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| Matt Large
Matthew Large, the genial master of ceremonies plays rhythm
guitar, sings lead and writes a lot of material for NDG. Large
started playing music in his early years, but seriously began studying
guitar 10 years ago. Matt has played in a number of bluegrass outfits
over the years including the Owens Valley Settlers, the Green Bridge Barn
Burners and local Montreal favorites Revelstoke. Large’s solid back-up rhythm
playing is heavily influenced by the work of Charlie Waller, perhaps
the finest bluegrass rhythm guitar innovator to date. His arresting
vocal technique and soulful interpretation of Carter Stanley’s songs
lays a solid foundation for NDG’s music. |
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| Bob Cussen
Mandolin master Bob Cussen has been involved with bluegrass music in
Montreal for over 30 years. The bandleader of the first bluegrass band
to make their mark outside of Quebec, Cussen steered The White River
Bluegrass Band through multiple recordings and many festival
appearances across the US and Europe.
A fine mandolin picker in the old-tyme style, Cussen is also an
accomplished tenor banjo player and has played in many successful
acoustic groups such as The Immigrants, Nobody You Know and Swift
Years.
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| Guy Donis
Belgian banjo virtuoso and composer Guy Donis plays artful,
light-hearted music with an eclectic sound, performing with a
virtuosity that rivals the top names in the American new acoustic
scene, names like Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer.
After a prolific musical career in Europe, Guy Donis (who has called
Quebec home for several years now) has stepped up his disk and concert
collaborations with bright lights like Chloé Sainte-Marie, the
Montreal Guitar Trio, Gilles Bélanger and Pierre Flynn. Guy was
an integral member of Belgian bluegrass heroes Gold Rush, and also
performs regularly with his trio.
Having heard Bill Keith before Earl Scruggs gives Guy's banjo playing
a melodic edge and profound drive that is integral to NDG's sound. |
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| Heather
Schnarr Heather began playing the violin at the age of
five with her father John. She went on to receive an Honours Bachelor
of Music degree in Performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, and
now lives in Montreal. Recently she toured and recorded a CD and DVD
with La Pieta and Angele Dubeau, toured and was recorded by CBC Radio
with the Ensemble Contemporain de Montreal, and toured Mexico with
Orchestre Baroque de Montreal as part of the Festival Internacional
Cervantino. She also plays with Orchestre Metropolitain de Montreal,
La Chapelle de Montreal, and Orchestre de Chambre McGill. Heather has
been a student and coach at Kincardine Summer Music Festival since
1992. She teaches privately in two city schools as well as The Orchard
Academy, a studio she shares with two colleagues. |
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| Andrew
Horton Andrew Horton, the newest member of
Notre Dame de Grass, is a consummate professional musician in all
respects. When not playing bass in modern and baroque orchestras
and chamber ensembles, he has become one of Canada's most accomplished
bluegrass guitar and bass players. Andrew is also gifted with
one of the purest and unaffected bluegrass voices in the business, and
he uses these vocal skills to great effect singing harmony with NDG. |
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