THE FINE HAND

The Fine Hand is an art ensemble spinning contemporary soundscapes from historical threads. The ensemble, founded in 2022 by Anne-Kathryn Olsen and Mara Winter, is made up of specialists in historical performance practice, traditional music, composition, improvisation, visual art, theatre, and poetry.

By looking at the past through a kaleidoscope of historical perspectives, The Fine Hand encourages audiences to personally connect with history, not only through the codified historical sources, but shared stories, folk and aural traditions, and imagination. 

Whether exploring the roots of the ballad in Appalachia (Send it by the Water), the secret dreams of the wives of Henry VIII (Dreams in the Frauenzimmer), the imagined history of a dozen hidden viola da gambas found in Quebec (Le Chansonnier d’Evangeline), or the audio-visual exploration of Arctic musical histories and speculative futures (The Drift), The Fine Hand invites audiences to ask the questions: Who decides what counts as “historical music”? Why do we revere some sources and dismiss others? What happens when we take traditional music seriously—as art, not just folklore?