PORTSMOUTH — Fiddler Hanneke Cassel will play The Dolphin Striker in Portsmouth on Friday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m., accompanied by Ariel Friedman on cello and Christopher Lewis on guitar.

Hanneke is arguably America’s finest practitioner of Scottish fiddle music. In 1997 at the age of 17, she was the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion and three years earlier was the U.S. Junior National Champion. Though her roots are firmly entrenched in traditional music, she is widely recognized for her innovative and contemporary styles.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she settled in Boston after graduating from Berklee College. She is a leader of a community of young and talented acoustic musicians who have made Boston their home while touring the world.
For her part, Hanneke has toured extensively — even as far away as China and New Zealand.

She is currently celebrating the release of her new album, “For Reasons Unseen.” It features an all-star cast of musicians, including Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Rushad Eggleston, Casey Driessen, Brittany Haas, Keith Murphy, and Aoife O’Donovan.

On the album, influences from Scotland to China, along with grooves and musical innovations from the hip Boston bluegrass/Americana scene, fuse together to create a uniquely American approach to Scottish music.

Hanneke has gained a reputation for creating sounds on the cutting edge of acoustic music, while retaining the integrity and soul of the Scottish tradition.

Tickets for The Dolphin Striker show are $12 in advance. The venue is located at 15 Bow St., Portsmouth. For more information call 978-462-9630 or visit www.mktix.com.