Our 2025 talent is Karen Axelrod, Anna Patton, and Ben Shreiber

Karen Axelrod

Karen Axelrod’s piano playing combines expressiveness, energy, lyricism and power.  She is equally at home with styles ranging from traditional folk melodies to passionate tangos to old world French musette waltzes to English Country dance tunes and much more.  She left behind classical music over 40 years ago, and has happily settled into her musical home….somewhere between folk, classical and improvisation.  Her playing is soulful yet touched with humor and whimsy.

When she is not playing concerts, Karen is one of the busiest and most sought after traditional dance musicians.   Her elegant and rich piano playing and her colorful, gorgeous accordion playing are enlivened by her off-beat humor.  

Based in Brattleboro, VT, she tours extensively throughout the United States, Canada and abroad at dances, festivals, concerts, camps private parties and other events.

Anna Patton

Anna Patton is a clarinetist, singer, composer, and educator driven by musical curiosity. She plays with the internationally touring dance band Elixir and many other groups including Topspin, Root System, Zara Bode’s Little Big Band, and various English Country Dance combos, especially ones involving pianist Karen Axelrod.

She loves to teach ensemble classes, improvisation, and ear training.

In her home town of Brattleboro VT, she directs the Soubrette Jazz Choir which performs her creative arrangements of historical and contemporary American music. She also enjoys drinking good espresso and playing ping pong.

Ben Shreiber

Ben Schreiber, a fiddler and tune writer rooted in the contra dance scene, brings a diverse musical palette influenced by his Midwest upbringing and years in the San Francisco Bay Area. Having started with the Suzuki method at an early age, Ben’s musical journey has been enriched through exploration of folk music. While best known for his contributions to contra dance bands like Uncle Farmer, the Dam Beavers, Offbeats, and Potent Brew, he also performs with the newly-established chamber-folk trio, Long Story Short. Ben’s musical experience also extends into English country dancing, where he is a regular presence at local ECD dances in addition to playing for workshops at various camps and weekends. Beyond music, he enjoys cooking, running, coding, and digital art/design.