Meet the Players

Kevin Angus

Kevin Angus plays whistles & pipes, saxophones (the other famous Celtic instrument) and percussion. He also adds an extra voice to Christmas Ceilidh Band's ensemble. Steeped in the traditions of piping, Scottish & British music, and jazz since childhood, he is always researching music to be included of the band's repertoire. Kevin is the Pipe Major and a founding member of the Feadán Òr Pipe Band with whom he has produced acclaimed concerts and medal winning performances throughout the eastern United States and Canada. He is also affiliated with Bagad New York, a Breton music Orchestra.

(Feadán Òr Pipe Band – http://www.feadanorpipeband.com)

(Bagad New York – http://www.bagad.us/)

Chuck Boda

Chuck Boda plays the bagpipes, Scottish small pipes & border (reel) pipes, mandolin, guitar, bouzouki, bass, and whistles. He even sings backup adding to the band's multi-voice harmonies. Chuck fancies himself an inventor having created a unique hybrid set of small pipes that he regularly plays in concert, as well as his own mandolins and banjos.

He is a founding member of the Scottish trio Haggis Du Jour and spent ten-years as a founding member of the bluegrass band Cabin Fever where he played bass. Chuck also plays bass with young singer, songwriter & fiddle player Kate Lee with No Strings Attached as well as in the The Amy Hazard Band. Chuck's musical interests are firmly rooted in bluegrass and old-time folk styles. He began his current foray into Celtic music after discovering it as one of the primary roots of bluegrass & early American folk music. Chuck was formerly an alpaca farmer.

(Kate Lee with No Strings Attached – http://www.kateleemusic.com)

Pat Carey

Pat Carey is a triple contributor adding Irish flute, guitar and voice to the CCB. Pat treasures her family’s Irish & Welsh background and lends a balance to the Scottish & Cornish influence of the other members. Pat also plays with her traditional Irish trio Cuisle mo Chroi and is a member of the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann – Rochester’s Irish musicians’ association. She has been a featured performer at the Rochester Irish Festival and can be found throughout upstate New York playing and co-leading Irish music sessions.

(Cuisle Mó Chroí – MySpace Page)

Ben Ford

Ben Ford brings his well-honed skills to the Christmas Ceilidh Band playing guitar, banjo, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, and concertina as well as singing. Starting out by studying classical guitar as a teen, Ben's wide-ranging interest in international folk, Celtic and jazz music took fire in college, and he has played in many acoustic music ensembles over the years. He played 5-string banjo and Dobro with the Rochester-based Borrowed Time and Cabin Fever bluegrass bands, and founded the Scottish trio Haggis du Jour with Chuck Boda. Ben is currently guitarist with Kate Lee with No Strings Attached, and is also a Scottish-style snare drummer with the successful Feadán Òr Pipe Band. He transcribes and arranges much of the Christmas Ceilidh Band repertoire, continually scouring the globe for new sounds and ideas.

(Kate Lee with No Strings Attached – http://www.kateleemusic.com)

(Feadán Òr Pipe Band – http://www.feadanorpipeband.com)

Cathy McGrath

Cathy McGrath plays Irish wooden flute, penny whistle, guitar and sings. She is delighted to be a part of CCB. She is a member of the Rochester Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and belongs to the Tom Finucane Ceili Band, playing for Irish dances and sessions. In 2010, Cathy and Pat Carey were chosen to be part of the Rochester Sister Cities delegation to Waterford, Ireland, where the group played with the Waterford Traditional Musicians for a series of concerts and pub sessions. Presently, she is a member of three additional bands; Cuisle Mó Chroí, Flint Hill Folk, and Steppin' Out String Band. Performances include libraries and schools across upstate NY, the annual Irish Cultural Day at Nazareth College, Historic High Falls "Holiday Memories," Turtle Hill Folk Festival, and the Rochester Irish Festival.

(Cuisle Mó Chroí – MySpace Page)

(Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Tom Finucane Branch – http://www.irishrochester.org)

Paul Gluchowski

Paul Gluchowski is the newest member of CCB. He plays cello, fiddle and sings. He has received classical violin tuition at the Hochstein School of Music & Dance. In recent years, Paul has been captivated with the sounds and styles of traditional Scottish, Irish, and old-tIme music spending time at Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddle School with Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas immersing himself in the styles. He is a regular player with the Fiddlers of the Genesee at various festivals and music outreach events. Paul was privileged to play cello and fiddle on a recording of original traditional style compositions by Rick Muir (The Currach's Return). He has also played his strings with several smallpipe groups at Celtic music concerts in Rochester and Syracuse. Paul is always quick to point out his unique Celtic surname. Yes ... he is very proud of it!

(Fiddlers of the Genesee – http://www.fiddlersofthegenesee.org/)