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Ethan Hazzard-Watkins fiddler

Fiddler Ethan Hazzard-Watkins performs traditional and original music with infectious energy, passion, and grace.

Ethan's fiddling combines expressive subtlety, playfulness, and compelling rhythmic power born out of more than two decades of experience as a dance musician. A versatile and inspiring performer, Ethan is equally at home digging into an Irish, Quebecois, or New England fiddle tune, improvising on a classic blues, swing, or honky-tonk song, or interpreting a lyrical waltz or English Country Dance melody.

Based in Brattleboro, Vermont, Ethan tours extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad, playing for dances, festivals, camps, concerts, weddings, and other events with his bands Elixir and The Figments. He performs closer to home with honky-tonk band The Rear Defrosters. Ethan is also an avid composer of tunes in traditional styles, and his compositions and arrangements have been played and recorded widely.

gig calendar

Oct 25, 2013to Oct 27, 2013Music City MasqueradeNashville, TNwith Elixir
Nov 1, 2013at 8:00 pmHartwick College Contra DancePine Lake Campus, 1894 Charlotte Creek Rd, Oneonta, NYwith Elixir
Nov 2, 2013at 4:00 pmCornell Square/Contra DanceMemorial Room, Willard Straight Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NYwith ElixirSchedule:

4-6 pm - A mix of singing squares and traditional figures...accessible to ALL!
Come, and bring friends.

8-11 pm - Contra Dance

Parking can be challenging on campus. This link might help: ifd.cornell.edu/maps/WSH.html
Nov 3, 2013at 2:00 pmCornell ConcertAppel Commons 303, Cornell North Campus, Ithaca, NYwith ElixirSponsored by the Cornell Folk Song Society.
Nov 11, 2013at 7:00 pmAmherst English DanceMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirRobin Hayden (calling), Pat MacPherson (piano), and Aldo Fabrizi (mandolin)
Nov 15, 2013at 8:00 pmGreenfield Contra Dance401 Chapman St., Greenfield, MAwith ElixirMary Wesley (calling) and The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
Nov 29, 2013at 8:30 pmGlen Echo Contra DanceSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith ElixirIt's Black Friday! Come dance!
Nov 30, 2013at 8:00 pmDC Square DanceNorth Hall at Eastern Market, 225 7th St SE, Washington, DCwith ElixirDetails TBA…
Dec 1, 2013at 3:30 pmGlen Echo Waltz TimeSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith Elixir
Dec 1, 2013at 7:30 pmGlen Echo Contra DanceSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith Elixir
Dec 6, 2013to Dec 8, 2013Winter WarmUpWorthington Community Center, 345 East Wilson Bridge Rd., Worthington, Ohiowith Elixirw/ Gallimaufry
Dec 16, 2013at 7:00 pmAmherst English DanceMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirBrad Foster (calling), Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Joyce Crouch (piano), and Doug Creighton (accordion/flute)
Jan 3, 2014at 8:00 pmSan Diego Contra Dance3030 Thorn Street, San Diego, CAwith Elixirwith Lisa Greenleaf (calling) and The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
Jan 5, 2014at 6:30 pmSanta Barbara Contra Dance100 E Carrillo St
Santa Barbara CA 93101with Elixirwith Lisa Greenleaf (calling) and The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
Jan 10, 2014to Jan 11, 2014Phoenix Winter FrolicKenilworth School, 1210 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZwith Elixir
Jan 24, 2014to Jan 26, 2014Florida Snow Ball5500 Shore Blvd. South, Gulfport, FLwith Elixirw/ Great Bear Trio and caller George Marshall
Jan 30, 2014at 7:00 pmConcord Contra DanceConcord Scout House, Concord, MAwith ElixirLinda Leslie (calling), Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Jeremiah McLane (accordion/piano), and Owen Marshall (guitar/banjo)
Feb 1, 2014at 11:00 amBrattleboro Winter Farmer's MarketRiver Garden, Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301with ElixirEthan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle) and Roger Kahle (guitar)
Feb 7, 2014at 8:00 pmMostly Waltz Greenfieldwith Karen Axelrod (piano) and Anna Patton (clarinet)
Feb 8, 2014at 7:30 pmPutney VaudevillePutney, VTwith ElixirThis show features lots of great local talent, including circus acts, comedy, dance, a flea circus, and more. I'll be joining the Gaslight Tinkers as a guest musician.
Feb 17, 2014at 7:00 pmAmherst English DanceMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirGraham Christian (calling), Karen Axelrod (piano), and Susan Conger (violin), and Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (violin)
Mar 6, 2014at 7:30 pmConcord Contra Dance74 Walden Rd, Concord, MAwith Elixir
Mar 7, 2014at 7:30 pmNext Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music Concert SeriesNext Stage, 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VTwith Elixirw/ The Sweetback Sisters!

