RIP Ariel Cinii

[madfilkentist]

A couple of members of the filk community have reported that Abby, aka Ariel Cinii, i Abra Cinii, and Ariel Winterbrucke, was found dead in her apartment. A report by eftychia and another by gorgeousgary provide some more information. I hadn't seen her for a couple of years or more and had wondered what her situation was.

This makes me very sad. I wasn't particularly close with her, but did spend some time with her following a Philcon a few years ago, and I roomed with her at Boskone one year. She was an important part of New York filkdom, wrote some wonderful songs, and provided a distinctive sound with her autoharp.

Update: File770 has an obituary, with some fascinating information in the comments.

Comments

[reedrover]

So sad.

[gorgeousgary]

Abby may have played an autoharp at one point, but in more recent years she was playing a mandolin. Using a pick either taped or rubber-banded to a pencil. Which accounts for the distinctive sound relative to a mandolin flat-picked in a more normal fashion.