Strings and stories Flow as Irish folk duo lights up Medford this Sunday

By Sangmin Song

The sound of Celtic strings will fill Medford on Sunday when the Irish-American folk duo Rakish performs at Arts Collaborative Medford.

The concert, part of the Trad on the Mystic series founded by local musician Ellery Klein, runs from 2 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 16.

Klein launched the series last year with support from the Medford Arts Council to create an intimate setting for acoustic performances. The show takes place in the first-floor lobby of Arts Collaborative Medford, which seats about 50 to 60 people. Klein said the space is just right for the kind of close-up experience this music deserves.

“When Arts Collaborative Medford first opened, I was struck by how lovely and cozy the main lobby was for concerts,” Klein said. “I was hoping to continue to have Arts Collaborative Medford present these kinds of intimate, cozy concerts so people can hear that kind of music up close in Medford.”

Rakish, the duo of fiddler Maura Shawn Scanlin and guitarist Conor Hearn, met nearly a decade ago in Boston and have been performing together ever since.

“Most of the music that we play together these days is original,” Hearn said. “We write the songs ourselves, and there’s this kind of shared influence from the traditional music that we both grew up playing.”

Hearn, who lives in Medford, said performing in his own community carries a sense of homecoming. He said sharing Rakish’s music here, where he lives and writes much of his work, feels like a chance to bring that creative energy full circle.

“Getting to play here feels special because there’s actually a strong traditional music scene here in Medford,” he said. “A lot of my shows are out of town since I’m often on the road, so it’s nice to do one right in my zip code and remind people that this kind of music is happening right where we live.”

Rakish’s set will showcase their inventive style, traditional in spirit yet modern in form. The duo blends time-honored fiddle melodies with fresh arrangements and original compositions, creating a sound that feels both rooted and new.

“People will hear tunes they’ve never heard before, and maybe even a kind of tune they’ve never heard before,” Hearn said. “It’s an intimate setting where you’re on the same level as the performers, and that makes the experience more personal and human.”

Regina Parkinson, director of Arts Collaborative Medford, said partnerships like Trad on the Mystic reflect what the center hopes to build through its programming.

“When Ellery came to us with the idea, it made perfect sense,” Parkinson said. “It aligned with the kinds of performances we want to host — intimate shows that offer in-depth looks at traditional cultures or different cultures from around the world.”

Arts Collaborative Medford’s small-scale setup fills an important gap in Medford’s cultural landscape, Parkinson said.

“I think this series represents a healthy and fruitful collaboration,” she said. “I hope it shows the broader artist community that there is space and accessibility for these types of shows, and that we are a strong contender as a small music venue.”

For Rakish, the Medford performance is one stop on a nationwide tour before playing festivals in New York and Scotland early next year. Hearn said there’s something uniquely rewarding about playing in small, community spaces.

“Different venues give you the opportunity to interact with different kinds of people,” he said. “A place like Arts Collaborative brings together students, families and longtime residents, where you get to kind of interact with the whole spectrum of people in different walks of life.”

Klein said she hopes to continue Trad on the Mystic with two concerts each year, giving both local musicians and touring artists a platform to share traditional and acoustic music with Medford audiences.

“Word of mouth is powerful, as once people come to one, they tell their friends,” she said. “And this one’s perfect for fall — go for a morning hike, grab lunch nearby, then come hear some beautiful live music in the afternoon.”

She said keeping the series small and personal allows each show to feel special and helps sustain interest in the city’s growing arts community.

“People always say there’s no good live music anymore,” she said. “But there definitely is. You have to work a little harder to find them or pay attention to the shows.”

More information about the concert and tickets can be found here.

Sangmin Song is a senior journalism student. This story is part of a partnership between Gotta Know Medford and the Boston University Department of Journalism.