About Hope |
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"Grietzer's transcendent fiddling will touch your soul” wrote a reviewer for Dirty Linen Magazine.
Originally from Johnson City, N.Y., Hope Grietzer fell in love with fiddle music in college, playing in the Geneseo String Band under the leadership of ethnomusicologist Jim Kimball. She became friends with New York State Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame inductee Larry Downey, and studied with him while fiddling in various bands throughout New York and Pennsylvania.   |
With LarryDowney and Harold Linkroum |
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After moving to Colorado in 1992, Hope sang and fiddled for eleven years with the popular band Black Rose throughout Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, South Dakota and Kansas. The band went on to win the prestigious Rockygrass band competition, and Hope was voted Rocky Mountain Region Fiddler of the Year by the Colorado Bluegrass Music Society. The group performed at some of the top festivals in the nation, including the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS, the Santa Fe Trails Festival in Kansas City, and the Silverton Folk Festival in CO. “Hope Grietzer's high vocal register and virtuoso fiddle playing stand out", wrote The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO.
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| Black Rose |
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Hope has acted as judge for several fiddle contests in both Colorado and Kansas, and founded and managed the Black Rose Acoustic Society’s folk music education program. Author of the instructional book and companion CDs “Learn to Fiddle”, Hope currently teaches fiddle full time in Owego, New York, and leads both adult and kid fiddle tune jams. In addition to performing with husband Jim MacWilliams (see below), she can be found fiddling at contradances throughout the region. |
Student recital |
Jim MacWilliams
Jim MacWilliams grew up playing music with his brothers in the green hills of West Point, N.Y. An accomplished fingerstyle guitarist, Jim also plays the clawhammer banjo and mandolin, and loves the sound of old-time fiddle tunes. Jim has twice won first place at Winfield’s Walnut Valley Festival songwriters’ competition, in the instrumental and love songs categories, and his composition “Hilo Farewell” has been used by finalists in the National Fingerstyle Guitar competition. Jim is known for his versatility as a musician and is much sought-after as a backup guitarist. |
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Hope and Jim at the Fiddlin's Fun Festival |
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Quotes
"The emphasis is on traditional...with songs that sound weathered and warm. Hope Grietzer's high vocal register and virtuoso fiddle playing stand out". The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO
"Hope Grietzer's alluring voice and fiery fiddle playing, Charlie Hall's flying fingers on the acoustic guitar, and Dick Carlson's driving bass notes make the audience cheer for more songs."- The Black Forest News, Black Forest, CO
"Black Rose plays refreshingly original bluegrass marked by an eclectic tune selection, polished vocals and a comfortable guitar-fiddle interplay. Grietzer's transcendent fiddling on 'The Lovers' Waltz' will touch your soul."— Dirty Linen Magazine
"It was the unique quality in Hope's voice that really made me sit up and pay attention. And of course her fiddle playing is out of this world." Jo Wolf, Colby, KS
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Past Performances
FESTIVALS
Walnut Valley Festival ~ Winfield, KS
RockyGrass (Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival) ~ Lyons, CO
Four Corners Folk Festival ~ Pagosa Springs, CO
Santa Fe Trails Bluegrass Festival ~ Bonner Springs, KS
Silverton Folk Festival ~ Silverton, CO
Santa Fe Old Time and Bluegrass Music Festival ~ Santa Fe, NM
Oyster Ridge Music Festival ~ Kemmerer, WY
Laramie Peak Bluegrass Festival ~ Douglas, WY
Mid-Winter Bluegrass Festival ~ Denver, CO
Pickin’ on the Plains Festival ~ Colby, KS
Beartrap Music Festival ~ Casper, WY
Black Hills Bluegrass Festival ~ Rapid City, SD
Durango Meltdown Bluegrass Festival ~ Durango, CO
Bluegrass on the River Festival ~ Pueblo, CO
Grand Western Bluegrass Festival ~ Fruita, CO
Pikes Peak Bluegrass Festival ~ Colorado Springs, CO
Running Creek Music Festival ~ Elizabeth, CO
Fiddlin's Fun Festival, Binghamton, NY
Elmira Irish Festival, Elmira, NY
Broome County Ethnic Festival, Binghamton, NY |
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Black Rose at the Walnut Valley Festival |
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GROUP LESSONS / WORKSHOPS / EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
University of Southern Colorado at Pueblo, CO, Summer music camp
Black Rose Acoustic Society's Music School
Broome Community College's Community Education Program
Tioga County Council on the Arts
"Fiddling with Books" program at various county libraries
Numerous fiddle workshops at music festivals (see above)
Monthly Kids Fiddle Tune Jam
CONTRADANCES
Bethel Grove contradance, Ithaca, NY
Tioga County contra and square dance, Owego, NY
Contradance, Milford, NY
Syracuse Country Dancers, Fayetteville, NY
Binghamton Contradance, Binghamton, NY |
With Tom Hodgson and Kathy Selby
(Visit Kathy's website)
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CONCERTS
Broome Community College Earth Day Celebration, Binghamton, NY
North American Fiddler's Hall of Fame Summer Concert Series, Osceola, NY
Showcase at the Genessee Country Museum Fiddle Festival, Mumford, NY
Civil War concert at the Coburn Free Library, Owego, NY
The Waverly Opera House, Waverly, NY
Newark Valley Depot, Newark Valley, NY
Whitney Point Fall Festival Big Tent Event, Whitney Point, NY
Owego Holiday Showcase, Owego, NY
Shove Chapel CD Release concert, Colorado Springs, CO
Steam Plant Theater ~ Salida, CO
Swallow Hill Music Hall ~ Denver, CO
Ute Pass Cultural Center ~ Woodland Park, CO
Front Range Acoustic Showcase ~ Colorado Springs, CO
First Night New Year’s Celebration ~ Colorado Springs, CO
Annual Gospel Bluegrass Jamboree ~ Denver, CO
Fine Arts Center ~ Colorado Springs, CO
The Black Rose Acoustic Society ~ Colorado Springs, CO
The Smokebrush Center ~ Colorado Springs, CO
Avogadro’s Number ~ Fort Collins, CO
Miscellaneous wonderful coffeeshops, house concerts, weddings, and special events |
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With Curt Osgood and Jim MacWilliams
(Visit Curt's website)
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