Photo by Sasha Pedro
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Rakish on Friday, September 18, 2026 at Christ Congregation Church in Princeton. Rakish is a duo comprising violinist Maura Shawn Scanlin and guitarist Conor Hearn. Showtime is 8:00pm.
The Princeton Folk Music Society launches its 2026 Fall Season with Rakish. In a performance that is something more akin to concert music, Rakish explores tunes and songs from Irish and American folk traditions. The duo stretches boundaries, going beyond basic session playing. As Conor puts it, “there has been a shift from playing in the more informal setting of an Irish or Scottish session, where, in terms of arrangement, you’re always winging it to a certain extent. Over the years, we’ve moved to more of a concert approach, where there is more of a deliberate choice to put our own slant on things.”
Maura Shawn adds “we have moments in a piece where we’ll be playing one way, with me playing the melody and Conor playing harmony, and suddenly we’ll flip and I’ll play harmony while Conor plays melody. Having a duo is a nice way of flip-flopping those roles a lot. It’s fun, and it keeps people guessing.” The name “Rakish” is derived from the traditional fiddle tune “Rakish Paddy.”
Tickets are available for purchase online. A livestream of the concert is also available. Christ Congregation Church is located at 50 Walnut Lane in Princeton, New Jersey. Ample free parking is available.
Maura Shawn, a two-time U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion and a winner of the Glenfiddich Fiddle Competition, wields the technical range of an accomplished classical violinist and the deep sensitivity of a traditional musician. Conor, a native to the Irish music communities of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD, makes his home in Boston, playing guitar for a number of traditional music acts and bands.
“Scanlin and Hearn both have lovely voices individually, and they harmonize in a most excellent way. Scanlin’s fiddle playing provides great texture and depth.” Daniel Neely, The Irish Echo
For over 55 years, The Princeton Folk Music Society has presented professional folk artists in concert and sponsored informal “sings” for members to share their love of folk music. Since our first concert with Doc Watson in 1966, PFMS has presented the finest folk musicians in concert. From early folk icons including The Muddy Waters Blues Band, New Lost City Ramblers, Malvina Reynolds, Elizabeth Cotten, Jean Ritchie, Jean Redpath, Peggy Seeger and Mike Seeger, through singer songwriters like Christine Lavin, Richard Shindell, Rod MacDonald, David Massengill, Michael Smith, Tom Chapin, Sloane Wainwright, Mary Gauthier and Garnet Rogers, and everything in between (Louis Killen, Bruce Molsky, Archie Fisher, Ed Trickett, Gordon Bok, Work o’ The Weavers. Jez Lowe, Priscilla Herdman, Bryan Bowers, Walt Michael, Anne Hills, Roy Book Binder, Nowell Sing We Clear) PFMS has presented close to 500 concerts with a vast array of performers
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