Karen Tweed

Karen Tweed started to play the piano accordion at the age of 11 under the guidance of Joe Coll, who came to Wellingborough, Northamptonshire to teach the accordion and also recruit players for his accordion band which was based in Corby.
She went on to study with Lawry Eady, Warren Eagle and finally with button accordionist John Whelan who was her biggest inspiration and fired her passion for Irish traditional music.
Karen turned professional in 1989, working with singer/songwriter Roger Wilson and then was a founder member of the Poozies.
Her playing is known for being mercurial, subtle, lyrical and expressive, and she regularly teaches on the BA and MA courses at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at Limerick University and at the BMus Degree in Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University. She has taught at Folkworks Summer School in Durham, Ashokan Northern Week, Darlington Music Weekend, Hovra Music Camp in Sweden, Musikkonservatoriet Odense and the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
She has played in the Kathryn Tickell Band and her many collaborations include the Anglo-Swedish quartet SWAP, her duet with guitarist Ian Carr, The Two Duos Quartet (with Andy Cutting, Chris Wood and Ian Carr). These led her to her 2001 collaboration with Finnish pianist/composer Timo Alakotila and their ensemble, May Monday.
She has also collaborated with Irish piper/singer Christy O’Leary and American guitarist / singer Bert Deivert; with Norweigan fiddler Sturla Eide and English songwriters Reg Meuross and Jackie Oates.
Other collaborations have included Johnny Coppin, Paul Hutchinson, Thomas McElvogue. Nick Wiseman-Ellis, Karen Street, Naomi Frears (artist) and Paul Sivell (tree sculptor). She has toured village halls with Hell Said the Duchess (with Hannah James and Becky Price), The Chase, Nimbus and Beauty or the Beast?  Once in a blue moon she embarks on large scale projects such as her 21-piece all female, all singing, playing and dancing ‘Circa Compania’ or the No 1 Ladies Accordion Orchestra.  She’s also very happy performing solo.
joined by Virtual Accordion Camp founders...

Rachel Bell

Rachel Bell, accordionist, performer, tunesmith, and music educator, is based in Brattleboro, VT but in demand throughout North American and overseas for concerts, contra dances, French bal folk dances, English country dances, music camps, and festivals. Rachel is a masterful composer of tunes, drawing inspiration from Celtic, French, English, Quebecois, and New England traditions, while still deeply respecting and loving the melodies that have been around for hundreds of years. She thrives on collaborative work and plays with Eloise & Co., Peregrine Road, Alchemy, and Old World Charm School. Her playing spans a range of emotions, from nuanced and sensitive to exhilarating and powerful, pushing the boundaries of what is expected from an accordion. In addition to touring, she is currently in the midst of an exciting composition project with dance choreographer Susan Kevra. The pair is creating new dance and tune combinations for the English country dance repertoire, many of which are already appearing regularly on dance programs around the world. A seasoned teacher with a broad range of experience, Rachel offers everything from online accordion lessons to sing-dance-play sessions for toddlers to school residencies to multi-instrument camp workshops. Her vibrant and varied musical career has brought joy and connection to dancers and listeners alike all around the globe.

Alex Cumming

Alex Cumming is a traditional Singer, Accordionist, Pianist and dance caller hailing from Somerset, England, now living in Greater Boston, MA, USA. He performs songs and tunes from across the United Kingdom and America with a great depth of knowledge of the tradition.  Along with solo performances, you may catch Alex with award winning quartet The Teacups, critically acclaimed duo with fiddler Nicola Beazley and with dance bands Reelation, Trip the Light Fantastic, Four Idiots and more.  Alex started playing classical accordion at the age of 6, but after a chance encounter with Morris Dancers at the age of 11 he fell in love with English dance music. Alex graduated from the Newcastle University Folk & Traditional Music Degree with a first in performance in 2014. During his degree he was lucky enough to study with accordion legends Karen Tweed, Ian Lowthian, Mairearad Green, Amy Thatcher and Martin Green plus study voice with James Fagan, Sandra Kerr, Dave Webber, Jim Mageean and Sam Lee.  Alex has made his mark on the folk scene with his deep passion and knowledge of English Traditions along with his rhythmic dance-able accordion style, strong voice and fun and engaging stage presence.
Alex is currently Program Director for CDSS English Dance Week and Music Director at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford, MA. 
"Stunning musician, fun and inspiring teacher" - Anna Patton (Elixir)

Jeremiah McLane

Jeremiah McLane is a composer, accordionist, pianist, and educator with a diverse musical background including blues, jazz, Celtic, Québécois, French and other roots influenced music. He has served on the faculties of the Sate University of New York in Plattsburgh, the Summit School for Traditional Music in Montpelier, VT, the Upper Valley Music Center in Lebanon, NH, and is the founder and director of the Floating Bridge Music School, He also teaches regularly at summer music programs throughout the United States including Centrum’s American Festival of Fiddle Tunes, the Northeast Heritage Music Camp, Maine Fiddle Camp, Acadia Trad Festival, Lark in the Morning, John C. Campbell Folk School, Pinewoods, and many others. Since 1990 Jeremiah has released over thirty-eight recordings, and in 2016, Montpelier Times-Argus music critic Art Edelstein named Jeremiah musician of the year, citing his contributions in teaching, recording and performing is his various configurations.