Tickets $16 in advance, $18 at the door. Information available by calling (802) 387-0102.
Mar 8, 2014at 7:30 pmJamaica Plain Gender-free Contra DanceFirst Church, 6 Eliot St, Jamaica Plain, MAwith Elixir
Mar 9, 2014at 4:30 pmClub Passim47 Palmer St, Cambridge, MAwith ElixirTickets $12
We'll be celebrating the release of Anybody's Guess with a show at Club Passim in Cambridge.
Mar 28, 2014at 8:30 pmGlen Echo Contra DanceSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith ElixirNils Fredland (calling), with The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), Owen Morrison (guitar).
Mar 30, 2014at 3:30 pmGlen Echo Waltz TimeSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith Elixir
Mar 30, 2014at 7:30 pmGlen Echo Contra DanceSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith ElixirNils Fredland (calling), with The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), Owen Morrison (guitar).
Apr 11, 2014to Apr 13, 2014Toronto Spring ThawSt. Barnabas Church, 175 Hampton Ave, Toronto, ONwith Elixir
Apr 21, 2014at 7:00 pmAmherst English DanceMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirGraham Christian (calling), Karen Axelrod (piano), Mary Lea (violin), and Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (violin)
Apr 25, 2014to Apr 27, 2014Portland RaindanceNorse Hall, 111 NE 11th Ave, Portland, ORwith Elixirw/ Perpetual e-Motion and Maggie Jo Saylor
May 9, 2014to May 11, 2014Cape Cod Dance WeekendCamp Farley, Mashpee, MAwith Elixirw/ Nor'easter, and callers Sue Rosen (ECD, contras, and squares) and Mary Wesley (contras and squares)!
May 23, 2014to May 26, 2014FolkMADnessNew Mexico Tech, Socorro, NMwith Elixirw/ The Privy Tippers and Will Mentor
May 31, 2014at 8:00 pmMontpelier Contra DanceCapitol City Grange, Montpelier, VTwith ElixirNils Fredland (calling), Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Eric McDonald (guitar/mandolin), and Corey DiMario (bass/tenor guitar)
Jun 7, 2014at 4:00 pmPrivate EventAnnapolis, MDwith Elixir
Jun 8, 2014at 7:30 pmGlen Echo Contra DanceSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith Elixir
Jun 21, 2014at 7:00 pmSpokane Folklore Society Contra DanceSt. John Orthodox Church, 4718 E. Horsehaven Ave, Post Falls, IDwith Elixir
Jun 22, 2014to Jun 28, 2014Lady of the LakeCoeur D'Alene, IDwith Elixirw/ Lots of great folks. This is fantastic camp in a beautiful setting. Make the trip to join us for the week!
Aug 15, 2014to Aug 16, 2014peacham acoustic music festivalPeacham, VTwith ElixirEthan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano), and Owen Marshall (guitar, banjo, bouzouki)
Sep 11, 2014at 7:30 pmConcord Contra Dance74 Walden Rd, Concord, MAwith ElixirThe Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
Sep 12, 2014to Sep 14, 2014Swallowtail Dance WeekendCamp Becket, Becket, MAwith Elixirw/ well…Swallowtail!
Sep 19, 2014to Sep 21, 2014Michigan Heritage FestivalLexington MIwith ElixirLisa Greenleaf(calling and The Figments: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
Oct 3, 2014at 8:00 pmBoulder Contra DanceAvalon Ballroom, 6185 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder, COwith Elixir
Oct 4, 2014at 8:00 pmFort Collins Contra DanceCity Park Center (Club Tico), Fort Collins, COwith Elixir
Oct 5, 2014at 1:00 pmDenver Contra DanceHighlands Masonic Center, 3550 Federal Blvd., Denver, COwith ElixirWaltzes and couples dancing at 1 PM, contras from 2 to 5 PM!
Oct 17, 2014to Oct 18, 2014Contra ShockNew York Citywith Elixirw/ Maivish and Will Mentor

Schedule (subject to change):
10/17 - Brooklyn Contra Dance, 7:30 pm beginner’s lesson, 8 to 11 pm contra dance for all
10/18 - CDNY contra for experienced dancers, 4 to 6 pm; 7:30 pm beginner’s lesson, 8 to 11 pm contra dance for all
Oct 19, 2014at 1:00 pmContrastock IVSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MDwith Elixirw/ Perpetual e-Motion, The Coffee Zombies, and callers Will Mentor and Bev Bernbaum.

Don't miss this...it's gonna be another great Contrastock party.
Nov 3, 2014at 7:00 pmAmherst English Country DanceWhately Dance Barn, Whately, MAwith ElixirRobin Hayden (calling), Karen Axelrod (piano), lydia ievins (violin), and Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (violin)
Nov 7, 2014to Nov 9, 2014Atlanta Dance WeekendAtlanta, GAwith Elixirw/ Maivish and caller Luke Donforth
Nov 22, 2014at 7:00 pmBrattleboro Playford BallBrattleboro, VTwith Elixir

store

Elixir CDs

To order Elixir CDs please visit the Elixir store.

In the Window

Download on Bandcamp

Selected traditional and original material arranged to highlight the diverse musical ideas that grow out of the New England contra dance tradition. Ethan’s solo CD moves gracefully between high energy jigs and reels, contemplative airs, and lovely waltzes, flirting with musical ideas drawn from a wide range of styles. Recorded and Mixed by Bob Mills in Guilford, VT.

Guest Musicians

Anna Patton (clarinet), Bob Mills (guitar & bouzouki), Chuck Corman (bass), Erica Morse (cello & bass) Elvie Miller (piano & accordion), Jesse Hazzard-Watkins (trumpet), lydia ievins (fiddle), Marko Packard (guitar & sax), Naomi Morse (fiddle & viola), Peter Siegel (guitar, mandolin, banjo, & feet), Roger Kahle (guitar), Seth Houston (piano).

tunes

Tune Book: A is for Avocado

Ethan's collection of original tunes, published in 2007, is no longer available in print. You can download a complete PDF of the book or find some individual highlights and more recent compositions below.

Download A is for Avocado

A few of Ethan's compositions are available for download below.

contact

Get in touch with Ethan: