BRANDON — Vermont’s own Va-et-vient is a trio performing French, Québecois, Cajun and Créole music. Carol Reed, Suzanne Germain, and Lausanne Allen each have backgrounds rich in French cultures and language through lifelong experiences living and traveling in French-speaking lands. They create beautiful harmonies, teaching and engaging audiences on both sides of the Quebec border. Take a step out of Vermont without actually leaving, and hear Va-et-vient at Brandon Music on Dec. 1.
Since 2001, the group has carved out its place in New England and particularly in Québec, where its ties to traditional musicians provide a fountain of resources in collections of songs, tunes and dances.
Carol Reed, voice, guitar and mandolin, learned French at age 10, attending school in Switzerland. The Middlebury College French major (’79) studied in Paris, playing guitar in the Métro, then traveled Europe performing street music. A French and Spanish teacher in Williamstown, Vt., she regularly attends Québecois traditional music festivals, singing and teaching the music and dance to all ages.
Suzanne Germaine, voice and percussion, grew up speaking French in a Québecois family in South Burlington. A Nurse Practitioner by day, she travels regularly for adventure and to lend her skills in communities in crisis around the world. Wherever she lands, she gathers songs and stories, and is a multilingual singer.
Lausanne Allen, voice, fiddles, flutes and mandolins, spends her life pursuing music, dance, and crafts. She has performed with many bands over the years, teaches several instruments, plays many more, and is a regular dance caller in New England. An avid traveler, she is quick to trade tunes and tales with musicians she encounters.
Saturday’s concert is at 7:30 p.m. Concert tickets are $20. A pre-concert dinner is available for an extra $25.  Reservations are required for dinner and recommended for the show. Venue is BYOB.
Call (802) 247-4295, email [email protected] or visit brandon-music.net for more info.