Clara Constance Stickney is a musician and music teacher based in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. She offers typical and adaptive music lessons on the piano, fiddle, and lever harp and tours with the bands The Gaslight Tinkers and Red Case Band. She plays music for events such as contra dances, festivals, markets, concerts, and weddings throughout New England and beyond.
ABOUT
Clara grew up in the woods near Portland, Maine in a family of classical musicians. She fell madly in love with fiddle music when she was 19 attending Maine Fiddle Camp for the first time. She minored in music and started playing the lever harp while earning her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Southern Maine. She moved to the Berkshires in 2021.
Event musicians influence the atmosphere of a space by being the sonic undercurrent. Clara is aware of this and her focus is on supporting events through making musical choices to intentionally help create a beautiful atmosphere. One of joy, magic, wonder, excitement, grounding, and/or healing.
Use the contact form at the bottom of this page to sign up for Clara’s mailing list!
click HERE to Follow Clara on instagram @claraconstancemusic
LEARN
Clara offers music lessons in students’ homes around the Berkshires. She works with adults and children ages 7 and above. She loves helping people reach their individual musical goals in a way that works for their specific bodies and brains. Clara strives to create a learning atmosphere that is nurturing, productive, positive, and inspiring. In addition to her musical skills Clara brings knowledge from the field of occupational therapy such as motor skill acquisition, innate sensory preferences, learning styles, ergonomics, client-centeredness, human development through the lifespan, activity analysis, adaptation and compensation techniques, cultural competence, and therapeutic use of self—all of which enrich her teaching of music. She has been teaching for over 10 years.
ADAPTIVE LESSONS
Though all private music lessons involve some form of adaptation to be tailored to the individual student, “adaptive music lessons” are geared toward helping people with unique challenges or disabilities learn to play an instrument in a unique way. This could involve changes in positioning, presentation, or simply a change of pace. Clara’s knowledge activity adaptation from the field of occupational therapy makes her uniquely qualified to offer adaptive music lessons.
LOVE
Clara has chosen to be a music teacher and brings great care, love, and enthusiasm to her work.
events
april 12 fri contra dance w/gaslight tinkers albany, ny
april 14 sun open band contra dance mentor w/aldo lavaggi housatonic, ma
april 19 fri concert w/gaslight tinkers marigold theater easthampton, ma
April 20 sat 11am-1:30pm concert w/wood thrush guido’s great barrington
may 11 sat concert w/the gaslight tinkers stone church brattleboro, vt
May 18 sat 11am-1:30pm concert w/wood thrush guido’s Pittsfield
may 31 fri concert w/the gaslight tinkers shelton, ct
june 1 sat concert w/the gaslight tinkers southampton, ma
june 6 thurs glow dance w/the gaslight tinkers brattleboro, vt
june 8 sat concert w/the gaslight tinkers bellows falls festival, vt
june 14 fri concert w/the gaslight tinkers shelburne falls, ma
summer music programs
maine fiddle camp june 16-21 fiddle teaching staff
berkshire summer strings july 15-19 fiddle teaching staff
maine fiddle camp august 4-9 lever harp specialty workshops
maine fiddle camp august 11-16 fiddle teaching staff
all summer-private lessons
About the Bands
The Gaslight Tinkers
African, Caribbean, Funk, Reggae, and Latin grooves meet traditional fiddle music. It's the genre-bending future of the music of the past.
The Gaslight Tinkers' blend of global rhythms creates a joyously danceable sound around a core of traditional New England old time and celtic fiddle music, merging boundless positive energy with melody and song. Since its formation in 2012 the band has lit up the East Coast, the West Coast, and the Caribbean, headlining clubs, dances, and major festivals. Playing what The Valley Advocate describes as “Music that consistently fizzes and pops with unexpected textures and turns,” The Gaslight Tinkers’ shows are packed with delightful surprises, elated crowds, and exuberant musicianship. The sound and energy of I-Shea, Clara, Garrett, Elie, and Peter are universally irresistible.
See Clara’s Instagram @claraconstancemusic for more clips of the Gaslight Tinkers
Website: https://thegaslighttinkers.com/
Red Case Band
Red Case Band weaves together textures from the unusual combination of the banjo, lever harp, and accordion to facilitate groovy, trance-like experiences for dancing and listening. It was founded by bass and banjo player Stuart Kenney after he released an album of the same name of original tunes for the banjo and also features multi-instrumentalists Clara Stickney on lever harp and fiddle, Alex Cummings on accordion and keyboard, Max Newman on electric guitar and mandolin, and Matt Kenney on percussion. The band plays both as a trio or as a 5-piece for concerts, dances, and festivals.
See Clara’s Instagram @claraconstancemusic for more clips of Red Case Band
Wood Thrush
Wood Thrush is the new duo project of Aldo Lavaggi (fiddle and guitar) and Clara Stickney (fiddle and lever harp). Their sound presents traditional tunes with sweet winding harmonies and sparkling textures.
All Images by Robyn Nicole Photo. Video by Jamie Oshima