ABOUT
Since 1985, Wherligig has delighted and educated audiences in the US mid-Atlantic with the earthy sounds of acoustic Celtic and Nordic traditional music. This family music ensemble combines repertoire from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Sweden, and Wales in performances ranging from the concert stage to classrooms, restaurants, festivals, weddings, and private gatherings.
The current lineup of this versatile ensemble features Ken, Ryan, and Stephanie Koons, and Niccolo Seligmann. Ken plays the six- and twelve-string guitar, tin whistles, bones, and hurdy gurdy. Ryan plays the fiddle, tin whistle, nyckelharpa, crwth, plucked and bowed psalteries, and sings. Stephanie on the hammered dulcimer, neo-Celtic harp, and harmonium. Niccolo plays the viola da gamba and bodhran (Irish frame drum). Ken, a master instrument maker whose instruments are known for their beauty and tone, has built or restored most of the instruments the ensemble uses during performances. Wherligig’s love of traditional music and culture and their joy in making music together as a family add a distinguishing quality to their performances.
Wherligig performs as both a full quartet and occasionally as a duet featuring Ryan and Niccolo. Our performance schedule notes which version of the ensemble will be performing.
Connect with us on Facebook and view select performances on Youtube.
HISTORY OF THE ENSEMBLE
Stephanie and Ken Koons founded Wherligig in 1985 when they met and started playing Celtic music together with John Winship at the Deer Creek Fiddlers Convention. The three had previously been performing American oldtime music, but were slowly moving toward a Celtic sound. Stephanie played hammered dulcimer and Ken guitar–Ken had built both instruments shortly after their marriage in 1979. John brought his fiddle, concertinas, and many songs to the group. The trio recorded one album, “Early Years,” and performed together until 1987 when John decided to focus on solo projects.
Stephanie’s brother Mark Yount, a mandolin player, then joined the ensemble, making Wherligig a truly family endeavor. This second lineup performed regionally across the US mid-Atlantic region. All the while, Ken experimented with building instruments as each member learned to play additional instruments: Mark the octave mandolin; Stephanie the harp and harmonium; and Ken the tin whistle, small pipes, mountain dulcimer, hurdy gurdy, and bodhran (Irish frame drum). In 1991, the trio recorded “Beyond the Beck,” a collection of songs and tunes from Ireland, England, and Scotland.
At the same time, Stephanie and Ken’s young son Ryan traveled with them to performances, sitting behind them, reading while listening to the music. In 1998 at age 10, he asked Ken if he could try one of his dad’s tin whistles. To their surprise, he began playing one of the many tunes he has heard growing up with the band. Ryan became the fourth member of the ensemble, soon integrating additional instruments, such as the fiddle and squeeze box. He studied with a number of tradition bearers, including former-Bothy Band fiddler Kevin Burke, National Scottish Fiddle Champion Elke Baker, and others. After Ryan became fully ingrained in the band, Wherligig recorded their third album “Return from Fingal.” In 2005, health concerns forced Mark to retire.
In 2006, Wherligig became fascinated by traditional Nordic music after Stephanie brought home several recordings featuring the Swedish nyckelharpa or “keyed fiddle.” Ever interested in new instruments, Ken decided to build a nyckelharpa that year; Ryan began playing it at gigs soon after. Ryan also developed relationships with several Swedish musical tradition bearers, learning from Washington, DC-based Jämtland fiddler Göran Olsson and two-time nyckelharpa world champion Peter Hedlund.
Between 2010 and 2018, Wherligig went on a hiatous, performing only twice a year while Ryan pursued graduate degrees in ethnomusicology, the cultural study of music, in California. Moving back to Maryland in 2018, he brought his husband, Niccolo Seligmann, into the band. Niccolo, an accomplished musician in medieval, renaissance, and baroque music, strengthened the ensemble sound and added more instruments, including the viola da gamba, medieval nyckelharpa, and veile (medieval fiddle). Wherligig now continues to tour the mid-Atlantic, educating and entertaining audiences at festivals, in classrooms, restaurants, weddings, and other private events.
A “wherligig” or “whirligig” refers to a spinning or whirling object; our spelling “Wherligig” dates back to the 1600s. Several Celtic bands have used Wherligig as a band name, all with different spellings. We predate them by many years.