Événement

Bernadette Nic Gabhann, Eileen Gannon, Brenda Castles

This will be a fantastic day for traditional Irish muic -- classes offered prior to concert in all three disciplines-- Fiddle, Concertina, and Harp-a great opportunity for all-- please contact us regarding class-- concert admission is $20 pp -- tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door !
A little bit about the musicians:
From a musical family in Ashbourne, Co. Meath Ireland, Bernadette Nic Gabhann learned to play fiddle from her father Antóin, a well known Co. Cavan fiddle player. Her mothers dancing side of the family hail from Co. Clare. Bernadette participated in Fleadhanna Cheoil throughout her youth as a member of Trim Comhaltas. She then travelled the world playing fiddle and promoting Irish Arts.

As Fiddle player with Troupe 2 of Michael Flatleys Lord of the Dance, Bernadette toured through North America & Canada, & performed in Alaska and South Korea. She was fiddle player with Gaelforce Dance who toured Eastern Europe and Taiwan , & spent a summer with Irish Thunder, a dance show based in Busch Gardens theme Park in Williamsburg, Virginia USA.

At her home in Meath, RTE Radio1 broadcast Céilí House live on the first Saturday of the year for the past 20+ years. Bernadette presented an episode of Geantraí for TG4 from The Becks, a bar north of Ashbourne. This was during a time of a weekly session with Joe Ryan & Roger Sherlock RIP.

In 2009, she recorded Home Away from Home with the acclaimed transatlantic group NicGaviskey. Bernadette enjoys playing with her many American musical friends across the pond, & has spent time in St Louis in recent summers. It was during summer 2016 that she sat down with harpist & friend Eileen Gannon, and recorded most of this CD. Bernadette now lives in Dublin where she teaches & performs at various events.
Eileen Gannon has been lighting up the Missouri music scene for years. Eileen, a St. Louis native, is one of the top Irish harp players in the world. She has won numerous accolades including the highly coveted Senior Harp title at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (World Irish Music Championships). She has a bachelors degree in Music Performance from St. Louis University and a masters degree in Ethnomusicology from University of Limerick. Eileen has toured and performed all over the world and is a regular tutor at international festivals like the Catskills Irish Arts Week. Eileen was part of the troupe that represented Ireland at World Expos in Shanghai, China and Milan, Italy with St. Louis Irish Arts, where she promoted Irish culture and the expression of Irish culture worldwide. This summer, Eileen will launch her debut solo CD, The Glory Days Are Over. https://eileengannon.com/

At the age of five, Brenda was sent to learn music from neighbour Rena Traynor (née Crotty) from Kilrush, first on tin whistle and later on concertina. When Rena passed away in 1995, Brenda started lessons with one of Rena's former pupils, concertina maestro Mícheál Ó'Raghallaigh. At the same time she took over Rena's younger students and has been teaching concertina and tin whistle ever since.