Irish Trad concert in Bowling Green, OH April 26

I am very excited to announce a special event. On Sunday, April 26 we will be hosting workshops, a concert, dance, and a session with internationally renowned musicians, Randal Bays, Dave Marshall and Aine Meenaghan and famed set dance instructor, Anne McCallum.

Randal Bays and Dave Marshall are a fiddle & guitar duo that represent some of the very best in authentic traditional Irish music. Randal also happens to be one of the two organizers of the Friday Harbor Irish Music Camp that Mary and I are attending next week. You can find more information about Randal at his web site:

http://www.randalbays.com/

And hear examples of his seven CDs with various musicians on iTunes and CDBaby.com

Aine Meenaghan is considered by many to be an example of the very best traditional Irish sean nós singers. This is a unique and very special style of historically accurate, solo, unaccompanied singing that reaches back into the inner sanctum of Irish music history. If you have never heard this type of singing before this would be a perfect opportunity. Here is some information copied from Aine’s web site:

Heir to the archaic tradition of bardic poetry and song which declined with the demise of Gaelic civilization in the eighteenth century, it is sustained today by a unique cohort of singers in the Gaeltachtaí, or Irish speaking communities along the west coast of Ireland. It also enjoys prominence among Irish communities in the US, especially in Boston and Chicago, where it is patronized by immigrant communities from south Connemara.

A native of Muiceannach-idir-dhá-Sháile, Camus, Áine Meenaghan (nee Ní Dhonnchadha) began singing as a child and was strongly influenced by the singing of her grand father. Encouraged by her aunt, schoolteacher Treasa Uí Chartúir, she began to take an interest in sean nós and, at the age of eight, entered her first competition. During the 1970s, Áine or Nan Chamuis as she is known in Connemara, became a household name in the sean nós pantheon. She won the All-Ireland title at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and in 1974 she won the coveted Corn Uí Riada at Oireachtas na Gaeilge, the highest honour awarded to a performer in Ireland. Since immigrating to Chicago, she has performed on many occasions with Martin Hayes and Randal Bays, and tours the festival circuit throughout the U.S. She's also taught at many music camps and has adjudicated a number of singing competitions. Her rendition of the poignant love song Bríd Thomáis Mhurchadha highlights the richness of her subtle and distinctive style.

Anne McCallum is one of the very best traditional Irish set dance instructors. We are fortunate that she lives relatively close, in Windsor, Ontario, thus we have had several events with her in the past. She will be joining the other musicians on April 26 to offer a workshop and to lead the dancing after the concert.

It is extremely rare that we have this caliber of musicians performing this type of authentic, traditional Irish music in northwest Ohio. So mark your calendar for this very special event.

To view information about the concert on the web:
http://toraigh.com/Bays_Marshall_Meenaghan_BowlingGreen.html
To download the flyer for printing:
http://toraigh.com/Bays_Marshall_Meenaghan_BowlingGreen.pdf

Workshops 2:00-3:30pm:
Traditional Irish fiddle: Randal Bays
Accompanying traditional Irish music on guitar: Dave Marshall
Traditional Irish sean nós singing: Aine Meenaghan
Traditional Irish set dancing: Anne McCallum

Concert beginning at 6:00pm
Dancing and traditional Irish music session to follow the concert

Concert tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Concert + workshop: $35

Location: South Main Common Space Auditorium, 437 S. Main Street, Bowling Green, OH

For advance tickets PRIOR TO APRIL 17 send a check payable to Bob Midden to:
549 Monroe Ct.
Bowling Green OH 43402-1541
For more information call 419/352-8050 or email bob@toraigh.com

Please help us spread the word - we hope that we can reach everyone who might be interested not only in northwest Ohio but also Ann Arbor, Detroit, Windsor, Cleveland, Fort Wayne and anywhere there are people who might enjoy the highest quality traditional Irish music.

Best Regards,
Bob Midden