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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

Nov 10, 2010at 7:30 pmSwarthmore Contra DanceSwarthmore Collegewith Elixir
Nov 11, 2010at 7:30 pmGlenside Contra DanceGlenside, PAwith Elixir
Nov 12, 2010at 7:00 pmNY Gender Free Contra DanceNew York, NYwith Elixir
Nov 13, 2010CDNY Fall FlingNew York, NYwith Elixir
Nov 19, 2010at 8:00 pmBrown Contra DanceBrown University, Providence, RIwith ElixirThe Figments and Rebecca Lay (calling)
Nov 26, 2010to Nov 27, 2010Rochester Thanksgiving Dance WeekendRochester, NYwith ElixirThe Figments
Dec 3, 2010at 8:00 pmConcord Experienced DanceConcord, MAwith ElixirOwen Morrison (guitar/mandolin/feet) and Jeremiah McLane (accordion/piano)
Dec 4, 2010at 10:00 amBIDA Contra DanceCambridge, MAwith ElixirThe Figments: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet/mandolin)
Dec 5, 2010at 4:00 pmHartford Mostly WaltzHartford, MAwith Elixir
Dec 6, 2010at 7:00 pmAmherst ECDMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith Elixirlydia ievins (fiddle) and Joyce Crouch (piano)
Dec 9, 2010at 12:00 pmMostly Waltz401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith ElixirAnna Patton (clarinet) and Karen Axelrod (piano)
Dec 18, 2010at 8:00 pm3rd Saturday Contra DanceGuiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith ElixirLisa Greenleaf (calling), Owen Marshall (guitar), and Jeremiah McLane (accordion/piano)
Dec 20, 2010at 7:00 pmAmherst ECDMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirPeter Barnes (winds/guitar) and Karen Axelrod (piano)
Dec 26, 2010at 7:30 pmCANCELED: Brattleboro contra danceDance canceled due to the weather
Dec 30, 2010at 1:00 pmConcord Contra DanceConcord, MAwith ElixirEmily Troll (fiddle/accordion) and Josh Van Vliet (guitar)
Dec 31, 2010at 7:00 pmGreenfield New Years Eve Contra DanceGuiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith ElixirVan Kaynor (fiddle), Owen Marshall (guitar), Corey DiMario (bass, tenor guitar), Peter Barnes (piano/guitar), Daniel Plane (cello), David Kaynor (calling, fiddle, guitar), Rebecca Lay (calling), George Marshall (calling, concertina, bodhran) and more!
Jan 1, 2011at 8:00 pmMontpelier Contra DanceCapitol City Grange, Montpelier, VTwith ElixirAnna Patton (clarinet) and Julie Vallimont (piano)
Jan 7, 2011at 8:00 pmConcord Experienced DanceConcord, MAwith ElixirThe Figments
Jan 8, 2011at 11:00 amBrattleboro Farmers MarketMain Street, Brattleboro, VTwith ElixirAnna Patton (clarinet)
Jan 14, 2011to Jan 16, 2011Ralph Page Legacy Dance WeekendFiretruck: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Bruce Rosen (piano/guitar)
Jan 16, 2011at 7:00 pmBIDA DanceCambridge, MAwith ElixirFiretruck: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Bruce Rosen (piano/guitar)
Jan 20, 2011at 7:30 pmConcord Contra DanceConcord, MAwith Elixir
Jan 21, 2011at 8:00 pmGreenfield Contra Dance401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith Elixir
Jan 22, 2011Peterborough Snow BallPeterborough NHwith Elixir
Jan 23, 2011at 7:30 pmBrattleboro DanceBrattleboro, VTwith Elixir
Jan 28, 2011at 8:00 pmHouse concertAnnapolis, MDwith ElixirCheck back for more details.
Jan 29, 2011Baltimore Midwinter BallBaltimore MDwith Elixir
Feb 3, 2011at 7:30 pmLake City contra dance12531 28th Ave NE, Seattle, WAwith Elixir
Feb 4, 2011to Feb 6, 2011Dancing FoolSeattle WAwith Elixir
Feb 11, 2011at 8:00 pmRehoboth Contra DanceRehoboth, MAwith ElixirThe Figments
Feb 14, 2011at 7:00 pmAmherst ECDMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirAnna Patton (clarinet) and Joyce Crouch (piano)
Feb 19, 2011at 8:00 pm3rd Saturday Contra DanceGuiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith ElixirSue Rosen (calling), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Bruce Rosen (piano/guitar)
Feb 25, 2011to Feb 27, 2011Fiddling FrogPasadena, CAwith ElixirThe Figments with Will Patton (bass/mandolin)
Mar 14, 2011at 7:00 pmAmherst ECDMunson Library, Amherst, MAwith ElixirJoanna Morse (violin) and Joyce Crouch (piano)
Mar 18, 2011at 8:00 pmGlen Echo ContraGlen Echo Park, MDwith Elixir
Mar 20, 2011at 3:30 pmWaltz Time DancesGlen Echo Park, MDwith Elixirwaltz lesson 2:45-3:30
Mar 20, 2011at 7:30 pmGlen Echo ContraGlen Echo Park, MDwith Elixir
Mar 25, 2011to Mar 27, 2011Down East Country Dance FestivalTopsham MEwith Elixir
Apr 8, 2011to Apr 10, 2011Chesapeake Dance WeekendCamp Letts, Edgewater, MDwith Elixir
Apr 10, 2011at 7:30 pmGlen Echo ContraGlen Echo Park, MDwith Elixir
Apr 16, 2011Fiddlehead FrolicIthaca, NYwith Elixir
Apr 17, 2011at 8:00 pmBound for GloryAnabel Taylor Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NYwith Elixir
Apr 22, 2011to Apr 24, 2011Spring Dance RomanceNorth Carolinawith ElixirThe Figments
Apr 29, 2011at 8:00 pmMinstrel Concert SeriesMorristown, NJwith Elixir
Apr 30, 2011at 8:00 pmSwingin Tern Contra DanceEast Hanover, NJwith Elixir
May 20, 2011at 8:00 pmBrown Contra DanceBrown University, Providence, RIwith ElixirThe Figments: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
May 21, 2011at 8:00 pm3rd Saturday Contra DanceGuiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MAwith ElixirMary Wesley (calling) and the Figments: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
May 22, 2011at 7:30 pmBrattleboro Contra DanceMain and Grove Streets, Brattleboro, VT 05301with ElixirThe Figments: Anna Patton, clarinet, Owen Morrison, guitar/feet, and Rachel Nevitt, calling
May 26, 2011at 7:30 pmConcord Contra DanceConcord, MAwith ElixirThe Figments: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)
May 27, 2011at 10:00 pmBurlington Contra DanceThe Figments: Anna Patton (clarinet) and Owen Morrison (guitar/feet)

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: