Andrew Finn Magill

Andrew “Finn the Fiddler” Magill has straddled the tenuous line of “fiddler” and “violinist” for the better part of his thirty years. Raised in an Irish musical household in Asheville, North Carolina he grew up studying with many of the best traditional American and Irish fiddlers at The Swannanoa Gathering music workshops. He was featured on NPR at age 18 and never looked back. His 2016 two-disc project Roots and Branches debuted at #46 on the Folk DJ charts and says grammy-winner Tim O’Brien:

“He has learned from and now plays with the best in the genre. On Branches you can hear a new musical voice emerging. I’m gonna keep listening for Finn Magill.”

In 2014 Finn moved to Rio de Janeiro and plunged head on into Brazilian choro music, studying with some of the most accomplished in the genre including Luís Barcelos, Nicolas Krassik and Pedro Paes. Gradually absorbing other Brazilian traditions such as forró, samba, and bossa nova, Canta Violino! (April 2018) is the product of years of study and performance with Rio’s diverse musicians. Writes Brazilian percussion legend Airto Moreira of Weather Report and Miles Davis:

“Its nice to see fresh, young musicians carrying on the traditions of Brazilian music. Finn Magill displays a love and authenticity that can fool you into thinking he is from Brazil. His style is playful and light, yet soulful and passionate. Congratulations!”

Magill merges his folk background and more than fifteen years of jazz study with the Brazilian musical language he has spent the last three years studying, all on an instrument seldom associated with either: the violin. The result is uncharted territory for both the violin and Brazilian music.