Maidens IV
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Maidens IV

Loudonville, Ohio, United States | SELF

Loudonville, Ohio, United States | SELF
Band Rock Celtic

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""Spirit of the UK in (their) music""

“These four sisters may be from the American Heartland (Ohio) but, they have the spirit of the United Kingdom in their music and in turn their soul. Well done ladies!...bravo!” –Operachick - Operachick


"Sandra Parker ~ Celtic Director"

"Lovely, talented, delightful & charming. Their energy, musicianship, vocals, and engaging stage presence was impressive and entertaining. I booked them right away for Celtic Weekend." - Virginia Highlands Festival


"Jamie Gaffney ~ Entertainment Director"

"The Maidens don’t just play music, they entertain!"
- Josephinum’s Annual Irish Fest


"Drew Orient ~ Executive Director"

"Their energy and freshness is exciting..marvelous performers and very genuine. We look forward to their return in 2012". - Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts


""Fun with Fans, Celtic act Maidens IV thrives on getting audience to take part""

There a nine kids in the Justice family. It wasn't a challenge for them to pick out the four who would be in the musical group Maidens IV.
"We're the only ones who practice, "Havilah Justice said, laughing. "We had to kick out my older brothers long ago."

Havilah 24 is the oldest member of the group, and the third oldest child in the family. Joining her in the Maidens IV are three of her younger sisters - Heather, 23, Abigail, 19, and Tabitha, 16. "We play fiery Celtic music," said Havilah, who plays violin in the band." A lot of Celtic music can be slow and eerie. We step it up and really try to put a little fire into it."

Our residents have a chance to check out the group at 7:30 pm. Friday, Jan. 18, at the Firelands Presbyterian Church in Port Clinton. Maidens IV is coming to town as part of the Firelands Musical Arts Series.

Live shows actually are a major reason why the sisters decided to play Celtic music, Havilah said. "We all started with classical music, and one of the big reasons we switched is because you can get closer to your audience,” she said. With classical, the audience is removed a little bit. It’s more like an upper class thing. With Celtic, there’s more interaction. At shows, we can say things like,’did you like that song? Would you like more of this?’

“We love watching the fans react to the music. Children have the most fun with it. They can’t hardly stand still while we’re playing….We like music that’s very driving, and we really feel like you can tap your feet and have a lot of fun with it.”

The Justice sisters always have lived together in the family house, but that will change this year as Heather has plans to get married and move out. But the other three still will be under the same roof, and Heather has promised to come back a couple times a week to practice. Practice can be hard work for a lot of people (as it apparently was for a few members of the Justice family), but the Maidens IV have no problem working hard.

In the group’s promotional materials, Havilah’s work ethic is described in terms outside the music world. Her short background section says she “takes competent charge of the Justice family livestock. She brings in goat milk morning and night, spins and knits wool from her sheep and makes goat milk soap. She recommends talking to a goat as the cure for many ailments.” That’s certainly not the type of thing you often find in press materials for a band, but the story behind Maidens IV is different then most—In a good way.

The Band used to be called Maidens II back when it was a two-person group featuring Havilah and Heather. Then Abigail joined, and the group became Maidens III. When Tabitha came aboard, the current name was adopted. Havilah said the expansion is finished. No more Justice siblings will be added to the group which is a good thing, she said. She likes the sound the quartet is putting out right now.
That sound can be sampled on the band’s two Web site at www.maidensmusic.com. Several of the songs featured on the site also can be found on Maidens IV’s most recent album, ”Celtic Fire” which includes 13 original songs.
It’s one thing to be able to play your instruments well__which all the justice sisters do---but it’s an entirely different talent to be able to compose quality original songs. Considering the relative youth of the girls in Maidens IV, it’s impressive that they do it with such success.

Havilah said the writing is a group process, with different members of the band coming up with various aspects to a song, and then melding it all together.
As for the future of the group, Havilah didn’t mention goals of a record deal, or achieving fame and fortune. She said the focus is on playing as many live shows as possible. “We want to play more Irish and folk Festivals, “she said. We love playing with other bands and seeing the other talent that’s out there and just researching our genre. It’s amazing playing with other bands. You’ll see someone sitting in the audience, and you(would never guess) that person is so talented up on stage. Just instead of being a car mechanic or something else, they’re a violin player.” And, in Havilah’s case, that extremely talented violin player also happens to be talented at making goat milk soap. No one’s guessing that.
- Sandusky Register


"Maidens IV makes first Missouri stop!"

