Paul W. Ogle Cultural & Community Center

A high-octane string group comprised of an international, multi-talented cast, Barrage delivers an eclectic mix of music, song and dance. The hyperkinetic ensemble - six violinists/vocalists, a drummer, a bass player, and a guitarist - offer up a diverse fusion of cultures, musical styles and incredible performance vitality, combining contemporary world music influences, layered vocal arrangements and pulsating modern beats and rhythms.  Ideal for the whole family, Barrage has been described as "Stomp" meets "Riverdance," while the performers themselves say that "it's as close as you can get to heavy metal with violins." Hot off a PBS special, Barrage's rich compositions incorporate bluegrass, blues, swing, folk, Celtic, Middle Eastern, Asian and Semitic music, and exhilarate audiences with their vitality and energy. 

Two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel has a professional career that spans over four decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. A household name in his native Australia, Tommy has garnered hundreds of thousands of loyal fans worldwide. Tommy's unique style - he calls it simply "finger style" - is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. Guitar legend Chet Atkins was one of the first to inspire Emmanuel to pick up the guitar as a child. Decades later, Atkins himself became one of Emmanuel's biggest fans. In 1999, Chet honored Tommy Emmanuel with the title of "Certified Guitar Player" for his lifetime contribution to the instrument, a rare honor shared by only three other people in the world (Jerry Reed, Steve Wariner and John Knowles). Atkins eventually recorded with Tommy in 1996 on "The Day the Finger Pickers Took Over the World", for which Emmanuel received his first Grammy award nomination. This was also Atkins last recording. Emmanuel's music and life are legendary in Australia. He began playing guitar at age 4, by learning to play by ear without any formal instruction. Emmanuel and his older brother Phil were child prodigies, starting their professional career in the 1960s. By the age of six, Tommy was already working as a professional musician.  As a solo performer, Tommy's dazzling performance, flawless guitar skills and voluminous repertoire never fail to amaze and engage his legions. From the wilds of Australia's outback to bustling major cities throughout the world, Emmanuel's flair and unforgettable showmanship have created an enviable fan base that continues to grow even larger every year.

In just five short years, this high-energy Nashville-based bluegrass band has been named 2005 IBMA's Entertainers of the Year, nominated for a Grammy, had a #1 album and become Grand Ole Opry regulars. A true family ensemble, their hard-driving brand of bluegrass encompasses banjo, mandolin, upright bass, guitar, twin fiddles, pristine harmonies, Irish step dancing, classic country yodeling, and old-time claw hammer banjo. Continuing the long tradition of family bands in bluegrass, all six members of the Cherryholmes family contribute their unique talents to the band. This family approach, which characterizes both the look and sound of the band, is what makes Cherryholmes special. Five different singers - male and female, young and old - take the lead, contributing to a sound that is timeless yet progressive. This back and forth between the ages and the sexes, takes the listener on a journey - one with immense variety, depth and spirituality.

In the music world the 5 Browns are an unprecedented concert attraction: a singular quintet of world-class concert pianists, performing on five pianos and various ensemble combinations, dedicated to bringing classical music to the lives of people everywhere.   With sold-out concerts and screaming fans, The 5 Browns are redefining what it means to be classical musicians. Twenty-something siblings who grew up in a small town in Utah, the piano virtuosos are sweeping the nation.  The Five Browns bring a fresh energy and dynamic character to every performance. Their virtuosity has twice propelled the siblings - Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae - to the top of the nation's classical music charts. Their individual and collective mastery of the piano covers composers from Rachmaninoff and Saint Saens to Gershwin and W.C. Handy.   Each child at around age 3 showed a clear talent and interest in piano lessons, and while the children were introduced to other instruments, their passion was the piano. Playing came as naturally to them as eating or sleeping and as early as age 9 they had each made their debut with a major symphony orchestra-a major pay-off for the hours of practice and dedication the entire family had devoted. The quintet was the first group of five siblings ever accepted simultaneously at Julliard, and have been profiled on "Oprah" and "60 Minutes."  The 5 Browns are delivering on their dream to wake up classical music by introducing it to the widest, largest and most excited audience they can find. The 5 Browns are exclusive Steinway Artists.

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Vishten's music is a heady mix of the French, Irish and Scottish styles of Eastern Canada, propelled by fiery fiddling and powerful step dancing. The quartet's stage show recreates the joy and energy of the "kitchen party," informal community gatherings where all are welcome to sing, play and dance. The rhythms and melodies are inseparable, and reflect an unabashed Acadian sense of celebration. All the members in the group contribute to the choreography and musical arrangements, and they all sing. Audiences are struck by Vishten's whirlwind energy and unbridled enthusiasm for their native culture. The group was recently awarded Group of the Year and Roots/Traditional Group of the Year at the Prince Edward Island Music Awards. In seven years, Vishten has become a genuine cultural ambassador.