August 14th – 18th 2013
www.westcorkmusic.ie

The 11th Masters of Tradition programme will be announced in April!

The 2013 Masters of Tradition will open its doors to the very best musicians in the land, presenting a series of performances that cover the full spectrum of Irish traditional music, in its most authentic form. Many of Ireland’s foremost traditional musicians have performed at the festival since it began in 2002. Previous performers include: Liam O’Flynn; Moya Brennan and Cormac De Barra; Steve Cooney; Kevin Crawford from Lúnasa; Brendan Begley; Susan McKeown; Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill; Donal Lunny and so many more. As ever the Festival is headlined by Martin Hayes, the fiddler from East Clare, whose distinctive touch and extravagant virtuosity has brought the tradition to new levels. His famous trance–evoking sets with Dennis Cahill, who returns again this year, have mesmerised audiences all over the world.

The idea for the festival evolved from Martin Hayes’ call to create a quiet and intimate space where the heart of traditional music could be revealed. The concept has evolved over the years to produce an event that encompasses a simpler, less cluttered performance format and involving some of the very best Irish musicians sharing their take on traditional music. There are concerts each evening as well as Irish traditional music workshops, talks and master classes. The organisers are delighted to confirm that the master classes are now the Bord na Móna Masterclasses.

The intimate performances take place in St. Brendan’s Church, set in the heart of Bantry, and in Bantry House, one of Ireland’s most striking 18th–century mansions, overlooking Bantry Bay. “I have attended almost all of the performances each year of this festival and every time I leave Bantry, I do so with a renewed faith in the strength of this music. Within this subtle setting…our music reveals sophistication and artfulness and its inherent virtuosity of thought.” – Martin Hayes. The Masters of Tradition Festival is generously supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Cork County Council, Forás Éireann and Bord na Móna.

For more information about Masters of Tradition 2013 visit the website www.westcorkmusic.ie
or contact West Cork Music, 13 Glengarriff Road, Bantry, Co. Cork. Tel: 00 353 27 52788.