Celebrating Celtic Traditions!

For maidens IV, there is nothing as good as a live performance. The Ohio-based group, which describes its music as "Celtic fire with class" is made up of four sisters-Havilah, Abigail and Tabitha Justice and Heather (Justice) Mantel- and is making its first Missouri stop march 6 at Jefferson City's Miller Performing Arts Center.

Havilah said the group always looks forward to live shows. "By far, performing is what we love the most," she wrote in an e-mailed response to questions asked by Escape.

"We can't wait to meet new friends and fans and take the joy of our music to as many places as the Lord brings into our path."
The sisters compose their own music and blend the violin, viola, and guitar into their performances.
"From singing in four-part sister harmony to step dancing, to playing our instruments as we dance, our live shows are an all in one Celtic celebration," Havilah said.
She said the idea to describe their sound as "Celtic fire with Class" came about two years ago. "That is usually how I answer folks that ask us what we sound like" she said. "We came up with (the description) about two years back and started forming our music and dances around the style. "Taking a bit of tradition with us as we arrange and compose for music fans of today, we've created our own genre of Celtic Pop."
The group became Maidens IV in 2006, when youngest sister Tabitha joined. Havilah and Heather were the first to branch out from the family's quintet in 2003, and they created the Maidens band. Two years later, Abigail joined them to form Maidens III.
Each of the sisters adds her own talents to the group. Havilah brings her vocals and violin skills, Heather contributes with the bodhran and is lead vocalist, while Abigail sings and plays viola and Tabitha sings and plays the guitar.
The group has three CD's to its credit, "Charm & Fire, "Four Aflame" and "Emerald Fire", and is currently working on a new release.
Havilah acknowledged that there's quite a difference between performing live and working on a new Cd in a recording studio.
"We have to practice our songs a bit differently for studio than we do for a live show, so going to recording always means a lot more rehearsal time." she said.
But we are very excited about this next CD. Right now, we are working on writing the last few songs for our fourth album and hope to be back in studio fiddling and singing by late April."
Maidens IV's Jefferson City show is 7 p.m. March 6 at the Miller Center. Adult tickets are $15 and tickets for students are $8. The concert is sponsored by the Jefferson City Community Concert Association.

- The News Tribune Staff


"Family band takes on fiery style"

