Keltic Reign Listen to Audio Samples: Farewell To Nova Scotia Lasses and Sails Medley Until Next Time Cape Breton Dreams Order the CD

Keltic Reign's Performance Schedule

Mitzi MacDonald and Keltic Reign…Playing the music of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Ireland and Scotland, Keltic Reign is a dynamic weave of Celtic influences. It is with these wonderfully talented musicians, that Mitzi also spotlights her original music.

A lot of this music is simply called “maritime music”, back in Nova Scotia. The music draws from a Celtic background to bring life to anything, from old folk tunes made anew, to a more driving, modern-day pop song.

Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have been in the past, major fishing provinces in Canada, and have also produced some of the finest fiddlers, and music to ‘rant ‘n roar’ along to! It just comes with the territory…Scottish, Irish, and French settlers have played and preserved this music for centuries.

Keltic Reign is not really a folk-band, but they do perform quite a few folk songs. But, until you’ve heard them shake the very earth with tunes like “As I Roved Out, Catharsis, and Ramblin’ Rover”…it’s hard to know what we speak of. Keltic Reign is ‘Keltic with a Kick’, and will bring out the Irish/Scottish blood in anyone!

Meet the band members!

Joe Derhake – whistle/harmonica/piano/melodica/back-up vocals
Joe has the honor of being the youngest member of the band! Joe comes from the Bridgeton/Overland area, and was a student (and also, an award winning music student) in the same school district, (Pattonville), as Anna teaches! Our audiences have just been blown away with this guy, and his beautiful tin-whistle playing. They might be surprised to know that Joe’s main instrument is (or was, ha)… Trombone.

In a relatively short span of years, since his high school days…Joe has worn the hats of a brass chamber musician, jazz trombonist, marching band tubist, church organist, blues bass player, and horn part arranger and musician for a pop band—officially branding him a musical omnivore for life! Joe is proud to point out that his lovely wife, Hiroe, was a fiddle player in the KR prototype band, and is honored to now carry on in her place.
Mitzi first heard Joe play the whistle back in 2001, and it took her almost a whole year to convince him, he needed to be in ‘this’ band! (he was playing Trombone, and arranging horn parts in another band at the time) Joe has also surprised everyone with his beautiful voice, as heard rather well, backing Mitzi, on “It Takes Me Back”. Joe has a BA in music from UM-St. Louis, and teaches piano and wind instrument lessons.

Randy Getz – bodhran/accordion/piano/keyboard/lead and back-up vocals
Randy plays with about as much heartfelt joy as humanly possible! And it is equally fun to watch him play his accordion and bod’hran! Randy has been singing quite a few songs of late, and our audiences are loving it…there will definitely be more of that to come!

As a child in University City, Randy began his musical education with piano lessons from seven years of age, at the St. Louis Institute of Music in Clayton (long gone now, replaced by a giant glass skyscraper). Continuing in music, Randy received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and now again, lives in University City. Randy played in several local bands over the years and has been a longtime member of the Missouri Choral Society, with whom he has sung in concerts worldwide, including Ireland and Scotland. His love for this music is evident in everything he plays. Randy is a career firefighter, and is now a Battalion Chief for FD in Hazelwood, MO.

Of all the members in the band, Randy and Mitzi’s musical history together goes back the furthest. They first performed together in church, back in 1992, and still do to this day. They have performed together as a team at local bars, coffee houses, and outdoor concerts. Actually, Randy was the first one to convince Mitzi that people around the midwest would enjoy all of the Nova Scotia music that she knew, but never performed. Mitzi’s pretty thankful for that now!

Carl Hasse – bass
Carl was recommended to Mitzi, by a minister, at a church where she was performing. He played with her that Sunday, and she has never let go of him since! Apart from being a wonderful, intuitive bass player, Carl arranges a lot of the harmony parts that the band sings, and has a great ear for all arrangements .

Carl, who lives in Webster Groves, played bass violin, through junior high and high school. At fifteen, he bought a bass guitar, and taught himself to play. Heavily influenced by the Beatles, and later Procol Harum, he taught himself to play guitar and keyboards as well.

Carl has blessed the band so much, with his gracious ways, and shown us the beauty about being open and shares frequently the joys felt about us all being together.
Carl has performed with many bands around the St. Louis area, and works in landscaping God’s green earth during the day.

Michael Levine – acoustic guitar/back-up vocals
Michael lives in University City, and has been playing guitar since childhood, and it’s rare NOT to see a guitar in this man’s hands! Michael gives guitar lessons all over the St. Louis area, with many, many students of all ages… sharing with them, his true love of music.
Mitzi met Michael back in 1999 when she hired him to be her son’s guitar teacher. (Michael still teaches Andy to this day) They immediately hit it off, and Michael became interested in her music. By 2000, he was accompanying her to many of her church performances. Michael occasionally plays with some other local performers and bands around St. Louis, but his voice and guitar style fit Mitzi’s music so perfectly, they rarely play apart.

Anna Pocsik - fiddle/back-up vocals.
Anna grew up in University City, MO., and studied classical violin from the age of five. Since both her parents were music teachers/musicians, it was not unusual to see her whole family performing in community orchestras throughout the St. Louis area during the 70’s. Anna earned a Violin Performance degree at University of Missouri K.C. Conservatory and most recently earned a Masters in Arts in Teaching at Webster University.
Anna quickly embraced Scottish fiddle music from the moment Mitzi introduced it to her. Anna now plays with a Scottish/Classical styling all her own, which gives the music incredible power and drive. Anna recently traveled to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, and has enjoyed playing and performing with some of the Cape Breton fiddlers.
In addition to playing fiddle with K.R., Anna teaches orchestra in the Pattonville School district and plays in the classical quartet, “Quartet Brioso”.
On-stage, Anna is a strong player and performer and it is amazing to watch this diminutive ‘powerhouse’ when she takes to her solo numbers. Anna also belts out some awesome harmony parts on Mitzi’s songs, when she isn’t busy playing violin! She has also started composing her own music, as well. Check out “Cape Breton Dreams” on the CD.

Rob Silverman – drums
Rob is known around St. Louis as one of the finest drummers in the whole bi-state area. His first love is his jazz fusion band that he has with his brother, Mike Silverman. Together, they make up two-thirds of the dynamic “Downtown Trio”. (www.thedowntowntrio.com) Keltic Reign is very lucky indeed, that Rob loves so many different types of music! His command of Latin, Greek, Jazz, Funk, and African is widely known, and now he is having fun with all these Celtic polka, and march rhythms!
His many books and CD’s published by Mel Bay Music have produced several best sellers…including “Drumset 101” and “Drum Lessons for Kids of All Ages”. Rob is the newest member of our band, and he lives in University City He is studying music at UM-St. Louis, and teaches drum lessons as well.