Matching Orange came about in
the Summer of 2007, when Eric McDonald and Michael Vitale, who played together
in the band Jaded Mandolin, wanted to put on a contra dance. Michael brought
in Eric Reiner, whom he had worked with in the past, and booked a hall
and Lisa Greenleaf to call the dance. The result was an extremely succesful
dance with great energy. The trio was encouraged to play again, although
they didn't need much. It didn't take long for them to officially form.
| Michael Vitale attends Wesleyan University,
where he plays for contra dances with fiddler/accordionist Emily Troll
and guitarist Josh Van Vliet. When he's not at school or playing with Matching
Orange, he can be found playing with The Gary Backstrom Band, Jaded Mandolin,
and guitar/tenor banjo/mandolin player Max Newman. |
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Eric Eid-Reiner , 18, goes to school at Wheaton
College, and is very involved in the Boston music scene. At the age of
seven, Eric took up piano and has loved it ever since. He got an early
start playing for contra dances with the Reiner Family Band. He has been
inspired by lessons with great teachers in the classical, jazz, and ragtime
genres, as well as in the folk realm with Jacqueline Schwab (his primary
teacher for the last 7 or 8 years), Keith Murphy (composition, and New
England and French-Canadian music), Rochelle Aucoin (French-Canadian),
and Stephanie Wills (Cape Breton). He has performed with many artists,
including Jewish folk/pop rock singer-songwriter Rachel Cole and Cape Breton
fiddler Ashley MacIsaac. He has released his own CD of piano music,
titled "Grand Tour: Traditional Music on Piano." He's currently working
on a new CD. Check out his web site at www.EricEid-Reiner.com. |
| Eric McDonald studies mandolin at Berklee
College of Music under John McGann. When not in school he performs with
many different groups and musicians, including Jaded Mandolin, Talaria
and Ari & Mia Friedman. He also backs a number of singer/songwriters
such as Jess Yoakum, Patty Keough and Thea Hopkins. On Sunday nights, you
can find him at the Burren joining Sean Staples, Eric Royer, Tim Gearan
and Dan Kellar. In addition to contra dances, he often plays for English
Country Dances with the Free Range English Country Boogie Band (Jim Ialleggio,
Susie Petrov, Julie Metcalf, Liz Davis, Matt Boland). |
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