Occasional Players and Prior Members

(Click on pictures to enlarge)

 Dan Diviney - Bodhran, Whistles & Vocals

Dan has been playing whistles and bodhran at Irish sessions since 1999 and began performing in 2003 with a couple of other local bands, including Gruagach which he helped form in 2008.  He is self-taught on both instruments and describes himself as the only non-musician of the band and unlike the rest of the band, proudly admits he can't read a lick of music.   He plays  Seamus O'Kane (rack & pinion model) and RWE bodhrans and primarily Copeland, Silkstone, Chieftain and Susato whistles.  He is a member of SFMS and the Adams County Arts Council.  Dan has appeared on stage with Folk & Friends, Irishtown Road, Medicinal Purpose, Semanon, The Launies, Sault Antlers, Fieldstone; Seamus Kenndy, Eugene Barry's ceili band in Cleggan, Ireland, and,  Derek Warfield & the Sons of Ireland.  He has played in Music Gettysburg! and Songs & Stories of a Civil War Hospital series.    He drops in the following sessions from time to time:   Elephant & Castle Pub, New Cumberland, PA; O'Reilly's Pub, Harrisburg, PA; Appalachian Brewing Company, Harrisburg, PA; Flavers Restaurant & Pub, & Elizabethtown, PA, White Horse Pub, Virgina Beach, VA; Tommy Condon's, Charleston, SC; Brew Moon Cafe, San Antonio, TX; Blarney Stone, San Diego, CA, Nines, Ithaca, NY; Nanny O'Brien's, Washington, DC; Molly Brannigan's, Erie, PA.  Joyce's pub and Newman's Pub, Cleggan, Ireland; O'Flaherty's Pub, Inis Oirr, Aran Islands, Ireland, and The Fields in Athenry, Ireland.  Dan has apepared on stage with Semanon, The Launies, Irishtown Road, Derek Warfield and the Sons of Erin, and the John Whelan Band.

Dan has studied under Rob Forkner of Metloef Drums and Tristen Rosenstock of Teada.  He recently completed Craiceann Bodhran School studying under Rolf Wagels (Cara), Jim Higgins (Altan), Eamon Murray (Beoga), All-Scotland, All-Britain and All-Ireland champion Martin O'Neill, All Ireland Champion Siobhan O'Donnell , Stiofan O 'Brion (recorded with Martin Tourish and Luke Ward), and 6-time All-Ireland and 2006 World Bodhran Champion Colm Phelan.

He  has brought tears to the audience on occasion with *Waves of Kilkee.  One fan broke into tears while describing his bodhran playing as a heartbeat (A chuisle mo chroí).   When not playing music, Dan can usually be found at home in rural Adams County with his lovely wife Janice. 

Dan pictured at right with Derek Warfield & Sons of Ireland at Harrisburg's T. Brendan O'Reilly's, July 2003 (click to enlarge)

* Composed by Joannie Madden, Park Publishing /BMI and Brian Keane, Brian Keane Music/ASCAP   

Go to Dan's MySpace Page

 

Andy Rosenfeld - Lead Vocals, Bodhran, Bones

When not serving as vocalist, bone “virtuoso”, and song arranger or bone clacker with CF, Andy Rosenfeld teaches at Mount St. Mary’s University, where he directs the Chorale and Seminary Choir and teaches courses in music and in the humanities. In addition to the Mount Chorale, which recently toured Spain, he has directed choirs at Ashland University (Ohio) and St. Lawrence University (New York).  He also spends his spare time as music director of Capital Opera Harrisburg and as a member of the Gettysburg Schola Cantorum, directed by our own sqeezeboxer, Stephen Folkemer, artistic director, which premiered his “Psalm 23”, a work appearing on the upcoming compact disc, Voices of Hope and Comfort.  When not clacking bones or teaching, Rosenfeld can also occasionally be spotted playing piano with the Fire City Jazz Band and Apple Museum Big Band. Most recently, he has turned his attention to the study of ancient and traditional music of Spain, has led him on several occasions to that country’s Sierra Nevada region.  His research in this area will ultimately culminate in a book on traditional music from Andalusia – that’s the plan, at least.

Rosenfeld resides in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with his wife Kathleen, herself a rising vocal talent, whom we are trying to convince to become our fiddler.

