Now an international touring performer, Jamie Laval was a struggling musician living in a farmhouse in the Skagit Valley in 2001. With the artistic guidance of two widely known Lopez Island residents, Mark Minkler and Stanley Greenthal, Laval found the musical voice he was seeking by creating a new style of playing traditional Scottish dance music.

Laval and mandolinist Ashley Broder will present a concert at the Lopez Community Center on Thursday, May 29 at 8 p.m. Greenthal will join the duo for several numbers.

“Stanley introduced me to the music of Brittany – for which I am forever indebted. That music has a brooding, haunting quality like none other; it’s crazily passionate,” said Laval. “Minkler is a supremely sensitive guitarist; he encouraged me to explore new and expressive textures and harmonies in Celtic music.”

In 2002, Laval won the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship, held every year in Mount Vernon, Wash. This set the stage for what has since become an international career with engagements throughout the United States and Scotland and two critically acclaimed CDs.

Three years later came another happy turn of fate.

In 2005 he met mandolinist Ashley Broder. Their personal and musical chemistry produced a frenzy of creative inspiration that has resulted in a colorful, exciting, and completely unique approach to roots-based acoustic string music.

The duo renders traditional Celtic music of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany and Quebec with hints of classical refinement and ethnic music from around the world. Their song “Levantine’s Spinning Barrel” from the CD “Zephyr In The Confetti Factory” was nominated for “Best World Traditional Song” at the 2007 Independent Music Awards.

Tickets for the May 29 concert are $15 for adults and $10 for students. They are available at the door or in advance online at www.lopezcenter.com or from Blossom Organic Grocery, Paper Scissors on the Rock and Islehaven Books.