WE RAISED OUR DREDGE & BORE AWAY

The Livebox is a project to revive traditional music from Maryland.  Drawing from field recordings, printed collections, and extant enclaves of tradition bearers, it imagines a second genesis of American traditional music birthed in the wake of 20th century folk revivals.

At its core, The Livebox is a duet between traditional singers Peter Brice (button accordion) and Tess Hartis (fiddle).  

Peter Brice & Tess Hartis. Photo Credit: Anne Outterbridge Saul

  • PETER BRICE

    Voice & Button Accordion

    Peter Brice sings old songs in a traditional style, and plays Irish and American traditional music on the button accordion. A native Annapolitan and an exponent of Baltimore, Maryland's Irish traditional music community, Peter's work blends singing and musicianship with history, humor, colorful design, and a vision for traditional culture as a foundation for an intellectual life.

    Peter is a steadfast teacher of traditional singing. He also teaches the button accordion, music theory, and, as an affiliate to Irish dancing schools, supplements dance instruction with an architecture for developing proficiency in Irish traditional music. Read further…

  • TESS HARTIS

    Voice & Fiddle

    Tess Hartis is an Irish fiddler and classical violinist originally from South Carolina. She began her musical training at the age of eight and discovered her love of Irish traditional music in college. She has performed extensively with Hup Traditional Irish Band and Istanpitta Early Music Ensemble based in Houston, TX, as well as the South Carolina Philharmonic and various regional orchestras around the Southeastern US and Texas.

    She received her degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education from the University of South Carolina, where she also taught violin and viola at the USC String Project. Read further…