The Kelpies

Driving, dreamy, and deeply dimensional, the Kelpies are a West Philadelphia-based duo performing authentic Irish traditional music with modern style. Fiddler Melissa Lisbao and guitarist Alec Charon bring together their unique backgrounds as trained classical and jazz musicians to explore new tensions and timbres within the trad idiom.From private events, house concerts and libraries to contra dances and festivals, the Kelpies bring their passion for Irish music to audiences in Philadelphia and beyond, one string at a time.

Melissa Lisbão is a violinist, fiddler and teacher based in Philadelphia.Melissa began playing violin at the age of four, and has a B.A in violin performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. While classically trained, Melissa has experimented with music across many genres including jazz, Irish and Cape Breton-style fiddle, and her performances range from the back avenues of Lisbon to Carnegie Hall.Melissa enjoys composing and performing music for dancers, and she has recently appeared onstage with BalletX in their winter performance at Bryn Mawr college.On weekends, you can find Melissa at Philadelphia's trad sessions at the Plough and the Stars, or at Fergie's Pub, tearing up the Irish fiddle.

Alec Charon is a multi-instrumentalist and teacher born in Providence, Rhode Island and based in West Philadelphia.Specializing in traditional music and jazz, he has over 12 years experience performing in various musical styles and ensembles, including solo performance. He has been a regularly featured performer at the annual Philadelphia Irish Festival on guitar, mandolin and Irish tenor banjo. Alec frequently leads Irish trad sessions at Fergie's Pub, the Plough and the Stars, the historic Bristol AOH, and more throughout the region.Alec is an adjunct faculty member at Ursinus College, where he teaches applied guitar lessons. He is also on faculty at the Community Music School of Collegeville, where he has offered guitar clinics, and performs frequently on faculty recitals.With a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition from Temple University ('21), Alec brings a well-rounded and explorative approach to traditional music.While not performing or teaching, Alec enjoys hiking, contra dancing and traveling.

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