 

Beth Folkemer - Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer, Keyboards & Vocals (Pictured with husband Stephen)

A fine vocalist, Beth also plays guitar, mountain dulcimer and keyboard.   She also is a founding member of Folk & Friends, a Civil War band, and a founding member of the Schola Cantorum of Gettysburg, and serves as music leader for the Kids' Time tutoring program.   She has been music co-director of a Lutheran Youth Encounter team  and co-director of the seminary's folk-choir. She credits her start with guitar to her pastor, who taught chords to a group of youth. Beth is also a member of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society. She takes part in area Celtic sessions.

The British Isles' heritage, with its wonderful music, was the gift of Beth's family, which includes people of English, Scottish (Clans Wallace and Donald) and Irish descent. Her grandmother was born in Liverpool, England.

Along with band member & husband Stephen, she has written Of the Land and Seasons: A Folk-Song Setting for Holy Communion. It features traditional American versions of British Isles tunes. It's published by Augsburg Fortress.
 

Meg's lilting soprano adds grace to her Celtic ballads, but she's also capable of belting out driving tunes as well. Her life is a flurry of the arts. She is a member of Schola Cantorum and Folk and Friends, both of Gettysburg. She has acted in numerous plays, including A Doll's House at the high school and Macbeth

 Joel Folkemer - Stand-up Bass, Electric Bass, Bodhran, Vocals
Joel's bass, and bodhran playing along with his tenor voice add important dimensions to CF. In addition to his stand-up bass, he plays an electric bass crafted by Curtis Rockwell. He particularly favors rousing Scots and Irish songs. During high school Joel played in the GAHS orchestra and the York Youth Symphony. He sang in the GAHS Chorus, Keyless Entry, and the men's ensemble, as well as Schola Cantorum.  Joel now attends Shippensburg University and continues to sing in the Schola Cantorum while also playing in the SU Orchestra.  He has studied bass with Duane Botterbush. Joel continues to perform with Folk and Friends, and he commutes from college to Cormorant's Fancy rehearsals and gigs.  If you don't find him playing music you can probably find Joel either playing, coaching or just watching baseball.  
 

Norman Nunamaker - Fiddle, vocals   (Bio to be added)

Occasional Players & Prior Members

Curtis Rockwell is a folksinger and luthier (maker of string instruments) from Huntingdon, Pa, and a cherished founding member of Cormorant's Fancy.   Curtis performs songs by an array of writers, as well as traditional folk music from America and the British Isles. During the past ten years, he has played in a wide area, including Madison, Wi., Phoenix, and Durango, Co., State College, Gettysburg, and various venues in and near Harrisburg. He has been playing guitar for more than 15 years.  Curtis' excellent guitar skills, his engaging baritone, and his wide repertoire are some of the gifts he brings to Cormorant's Fancy.

In 1999, Curtis began building custom guitars. In 2001, he established Oriskany Stringed Instruments , where he builds and repairs guitars, mandolins, and other stringed instruments.   Beth Folkemer and he both play Oriskany instruments at our live performances.  His instruments can also be heard on recordings by New York singer/songwriter Erica Smith (www.ericasmithnyc.com), and Wisconsin folksinger Skip Jones (www.skipjones.net)

Curtis also plays solo and with guests as "Curtis Rockwell".   His concerts feature instruments that he has created in his workshop.  Curtis is a graduate of Bucknell University and the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery. 
 

Nate Folkemer - Vocals, bodhran  (Bio to be added)

  Katie Rosenfeld - Fiddle, vocals         

Katie joined the band in 2005 and brings us fiddle and fine vocals. She is a classically trained musician with a degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she met her husband, fellow band member Andy Rosenfeld. Katie's current pursuits include beginning a career in the opera world; she has sung in Rome, Italy, Washington DC, New York, Harrisburg, and also been featured at previous Music, Gettysburg! concerts. When she is not singing or playing the fiddle, Katie operates her own new travel agency, "Cruises By Kate."

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Mark Oldenburg - Hammered Dulcimer, vocals  

Nancy Gable - Vocals, Bass 

Nancy occasionally sits in primarily as a singer, but happily adds her hands to the effort by playing the stand-up bass and piano when called upon.  In high school Nancy played in orchestra and band, sang in the chorus, and played in the school’s pit orchestra for numerous musical productions.  As an undergraduate music education major from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, she double-majored in piano and double bass and taught private piano lessons for many years.  Nancy works at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg as the Associate Dean for Church Vocations and Diaconal Ministry, sings in the Schola Cantorum of Gettysburg, and fills in as a substitute worship pianist for several local congregations. She is a candidate for the Doctor of Education in Adult Education at the Pennsylvania State University, Capitol Campus.