June 16th – 22nd, 2014

www.galwaysessions.com

This year the Galway Sessions festival presents a packed programme of events including concerts, recitals, parades, street entertainment, a singers club, lectures and an extensive pub–session trail at various venues throughout the historic medieval centre of Galway City.

The theme of this year’s festival is composers. Galway is extremely fortunate to be home to a great many contemporary tune–smiths and song–writers who continue to enrich and add to the traditional music repertoire. Those who will perform their compositions at the various concerts and recitals throughout the week include: Mairtin O’Connor, Marcus Hernon, Johnny Óg Connolly, Charlie Lennon, Michael McCauge and singers Don Stiffe, Tim Lyons and Noelie MacDonnell. One full day of events will be devoted to the compositions of the legendary Paddy Fahy one of the most prolific and respected composers of traditional music this era. His music will be performed by Liz and Yvonne Kane, Breda and Claire Keville and Liam Lewis amongst others. Also featuring in the festival will be Scottish composer and accordion player John Burns from Stirling.
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www.musicnetwork.ie
Music Network today unveiled its Autumn Season 2014 with an exceptional line-up of talented Irish and international musicians that will tour to nineteen towns and villages across fifteen counties from 16/9/14 to 29/11/14.  The eclectic programme features a range of genres and styles including a Scottish and Irish traditional music tour; a solo fiddle and film show by one of Ireland’s most adventurous and prolific musicians; an Appalachian roots band direct from the Virginian mountains; a very personal programme from one of the world’s rising cello stars and a very special commissioned tour for children and families.

Describing what’s on offer, Music Network CEO Sharon Rollston explains, “Our season gets off to a flying start in September as Irish squeeze box maestro and raconteur Séamus Begley joins Scottish duo Catriona McKay and Chris Stout in a celebration of the music of the Northern Isles. All three are blessed with the gift of spontaneity, so who knows what will happen! In October, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh sets off on a unique journey to the heart of Irish music. His mission: to boldly explore the beauty and humour of traditional music, aided and abetted by his 10-string fiddle, a film projector, and a host of “virtual” guests. ”

She continues, “Then it’s off to the Appalachian mountains as Virginian act Furnace Mountain unleash their own distinctive take on rootsy Americana, breathing new life into old-time, bluegrass and folk tunes.  Meanwhile there’s festive warmth for all the family as five outstanding musicians perform a new work specially commissioned from composer Brian Irvine and are joined by shadow puppeteer and animator Matthew Robins in an exploration of winter wonder in our first ever children’s tour, A Most Peculiar Wintery Thing. This is the first show from a new strategic partnership between Music Network and The Ark that aims to create accessible and high-quality music performance experiences for child and family audiences. Our last tour of 2014 ends the season on a high note as the award-winning German cellist Leonard Elschenbroich offers insights into music and the life of a musician – while serving up some of the most exquisite solo cello playing you’ll hear this year.”
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Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas & Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Sunday, May 18th, 8pm
€15/€12

“The musical chemistry between Scottish fiddle legend Alasdair Fraser and young cello ace Natalie Haas is a rare, felicitous thing.” - Boston Herald

“Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh’s beautiful airs had us begging for more. Every corner seemed to echo with her voice long after the music had stopped.” - Dublin Evening Press

Music Network Presents The Iona Connection: Nasc Oileán Í, Featuring Alasdair Fraser (fiddle), Natalie Haas (cello) and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (fiddle/voice) on Sunday 18 May 2014 at Riverbank Arts Centre, Main Street, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Music Network is delighted to present Scotland’s Alasdair Fraser on fiddle, Californian cellist Natalie Haas and Donegal singer and fiddler Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh in an exploration of connections between traditional Scots, Irish and American Old Time music. Join them on Sunday 18 May at Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare as they follow in the musical footsteps of tunes that have emigrated and found their way home once more.

The remote Hebridean isle of Iona is a unique place, sitting at the crossroads of Irish and Scottish culture and at the same time a sending place for monks and travellers sailing west to the New World. It’s the inspiration for Scots fiddler Alasdair Fraser, Californian cellist Natalie Haas and Donegal native Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh as they explore the connections between traditional Irish, Scottish and Old Time American music, following in the musical footsteps of tunes that have emigrated and found their way home once more.

The result: all the raw beauty and energy you’d expect from a community on the edge of the known world, as Haas returns the cello to its historical role at the rhythmic heart of Scottish dance music. It’s a dream collaboration for Fraser, long regarded as one of Scotland’s premier fiddlers and a proud ambassador for Gaelic culture and traditions. He and Haas have been creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across Europe and America, and for this tour they are performing for the first time with the inestimable Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. One of the foremost singers in the Irish language and co-founder of trad legends Altan, Mairéad will revisit the themes of ‘Edge’ and ‘Threshold’ explored on her first solo album  ‘Imeall’, together with Haas and Fraser.

Music Network tours provide a wonderful opportunity to see some of the world’s foremost musicians at affordable prices in venues around Ireland, and are presented in association with RTÉ lyric fm.  Music Network is funded by the Arts Council.

For more information, visit www.riverbank.ie.
To book tickets, visit box office or call 045 448327.