Betsy Tinney

Betsy Tinney is a relative newcomer to filk -- she attended her first con in 2007 -- and is honored and grateful to have been so warmly welcomed into the filk community, both as a performer and as an individual.

Betsy began studying the cello when she was nine. (For the first 8 months, her "cello" was actually a violin. Baffled to find herself with a violin rather than the cello she'd begged for since she was five, Betsy simply played the hated violin as if it were a cello, until the grown-ups finally gave in.) She holds a B.A. in music from Wellesley College. After graduating, Betsy took a job as a technical writer in the burgeoning high-tech sector (a much more secure position than playing in a pit orchestra). Over the next 16 years, Betsy continued to work in the computer industry while also performing with various amateur orchestras (often as principal cellist) — even while putting in 16-hour days at Microsoft. Mainly because of those 16-hour days, Betsy left Microsoft in 1997 to devote herself full time to her children and her music. At that time, she began playing nonclassical cello with the rock band Gaia Consort, and now plays with many indie bands. Betsy taught orchestra and beginning cello for several years in the Redmond public schools, and now teaches a few select adult cello students. She is an active member of the New Directions Cello Association, a worldwide association dedicated to nonclassical forms of cello playing.

Betsy is a founding member & partner of the folk trio Tricky Pixie, performs regularly with S.J. Tucker, and is also a member of Skinny White Chick, The Heather Dale Band, Kitten Sundae, and her daughter Katie's band (the name of which changes with nearly every show). In addition, Betsy has performed and/or recorded with Vixy and Tony, Alexander James Adams, Jeff & Maya Bohnhoff, Dr. Mary Crowell, Seanan McGuire, Ronnda Cadle, Incus, Leannan Sidhe, Amy McNally, Gaia Consort, Bone Poets, and many others.

As a member of Tricky Pixie, Betsy was privileged to be a guest of honor at WorldCon 2011, WindyCon 2010, MEWCon 2010, Consonance 2010 and OryCon 2008. Betsy also joined S.J. Tucker in guest-of-honor appearances at Arisia 2010, Confusion in 2010, and MuseCon 2011.

Betsy and her husband Dave live just east of Seattle; they have two children, now nearly grown (Jamie, 20, and Katie, 16) as well as several Maine Coon cats, which they breed and show under the cattery name Pinecoon (the cats, not the kids :-).

Betsy's music website can be found at stealthcello.com (betsytinney.com).

Representative Work for the 2012 Pegasus. Note- this is NOT a song nominated for the 2012 Pegasus Awards.

Light Heart

Copyright © by Betsy Tinney- All rights Reserved
Used by Permission

Performer: Betsy Tinney, solo cello - Recorded live at Orycon 2011
Composer: Betsy Tinney (the intro tune is by SJ Tucker)
Album: Orycon 2011 - Betsy Tinney solo concert

"Light Heart" is an original solo improvisation by Betsy Tinney, performed live on solo cello.

Betsy uses a looper to record improvised layers in live performance (even the "drum" sound is produced using the cello). The intro tune is "For Love of All Who Gather" by SJ Tucker.