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Who We Are:
Chloe Maher (piano) enjoys eating good food. Chloe has been involved in the traditional dance and music community her whole life. Beginning with Scottish country dance, she has subsequently enjoyed English country, contra, rapper sword, and clogging. Singing has also long been a hobby for Chloe, and she became an avid shape note singer while at Oberlin College, an activity that culminated in co-editing (with Charles Wells) and publishing Oberlin Harmony, a compilation of songs sung and enjoyed at Oberlin. Chloe has lately been enjoying playing piano for English, Scottish and contra dances. She is on the board of the Country Dance and Song Society and Germantown Country Dancers. Chloe likes to travel and is interested in religion and gender studies, particularly of North Africa. She also cares deeply about public transportation, public education, and libraries.

Bill Quern (mandolin, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, concertina) plays in more bands than anyone we know. His father filled the house with instruments for Bill and his 10 siblings to explore, so Bill developed into a multi-instrumentalist. Fiddle, banjo, concertina, mandolin, harmonica, and bodhran became his selection as an adult. He has a degree in Fine Arts from MA College of Art where he studied performance, sculpture and instrument making. He plays for Contra and Square dances, English Country dances, teaches Morris dancing (at Saint Peter's School in Philadelphia) and Scandinavian dancing. He dances with Kingsessing Morris Men (7 time winners in the Philadelphia Mummer's Parade) and plays for English Rapper and Longsword dance teams. Other performances include; Enscaded Festival in Holland, on Chinese television, the New England Folk Festival, the Butterball Dance Festival, and the Heritage Dance Festival. He has recently picked up a new instrument, the dead goat.

Nora Smith (fiddle) first started playing French Horn then moved through flute and handbells before settling on her favorite instrument, fiddle. She began playing for dances while getting a biology degree from Haverford College. Originally from New York, she has finally moved down to the Philadelphia area. You might see her at Irish sessions in Philadelphia or New York when she's not playing for a contra or Scottish dance. Or you just might run into her on the dance floor!

The Contraptions often play with caller/fiddler Rick Mohr.

Come dance!
Where and when are The Contraptions playing? I hear you ask. Good question.
April 19 - Swingin' Tern in Chatham, NJ
April 27 - NEFFA in Mansfield, MA
May 2 - Contra dance at Bryn Mawr College with caller Rick Mohr
June 2008 tour to Washington State!
June 13 - Orient, WA with caller Rick Mohr
June 18 - Spokane, WA with caller Rick Mohr
June 19 - Seattle, WA with caller Rick Mohr
June 21 - Tacoma, WA with caller Rick Mohr
July 13 - Glen Echo, MD with caller Susan Taylor (afternoon)
July 13 - Glen Echo, MD with caller Peggy Hesley from AZ (evening)
October 17 - State College, PA with caller Anna Rain
October 18 - Lancaster, PA with caller Anna Rain
November 23 - Glen Echo, MD with caller Scott Higgs

Here are some sound clips of us playing:
Elzic's Farewell/Old Joe
Benton's Dream Clip
Jig to Reel:Andy DeJarlis/Drummond Castle/Bus Stop
Brenda Stubbert's clip

Photos by Andrew Snyder

contact info
booking: call chloe 267.240.5227 or email cmaryamm@yahoo.com