BRATTLEBORO — Led by acclaimed fiddler and luthier Bob Childs, Childsplay is heading on tour one last time and will make a special stop at the Latchis Theatre, 50 Main St., on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m.
The farewell tour will feature music from the group's seven albums and will include surprise guests who have been part of Childsplay during their 32-year run. Tickets are on sale at www.childsplay.org.
In more than 30 years of performing, Childsplay has introduced thousands to traditional Irish, French-Canadian, Cape Breton, Bluegrass, Appalachian, and Scandinavian fiddle music, as well as jazz, swing, and classical.
The name “Childsplay” derives from the fact that the musicians in the group play violins and violas crafted by Childs. Originally trained by violin maker Ivie Mann from Orrington Maine, Childs has been crafting violins for more than 40 years. On stage, the instruments create a familial quality that unites all the violins in a singular voice that is both beautiful and powerful.
Childsplay features more than two dozen fiddlers including all-Ireland fiddle champion Sheila Falls, National Scottish Fiddle champions Hanneke Cassel and Katie McNally, and Boston Symphony Violinist Bonnie Bewick.
The ensemble also includes Irish folk singer Karan Casey, featured on Childsplay's most recent album The Bloom of Youth, the step-dancing of Kevin Doyle, and the hambone artistry of Virginia fiddler Steve Hickman.
The Brattleboro area has long been well-represented in the ranks of Childsplay musicians, and this year's concert is no exception. Local performers Keith Murphy, Lissa Schneckenburger, Naomi Morse, and Molly Gawler are slated to be on stage at the Latchis.
Visit childsplay.org or latchisarts.org for tickets or more information.