The brother-sister duo Qristina and Quinn Bachand will be performing at Char’s Landing in Port Alberni this week.
Born on Canada’s West Coast, with their signature embrace of experimentation and improvisation, siblings Qristina and Quinn Bachand have developed their own “voice,” exploring various musical traditions, fusing styles such as old-time, Celtic, folk and jazz to create their own distinctive sound.
With Qristina’s shimmering vocals and inspirational fiddling and Quinn’s old–soul mastery to all things stringed, this brother and sister act clearly hit the mark with the music industry, earning accolades and international touring opportunities with the likes of Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster.
The duo won 2010 Top Traditional Group and 2011 Top Duo at the Irish Music Awards, as well as five nominations at the Canadian Folk Music Awards and Western Canadian Music Awards. They’ve released three critically acclaimed full length albums: Relative Minors, Family and Little Hinges.
With a healthy dose of Celtic, and plenty of rootsy goodness, they engage traditional as well as contemporary listeners with jaw-dropping effect. They artfully meld heart-swelling, stomp and clap Celtic Roots with progressive Indie Folk, with results that are arresting, provocative, stimulating and thoroughly intoxicating.
Both are gifted musicians and sought-after instructors. Quinn has just completed his BA in music on a Presidential Scholarship at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is currently based in Montreal. Qristina holds an MA in Irish Traditional Music from the Irish World Academy at the University of Limerick, Ireland. After six years living in Europe, she has just recently moved back to Vancouver Island.
The concert at Char’s Landing on Thursday, March 14 is part of Qristina and Quinn’s Spring Tour of Vancouver Island; they are looking forward to being back at Char’s Landing.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the showdate ($15 for kids). Tickets are available by phone (778-421-2427), at the Rollin Art Centre and Gayle’s Fashions (cash only) or online. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7.