New Editors at The Journal of Music

The Journal of Music is pleased to announce Paul O’Connor, Patrick Groenland and Stephen Graham as the latest members of its editorial team.

The appointment of three new editors is the latest in a year of changes at The Journal of Music, which has seen the magazine redevelop from a bi-monthly print magazine to an online publication. With a beta website launched earlier this year, the magazine has been publishing regular articles, reviews and news items, documenting and reflecting on a broad span of Irish and international musical life. The next phase of this web development will be launched in the coming weeks.

Each editor will cover a wide-ranging brief, but will specialise in a particular area. Anyone wishing to contact the magazine can email either the editor relevant to their area, or the General Editor at editor@journalofmusic.com

Paul O’Connor is The Journal of Music‘s new Traditional Music Editor. Originally from Sligo, now living in County Wicklow, Paul ran the blog Last Night’s Fun for a number of years, in which he documented the traditional music scene. He recently began contributing to The Journal of Music, with an article on the Gloaming. Email paul@journalofmusic.com

A composer and guitarist, Patrick Groenland is the magazine’s new Improvised Music Editor. Covering a broad range of musical genres, Patrick’s main focus will be jazz and improvised musical practices from around the world. Patrick is now based in his hometown, Dublin, having studied music in Boston, Leuven (Belgium) and Maynooth. He started writing for The Journal of Music earlier this year. Email patrick@journalofmusic.com

Stephen Graham will fill the role of Classical Music Editor, covering the vast gamut of composed music of the last millennium. Originally from Dublin, Stephen is now based in London, where he is completing a PhD in musicology at Goldsmiths College. He previously studied music at University College, Dublin, and King’s College, London. Email stephen@journalofmusic.com

www.journalofmusic.com

Today’s challenge …

I’m going to be concentrating all my LAST NIGHT’S FUN energies on my new role as Traditional Music Editor over at The Journal of Music, and so won’t be adding any new content here for the foreseeable.

I’d recommend signing up for updates over at www.journalofmusic.com and/or following @journalofmusic on Twitter.

You can get me in relation to traditional music news etc. on paul@journalofmusic.com. (Of course, I’m still available for commissioned / commercial / freelance / ghost writing work on music@penhire.ie).

love:live music 2011 details announced

love:live music 2011, Ireland’s National Music Day, takes place on Friday 8th April and is co-ordinated by Music Network in association with RTÉ lyric FM and supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport. For the second year running, there will be lots of free live music events in cities and towns across the land as well as two flagship events in Dublin and Limerick, with live broadcasts from these and other events throughout the day on RTÉ lyric fm. With events taking place everywhere from arts centres to libraries to workplaces, everyone is encouraged to get involved to celebrate live music performance of all kinds! To find out about events in your area, or to register your own event, visit www.lovelivemusic.ie or call 01 671 9429.

To celebrate the day Music Network is presenting two headline concerts. The first is at the Belltable in Limerick from 2.30pm. Renowned international artist Camille O’Sullivan will entertain us with her own unique blend of rock and theatre with a nod to German Weimar Kabaret. She will be joined by Gato Azul (Francesco Turrisi, accordion & percussion, Robbis Harris, bodhran, Michael Coady, double bass, Lucas Gonzales, guitar) performing a blend of jazz and world music and the talented sisters, the Cashell Duo (Sophie Cashell, piano and Anna Cashell, violin) performing works by Debussy, John Cage and Lili Boulanger. This concert takes place at Belltable, 69 O’Connell St., Limerick from 2.30-4.00pm on Friday 8th April and will be broadcast live on RTÉ lyric fm’s The John Kelly Ensemble.