HAYESVILLE -- If you visit Ross and Barbara Justice's home near Hayesville, you're likely to hear music.
"Music is playing in our house all the time," said one of their nine children, Heather.
What started out kind of like the Von Trapp family of the movie "Sound of Music" as a family of musicians who performed around the area at weddings, nursing homes and fairs has turned into a Celtic band with Heather and three of her sisters.
"It's a lot of fun, and I get to do this with my sisters," Heather said after a rehearsal at the family's home last week.
The four sisters, who call themselves Maidens IV, recently recorded a CD, "Four Aflame," that highlights what they call their "fiery" style of Celtic/Irish/folk music.
That "fiery" style also was on display in their first CD, "Charm & Fire," recorded in 2005. That was when the group was called Maidens III because it didn't include the youngest sister, 15-year-old Tabitha, who joined them about a year ago when the three older sisters wanted her guitar-playing skills to make the band even more lively and "fiery."
Actually, the first name of the band was Maidens II. That was when 22-year-old Heather and 23-year-old Havilah broke off from the family group to perform as a violin (Havilah) and voice (Heather) duo in 2003. Heather also plays the bodhran, an Irish drum. At that time, two of their older siblings, freelance artist Rachel, 27, and Josh, 25, who were in the family band were leaning toward other interests and it was the right time to make some musical changes in the family.
By 2005, 19-year-old Abigail came aboard as a viola player.
Even though the three older sisters have completed their home-schooling, they still live at home and so far have made Maidens IV their careers. Tabitha and three younger siblings are being home-schooled by their mother, who taught the girls how to play the violin and was part of the family band. Their father, who teaches at North Central State College in Mansfield, wasn't part of the family band. But the sisters said he likes music and has a good ear for it and lets them know when their sound doesn't sound quite right.
No, the band's name won't change to Maidens V, VI or VII because the three younger siblings are boys.
Their mother said she doesn't mind that the family band, which mostly played classical music, has turned into Maidens IV, a "fiery" Celtic band.
"The girls really like to play the fast-paced style of music they play now," she said.
Mom still gets to be part of the new family band as its sound person. The girls saved money from their performances to buy their own sound system. Their mother also makes their Celtic-style outfits and banners for their performances. And she even helped them find a used van to get them to their performances that the girls have dubbed, "The Maidens Mobile." She doesn't do any sales or promotional work, leaving that for the girls to handle.
The girls also used the money they have saved from performances to make their CDs, which were recorded at a studio in Painesville. They had 1,000 copies of each CD made that they mostly sell at their performances or send out for marketing purposes to help them get jobs. Most places they play prefer to hear their music before hiring them. People also can order CDs from their Web site: www.maidensmusic.com.
Since many of the performances Heather and Havilah did as a duo were at Landoll Mohican Castle for motor-coach tours that visited, they came up with the name Maidens to kind of reflect the Renaissance style of the castle and the music they played, which also involved more traditional Celtic tunes.
Not only has the girls' style evolved to more lively Celtic music and high-energy stage performances, it's also developed into more and more songs they have written.
Just as their musical ability has grown, so has their performances, which now include several festivals. They plan to play at festivals in Michigan and Pennsylvania this year. They still perform at weddings, where they will play some classical songs. They actually have performed at several Irish weddings.
"We're really excited for this year," Heather said. "We have some good festivals lined up."
They also hope to record more CDs, including one of hymns in their Celtic style.
The sisters really have enjoyed the evolution from family band playing mostly classical music to the "fiery" Maidens IV.
"When we're in our band, we're so close to our audience," Havilah said. "You can see in their faces that they like it. When you play classical music you seem so far away from the audience."
- Ashland Times-Gazette


"Maidens IV at the Adams Co. Irish festival"

The sun was beating down on Moose Park, driving temperatures close to 100 degrees and toasting the crowd at the 9th annual Adams County Irish Festival. No one seemed to mind too much, particularly when the occasional cooling breeze came drifting through the trees.

Out in the parking lot reserved for musicians, the Maidens IV -- a quartet of sisters from Hayesville, Ohio -- had found a cool and shady spot under a tree by my car to relax, hydrate, warm up their voices and tune their instruments before taking the main stage that was, at 3:30 p.m., radiating in the full heat of the afternoon sun. The girls were chipper, though, chatting amiably and looking not the least bit overheated as they strolled toward the stage where the Spalpeens, a family band from Baltimore, Md., had just finished their set.

They were decked out in shimmery, bold-colored gowns, hair all in ringlets and ribbons, looking every bit like a pre-Raphaelite painting sprung to life. It says a lot for these young ladies that they looked every bit as comfortable and collected in the baking sun of the stage as they had in the shady glen of the parking lot.

The cooling breeze of early afternoon had apparently vanished, and the few sprinkles of shade from surrounding trees did little to break the heat. But the Justice sisters -- Abigail, Havilah, Heather and Tabitha -- seemed to be having too much fun on stage to be bothered by something so tedious as temperature.

Classically trained and drawing on baroque and classical styles as much as folk and Celtic traditions, Havilah and Heather formed Maidens II in 2003 as a voice and violin duo. Sister Abigail joined them in 2005, adding viola to the mix and changing the name to Maidens III. And, in 2006, the name changed again when Tabitha brought guitar to the ensemble. They are, the sisters noted from the stage, just four of a group of nine siblings.

Heather is the group's lead singer and provides rhythm on her Irish bodhran. Her sisters, besides their instrumental contributions, also add stunning vocal harmonies.

