Multi-talented local musician Emma Beaton has been one busy lady touring with her stringboard band Joy Kills Sorrow but she is in town for a brief visit with her family and to perform a concert at the Qualicum Community Baptist Church this Friday.
Beaton is a gifted musician in many genres and on many instruments and is taking the cello into unprecedented territory in the Celtic, Cajun, southern Appalachian old-time, and Scandinavian genres.
One of the most exciting young cellists in the folk music world today, Beaton will be singing and playing the banjo and cello for the hometown crowd.
She said the concert will be a mix of everything including traditional ballads and folk songs and she will perform some Scottish music with her mom Joyce and there will be a bit of spoken word from her dad John.
Beaton is performing at home before she heads out on the road again.
Memphis, Tennessee is her next stop, where she will perform with her Cajun fiddle musician friend, Joel Savoy at the International Folk Alliance conference on Feb. 22. The annual event draws together music industry professionals from throughout the world to share ideas, network and celebrate traditional music and dance. It is an event of celebration, education, and entertainment and Beaton said she will be there one night to perform Cajun music on her cello with Savoy who will be playing the fiddle.
After her brief stop in Memphis, Beaton heads to Louisiana for Mardi Gras and then she is in Austin, Texas for South by Southwest with her band Joy Kills Sorrow.
Beaton’s sublime and salient voice has been turning heads for years, earning her Young Performer of the Year at the 2008 Canadian Folk Music Awards.
The powerful vocalist is the lead singer of the critically-acclaimed ensemble Joy Kills Sorrow which will be spending a big part of 2012 the road. Last year the band toured extensively all over the west coast of the U.S. and in parts of Europe. Beaton said they will do a European tour this year and she is looking forward to it.
“We were in Europe for six weeks last year and the experience of touring in Europe is different. We get treated well. The food is better and the sound is better because they have the best equipment,” she admitted.
Beaton’s musical pursuits are keeping her busy but the 21-year-old said it is all good and she is enjoying the ride.
You can catch the exciting young cellist in concert on Friday, Feb. 10 at the Qualicum Community Baptist Church located on 600 Beach Road.
Tickets are $20, students and children, $10 and can be purchased at Vintage Candy in Qualicum Beach and Cranky Dog Music in Parksville.
The ticket includes, coffee, tea and goodies. Doors will open at 7 p.m.and the show will start at 7:30.