Inspired by Maritime Traditions, Kalos Joins Us on May 9th

Name: Inspired by Maritime Traditions, Kalos Joins Us on May 9th
Start: 2026-05-09T19:30:00-07:00
End: 2026-05-09T21:30:00-07:00
Location: Knox Presbyterian Church

Saturday, May 9 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

$12.51 – $33.85

We’ll be at Knox Presbyterian Chuch. Tickets are on sale on Eventbrite. Prices are $33.85 (incl. fee) for advance tickets, $35 at the door. Caltech students and youth through high school are $12.51 (incl. fee) in advance or $10 at the door.

Kalos is drawn to water. Every performance is like stepping into a river—they never play a song the same way twice. They make music inspired by the maritime traditions of Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and North America. Their album titles—Harbour and Headland—honor the meeting point between the land and sea and they sing songs about shorelines, seafarers and drownings. They revel in the driving danceability of Irish tunes, but also take inspiration from the pastoral melodies and naturalistic metaphors of Scottish music. But while the music they write is forged in tradition, it is nonetheless cast and tempered in new and unexpected ways.

Kalos is an ancient Greek word that means “beautiful” or “praiseworthy” and the root of the English words “calligraphy” and “calisthenics.” Like a fine calligrapher or adept gymnast, each musician possesses a profound attention to detail and form. But within the exquisite architecture of their compositions, they remain inventive—finding new flourishes and discovering unseen ley lines in the fertile ground of traditional music.

“There’s a spontaneity at work as the three musicians alternately contest and duel, combine and coalesce to bring their talents together.”…Folk Worlds magazine

The trio includes musicians you will surely know from their work with Ensemble Galilei and The Syncopaths.

Ryan McKasson (fiddle, viola, background vocals) has gained a strong reputation as a performer, composer,collaborator and teacher. In 1996 he became the youngest ever winner of the US National Scottish Fiddle Championship. In 1997 he was awarded a Merit Scholarship for Viola Performance from the University of Southern California. Over the years Ryan has recorded with a number of influential artists including Scottish fiddle champion Hanneke Cassel’s albums Silver (2006), For Reasons Unseen (2009), and Dot the Dragon’s Eyes (2013), as well as Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas’s recording Highlander’s Farewell (2011).

Eric MacDonald (guitar, mandolin, lead vocals) is now established as one of the USA’s premier accompanists in many styles. He is an active session player, regularly recording and traveling with musicians of many stripes. In addition to guitar accompaniment, Eric’s debut solo album Rove features his unique style and approach to tunes on the mandolin, as well as carefully crafted deliveries of traditional ballads on voice and guitar.

Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano, background vocals) has spent several decades traveling in Europe, doing field research that laid the groundwork for a Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory. Jeremiah has recorded over a dozen CDs with Nightingale, the Clayfoot Strutters, Bob & the Trubadors, Le Bon Vent, and Ruthie Dornfeld.