The second headline concert is at the Sugar Club in Dublin from 8.30pm, with singer/songwriter Mick Flannery, “a songwriting force to be reckoned with” (The Irish Times). The unique Dublin Guitar Quartet, will play contemporary works by composers such as Philip Glass and exciting new group, The Listeners, led by multi-instrumentalist Emer Mayock, will be representing the best of the traditional music scene. Finally, award-winning pianist Michael McHale completes the line-up in spectacular style, playing Beethoven and Rachmaninov. This concert takes place at the Sugar Club, 8 Lower Leeson Street, D.2 from 8.30pm-10.30pm on Friday 8^th April. For those that can’t make it, the concert can be heard live on RTÉ lyric fm’s The Blue of the Night.

Both concerts in Limerick and Dublin are free but ticketed. Call 01 671 9429 or email admin@musicnetwork.ie to book your place at either of these events.

The response to this year’s love:live music from performers across the country has been fantastic and with over ninety live music events already lined up in villages, towns and cities across the country, more events are being registered every day. There is an electric mix of events, from barbershop choirs in Sligo to rap and rock in the youth centre in Finglas; In Cavan, the African Caribbean Forum are having a celebration of diverse musical cultures; there will be solo recitals from the likes of Annette Cleary in Greystones and Redmond O’Toole in Meath as well as large ensembles like the Singing Flash Mob in Laois; traditional music will be plentiful with performances at the Coleman Traditional Music Centre in Gurteen and the Skerries Trad Music Weekend amongst others; there’s no shortage of jazz and rock concerts in Sligo with live jazz at the Osta Café, guitarist and singer Ricky McDowell with his band, and acoustic guitar band Tucan with their eclectic rock influenced style; last but not least the contemporary music sector has pulled out all the stops with a performance by CoMA Limerick at the Hunt Museum in Limerick and several performances happening at the Contemporary Music Centre in Dublin.

Things to be thankful for in 2011: Emer Mayock’s plans

The multi-instrumentalist, composer and fabulous flute player from the County of Mayo, Emer Mayock, has a busy year ahead, filled with lots of great stuff for us to look forward to:

She will release a CD with piper Mick O’Brien and fiddle player Aoife Ni Bhriain exploring music from the Goodman Manuscripts.

The band Tarab (Emer, Kate Ellis, Francesco Turrisi, Robbie Harris and Nick Roth) will release it’s debut recording.

Emer will work with Rough Magic Theatre in a new production of Ibsen’s ‘Peer Gynt’.

She will perform in Ireland and abroad with a new ensemble she has put together with Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola, Donal Siggins and Steve Larkin.

And she will travel to Nova Scotia in July to perform at the Boxwood festival.

Urgent plea for more uilleann pipe makers

IRELAND IS in danger of losing the craft of making uilleann pipes if it does not invest in training more manufacturers of the instrument, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Despite its Irish roots, three in every four uilleann pipe sets manufactured are made overseas, leaving fewer than 20 makers working in Ireland today, traditional musician Seán Potts told the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Sport, Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Many of the world’s leading manufacturers are in countries such as the US, Britain, France, Canada and Germany, meaning Irish players have to wait up to seven years to get their hands on a full set of their own, he said. (Times) >>>

Spancil Hill balladeer honoured by civic reception

THE story of the immigrant ballad Spancil Hill is as pertinent today as it was when Robbie McMahon first sang the song over 60 years ago.That is according to the mayor of Clare, Cllr Christy Curtin, who led the tributes to the famous balladeer at a civic reception in Ennis.

At the reception in the council’s chamber, the audience jumped to their feet after the 84-year-old singer treated them to a rendition of Spancil Hill, a song he helped popularise over the past half century and more.

Describing Mr McMahon as a “true icon of Ireland’s ballad tradition,” Cllr Curtin said: “There is a very real connection between the ballads sung by Robbie to what is happening in Ireland today. Spancil Hill documents an immigrant’s dream of returning home from America to his native Clare. (Examiner) >>>

Spancil Hill

Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone by
My mind being bent on rambling to Ireland I did fly
I stepped on board a vision and I followed with the wind
And I shortly came to anchor at the cross of Spancil Hill

Musician plays his way into records books

The Irish Times reports that “Frankie Gavin of De Dannan is expecting confirmation that he has set a world record after hitting 150 beats per minute while performing the Fox Hunter’s reel. ” !