The next hour in Moose Park was filled with instrumental sets and songs -- the latter heavily influenced by a rich madrigal style of harmony singing. The songs included "Jolly Rover," "Whistling Gypsy," "Rocks of Bawn" and "As I was Going to Ballynure," among others, and the tunes drew on a lively collection of jigs, reels and other dance forms.

These were certainly not traditional arrangements; through and through, the Maidens IV put their own stamp on the music to ensure their versions don't sound quite like anyone else's. There were also several original pieces, including the fiddle-led "Four in the Heartland," "Shooting Stars" featuring the viola and even the moving recessional from sister Heather's January wedding.

The young ladies seemed unable to hold back the grins as they performed, as if they'd just found something new in the melody and were swept away by the music. Throughout the show, they tossed the spotlight around, giving each girl and each instrument its due.

Also throughout, Maidens IV made excellent use of some hard-soled dance shoes, the wooden stage and some simple but effective and exquisitely graceful choreography. Like elegant clockwork, their dance steps made the music into a celebration.

Based on the theory that music reflects the energy and enjoyment of the musicians performing it, then this band's Adams County show was a success from start to finish. - Rambles Cultural Arts Magazine


""Celtic at a whole new level""

"Hands down this is the highest energy performing group you'll ever have the pleasure of seeing.
The artistic performance of their music will have you humming days after they've returned to their
home base of Loudonville, Ohio. Four beautiful young ladies take their version of
Celtic/Rock/Folk to a whole new level.
Richard Lozier- Salem, OH
- Richard Lozier- Salem, OH


""Won national acclaim for their sound""

Broadway Hall will be filled with the melodious sounds of Celtic & Irish muisc as Main Street Medina presents Havilah, Heather, Abigail and Tabitha Justice as the Maidens iV in concert on Saturday, Feb. 7th at 8pm. These four sisters from Loudonville, Ohio, have won national acclain for their sound and talent with their original compositions, enchanting sister harmony, and explosive choreography that taps a resounding path across Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Celtic MP Music Magazine calls these four talented sisters "an explosion of strings (that) greets the ears." Offering a mixture of Celtic Folk and acoustic music, the sisters are a well-known fixture at medieval faires, Renaissance, Irish and Folk Festivals.

in 2003 Havilah and heather branched out from the family quartet to create the Maidens band.

Two years later Abigail joined her older sisters, adding the alto sounds of her viola.

In 2006 youngest sister Tabitha brought a vibrant change to the band with her driving rhythms and sensitive acoustic guitar. A new dimension to Celtic music sparks to existence as these lovely ladies whirl in to the Celtic and Folk sphere and beyond.

Kindiling with a passion that makes all the difference, these angels of the Ohio heartland ignite the gala joy in children, yet rock a solid thrill in teens and adults alike.
- The Post Lifestyle


"Four sisters get their act together"

LOUDONVILLE -- It would be an understatement to say the Justice sisters make a family affair out of music.

"We've been playing music since we were children," 21-year-old Heather Justice said. "We're a home-schooled family (nine kids) and each of us in Maidens IV learned an instrument when we turned 6."

Fifteen years later, Heather and two of her sisters, 22-year-old Havilah and 18-year-old Abigail, released "Charm & Fire" under the name Maidens IV. They live in Loudonville.

Heather Justice did some explaining behind the name.
"In the beginning, it was Maidens II, with my sister Havilah," she said. "When we recorded the CD last year, Abigail joined us, making it Maidens III. Tabitha has just joined us so we're now Maidens IV."

"Charm & Fire" explores the fields of Celtic and folk music, genres all four members have been fascinated with since first picking up their instruments.

"It's predominantly Celtic, with some Renaissance-inspired songs thrown in," Justice said. "It's something that rubbed off on us since we've been performing at Landoll's Mohican Castle regularly throughout the year."

Justice said responses to the record have been overwhelmingly positive, with constant requests following their live shows throughout the area.

"We're very encouraged that people like the music we're working on," she said. "We're not Irish ourselves, but we really love that style of music. Hopefully, we'll sell enough to produce another CD, this time with Tabitha in the recording. We already have new songs in the works."
- Mansfield News Journal


""An explosion of strings greets the ears""

Four-part harmony.....and......four sisters! Maidens IV is made up of Havilah, Heather, Abigail and Tabitha. Originally a duo of two sisters named, you guessed it, Maidens II, the sisters have all joined forces and combined their considerable talents to bring out the best in the Celtic and Folk style music that they play.

