2nd Annual Skidmore & Bennington Folk Festival (feat. Jenna Moynihan w/ Owen Marshall)

This two-day festival continues a regional collaboration built around performance, participation, and the living traditions of folk music and features acclaimed fiddler Jenna Moynihan , whose inventive style draws from Scottish, American, Irish, and Swedish traditions, performing with celebrated guitarist and bouzouki player Owen Marshall . Skidmore alumni Francis Davies, Paul Machabee, and Ellie Ushakov open the festival concert. Performances, workshops, jam sessions, and community activities bring students, artists, and public audiences together across both campuses for shared learning, music-making, and intergenerational exchange. SATURDAY FOLK FESTIVAL SCHEDULE 2:30 - 4:00PM | Beckerman (Room 006) Workshop with Jenna Moynihan & Owen Marshall Join acclaimed fiddler Jenna Moynihan and guitarist Owen Marshall for an interactive workshop exploring traditional and contemporary approaches to folk music. 4:00 - 4:30PM | Zankel Lobby Coffee Break Take a break, grab a cup of coffee and a treat, and connect with fellow musicians and festival-goers. 4:30 - 5:30PM | Beckerman (Room 006) Presentation & Participation with Skidmore Alumni Ellie Ushakov '26 and Francis Davies '26, and Paul Machabee '21 lead an informal, participatory session drawing on their own musical practices and experiences beyond Skidmore. About the Artists Jenna Moynihan is regarded as one of the best of the new generation of freestyle fiddlers. Versatile and inventive, her fiddling style draws strongly from the Scottish tradition, but is also influenced by American, Irish, and Swedish styles. Jenna has performed and taught around the world, including performances at Celtic Connections, Celtic Colours, Scots Fiddle Festival, and Festival Interceltique de Lorient, and has toured with The Milk Carton Kids, Old Blind Dogs, and Laura Cortese. She has performed as a soloist with The Boston Pops, and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CBS Sunday Morning. Jenna is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where she received the Fletcher Bright Award and The American Roots Music Scholarship, both given annually to one outstanding string player. In addition to her solo work, she performs with Seamus Egan Project, Hanneke Cassel Band, and in a duo with harpist Màiri Chaimbeul. Jenna is also a dedicated teacher and teaches at various camps and courses throughout the year, and is an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music. Vogue magazine calls musician Owen Marshall “A guitar/mandolin/banjo player rivaled in character only by the occasional three-pronged carrot”. With the music traditions of Quebec and Nova Scotia just over the border from his home in Vermont and the strong Irish musical scene of Boston to the south, Owen was immersed in the various textures and sounds of the Celtic music from an early age. In addition to touring with acts such as The Press Gang, Copley Street, and The Seamus Egan Project, Owen is in demand at music camps throughout New England and the U.S., where he shares his approach to accompanying traditional music. Presented by the Skidmore and Bennington College Departments of Music.