note. I had performed “St. Paul’s Suite” in early high school and hearing it again stirred something nostalgic in me. Wiley made a lighthearted remark after the performance that anyone who’s ever played it carries a little PTSD from the endless rehearsals — I laughed remembering that, because it was too true. But it’s also a piece I’ve always loved, and the orchestra performed it with poise and passion, reminding me exactly why.
A few highlights of the evening included the North Allegheny Fiddlers joining the symphony for “Old Virginia Reel,” creating a heartwarming moment between generations of musicians, and an audience member donating his more than $500 in winnings back to the BCSO.
The vocalists featured in the musical selections delivered polished, energetic performances — especially during the widely beloved “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” in which both the singers and audience had a blast.
Together these moments were powerful reminders of how much the BCSO means to the community.
The most emotional moment for me came during the finale: Mark O’Connor’s “Olympic Reel,” a fast-paced fiddle duet written for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
A few years ago, O’Connor came to my college for a residency. I had to perform one of his pieces for him in a master class — a terrifying, yet unforgettable, experience. After I played, he gave some constructive criticism, but indicated I was a natural fiddler. I don’t think I understood how important and meaningful that opportunity was until this concert. Hearing his music performed so passionately by the orchestra brought it all full circle for me as it was a deeply emotional and humbling moment.
As I stood with the rest of the audience in applause, I found myself overwhelmed with emotion. This concert wasn’t just about entertainment. It was a reminder of why music matters, of the memories it holds and the way it connects us to each other — to our roots and to ourselves.
To the Butler County Symphony Orchestra: Thank you for a season full of magic, and thank you for giving me and many others a night we’ll never forget.
