 Denise Wilson and Michael Lewis |
In celebration of the arts at Wabash, admission to all events on this year’s Visiting Artists Series are FREE. However, you must obtain your FREE tickets at the Fine Arts Box Office before attending Visiting Artists Series productions. Tickets are available from the Fine Arts Box Office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. until curtain time. For phone reservations, call 765-361-6411.
The eclectic music of Traveler’s Dream, comprised of Denise Wilson, Michael Lewis, Chance Heasty, and guest musician Steve Dawson, appeals to folk-music enthusiasts, history buffs, Celtic music fans, and those who love French music and culture. In any given concert listeners may hear sprightly Irish jigs and reels, songs of early America, stately Scottish marches, French love ballads, and traditional songs of the American Midwest. The common thread uniting these seemingly diverse musical traditions is that they all became part of the Midwest’s cultural heritage when settlers carried familiar songs and tunes from Europe and eastern America to their midwestern homes during the 18th and 19th centuries.
As Indiana natives who feel strong connections to the Midwest, Wilson and Lewis like the idea that their music is not only entertaining, but also makes midwesterners more aware of their own history and regional music heritage. While committed to preserving the musical traditions of the past, they also create new traditions of their own by weaving self-penned songs and tunes into their performance and by infusing the old songs with contemporary appeal by using driving rhythms and innovative arrangements. Diverse musical textures are created by using both ancient and contemporary instruments which include the Irish penny whistles and wooden flute, guitar, mandolin, Scottish smallpipes, and fife. Guest percussionist Steve (Kidd) Dawson adds to the musical diversity through his use of traditional percussive instruments such as the bodhran, 18th-century style rope-tensioned drums, spoons, bones, and triangle.
Traveler’s Dream has performed at a wide variety of venues which include: French and Celtic festivals, folk festivals, historical events and conferences, and community concert series. Wilson and Lewis also work as arts educators and have created programs that use music as a vehicle to explore various topics in American history. These programs have been well received at colleges, public schools, and libraries. Whatever the venue, audiences of all ages appreciate Traveler’s Dream's fine musicianship, warm personalities, and the passion for their music that radiates from the stage.
Because of their respective backgrounds, each of these musicians make distinctive and complimentary contributions to the musical performances of Traveler’s Dream. Lewis has earned a widespread reputation for his innovative guitar and mandolin playing as well as his skills as a musical arranger and songwriter. He has made guest appearances as a studio musician on nationally-aired recordings, and he has heard his original songs recorded by numerous other artists. His talents were recognized by the Indiana Arts Commission in 2001 when they awarded him a grant to research regional traditional music and write four original songs relating to midwestern culture and history. When not on the road performing, Lewis enjoys arranging and recording the music of other regional musicians at his recording studio, Middle Earth.
Wilson gained her first singing experience as lead singer with a popular French dance band while studying at the University of Strasbourg (France) during her junior year at college. Shortly after returning to the United States, she formed her own ethnic band, Bon Jolais, and toured widely with that group for over a decade. It is Wilson’s educational background that contributes to the authentic quality of the French and historical music she sings. Having earned a bachelor’s degree in French and a Ph.D. in American History, she is able to sing French folk songs fluently and to share with audiences her broad understanding of the historical context of her music.
The third member of the band, Chance Heasty, was immersed in traditional music before he could even walk as he traveled to folk festivals, concerts, and his mother’s (Denise Wilson) musical performances. He started playing the fiddle when he was five, and has since studied with some of the Midwest’s finest fiddlers. He taught himself the circular breathing techniques necessary to play the didgeridoo when he was in junior high school, and by the time he was fourteen he was performing as a fifer with a colonial French fife and drum corps. At the age of nineteen, Heasty is already a seasoned performer.
Though Steve Dawson has performed as a percussionist with numerous traditional and ethnic music groups, his musical interests cross many boundaries. He earned a doctorate in percussion performance from the University of Cincinnati, and he includes Mahler, Cage, and Yes among his many musical influences. Working as a music educator, Dawson has taught kindergarten through graduate school, and his performances range from Carnegie Hall to the Palace of Versailles.
Though all three of these musicians have made recordings with other groups, Traveler’s Dream released its first CD entitled The Road Home in January of 2002.
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