Andy Irvine writing a song for MUI part in AARO

[A letter from the Musicians Union of Ireland (via Cormac Breatnach on Facebook)>>>]

To all Musicians,

In order to strengthen our position Musicians Union of Ireland have joined forces with actors, writers, directors, visual artists, composers, dancers and are glad to have been involved in the initiation of the recently formed AARO. This is the fist ever that all these practitioners have come together. AARO ( Association of Artists representatives organisations ) hope to draw attention to the situation of those who create all of the artistic endeavours in this country. AARO plan to hold their own lobby on Thursday September 16th in conjunction with The National Campaign for the Arts, yet as an independent voice of all practitioners at The Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. From 1pm until 2pm.

The central demands are: The right to organise and negotiate minimum terms and conditions. The right to Social Protection. The right to share in the economic life of work we create. The right to hold positions on all relevant bodies. (Film Board, Arts Council, RTE Authority etc)

At the centre of the lobby will be a Flash Mob who with double sided placards in all the seven colours of the rainbow will do a routine that will go from colour to grey. The idea is for us to be colour coded with helium balloons. The seven colours of the rainbow. There will be live music from the MUI – all musicians welcome.

Andy Irvine is composing a song for the event.

We will perform Somewhere Over the Rainbow (the Israel “Iz” version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I to tie in with Flash Mob colours of the rainbow routine. R

ehearsal in Liberty Hall 11am on Thurs 16th Sept before the event. All musicians welcome – vocalists and instrumentalists – to take part. We will have 10 to 12 placards that will be in black and white. Stating key facts and figures about each of our areas of the industry. These will be constant, so passers by will be able to read who we are and what we are about. We will hand in a letter to the Minister. We will organise a party in a close by venue where we can assemble afterwards. We need a positive imput from members and supporters to get behind this event. This event is open to anyone concerned about the arts.

Please spread the word and forward this notice.

Regards MUI Executive

Musicians Union of Ireland

See also SIPTU press release >>>

Christy’s Lisdoon song gets academic approval

A landmark anthology of Irish poetry is set to be published charting our greatest writers such as WB Yeats, Patrick Kavanagh, Seamus Heaney . . . and Christy Moore. “The original version was more chaotic and referred to a series of events that took place on the way down to west Clare. There was a break-in to Portlaoise Prison to serenade friends, a savage feed at the old treaty stone diner in Limerick where a card school broke out and Dickie Rock went all in on a pair of threes,” he recalls. (Indo) >>>

Civic reception for Kilfenora band

One of Ireland’s best-known Irish traditional music bands, the Kilfenora Céilí Band was last night being honoured by the county council after celebrating its centenary in 2009.

>>>> Irish Times article http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0209/1224264030386.html

A renaissance of Irish music across Marin, California

From Marin Independent Journal:

On a recent Tuesday night, musicians with fiddles and pennywhistles, flutes, a set of Irish uilleann pipes and hand drums called bodhrans were packed together in a tight circle at the Mayflower Pub in San Rafael, happily playing Irish jigs and reels like “Lark in the Morning” and “Maid Behind the Bar.”

The oldest was 91. The youngest, 25.

“In Marin County, there wasn’t anything like this until five years ago,” 50-year-old Fran Kenny said over the din of music and laughter and conversation.

Originally from Dublin, Kenny, who has lived in San Rafael for decades, was joyfully singing and banging on the bodhran.

“We used to have to go to San Francisco for a session,” he said during a break. “So I feel guilty if I don’t come on a Tuesday because I’m only 15 minutes away.”

The weekly Mayflower sessions are part of an Irish music boom that has spread from Terra Linda to San Rafael to the Ross Valley to West Marin to Petaluma and who knows where next.

Full article is here >>>>