An explosion of strings greets the ears with the first track on the CD which jumps right in, highlighting the considerable talent of the musicians. Next, on "Lark In The Morning" you begin to hear the pretty harmonies these ladies can form together as they hop and skip their way through a complex and lovely song.

Their last CD, "Charm and Fire" (Maidens III) showed the ladies to have mastered the instruments they play, and now they are tackling even more complex arrangements--truly an amazing whirl of sounds and rhythms here, and each track has something unique to offer.

The voices, although still sweet and youthful, have a new maturity to them that brings an added dimension to the sounds they bring forth. Please don't miss track 11, "Fiddlers Magic," for the obvious reason....although, in truth, you don't need to get that far into the CD to note the skill these ladies play with. The title of the album really brings to life what is going on here--"Four Aflame"--for the fire can be heard in the instruments that these lovely ladies command.

If you know anything about music--this CD will blow you away. And even if you don't--it's still a darn good listen! These ladies are a favorite of mine.
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Catherine L. Tully is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in the arts. She has written for American Style and Classical Singer, among others and reviews music for Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. You can reach her through her photography website at http://www.moonbeamdigital.com - Celtic MP3 Music Magazine


""Returning for a second performance""

Returning for a second performance this year are the Maidens IV, a group of four sisters who play Celtic instruments and wowed audiences last year with their lilting voices and enchanting performance of Irish Music. The sisters, Havilah, Heather, Abigail, and Tabitha Justice, are from the Loudonville area, and describe themselves as , "Four sisters, Four part harmony, Four instruments, and eight dancing feet." - Jennifer Kneuss ~ The Bargain Hunter


Discography

Charm & Fire: 2006
Four Aflame: 2007
Emerald Fire: 2008
Celtic Fire: 2010
Live Out Loud: 2011

Photos

Bio

Wholehearted and full of life, Maidens IV delivers high-action Celtic music, mixed with hints of Rock, Folk and the flavor of Gypsy Jazz. Havilah, Heather, Abigail, and Tabitha formed their all sister Celtic band nearly 7 years ago. They are based out of Loudonville, Ohio and have toured throughout Central and Eastern US. This epic four sister folk rock celebration has cheered on young and old alike in the merriment of Celtic music.

MIV Band Bio's
~Havilah: Violin/Vocals/Bass
Trained Classically, Havilah started playing at the age of 6 and began her life on stage as first Violin in the family quartet. Havilah and younger sister Heather founded the Maidens band in 2003 and as Maidens II, performed over 60 gigs a year before making the switch to Celtic Fiddling with yet another younger sister Abigail. Known for their innovative style and fiery licks, Havilah and Abigail form the signature “Dueling Strings” of Maidens IV.

~Heather: Bodhrán/Vocals/Keyboard/Drums
Classically trained in Violin at a young age, Heather moved to the study of voice at age 15 under the vocal coaching of Kay Raplenovich. Having performed as a solo vocalist, choir director, vocal teacher, and composer, Heather combines her rich musical background to the thundering Celtic free-style music of Maidens IV. Putting her classical skills to the test, Heather mastered the Irish Bodhrán shortly after her switch to lead vocal and now sports a Celtic rhythm while singing with the best of them.

~Abigail: Viola/Vocals/Djembe
Abigail also began her classical training at an early age. After playing in the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra for 2 years, Abigail joined her sisters in the switch to Celtic music forming Maidens III in 2005. At age 15, Abigail added vocal lessons to her profile, building a foundation for the Maidens much loved, four part sister harmony.

~Tabitha: Guitar/Vocals/Bass/Drums
Tabitha comes to the band with Rock and Pop in her blood. As sister number four, Tabitha’s acoustically astounding talent and Jazzy style were directed to Celtic Rock Roots music from the get go. At age 14, Tabitha settled on guitar as the stringed instrument of choice and forms a second lead to Heather in Maidens IV’s innovative and original Celtic crossover pieces.