How It’s New York: The series was conceived here, by New Yorker via Limerick and Thailand Mick Moloney, for the Irish Arts Center.
How It’s Irish: Irish music is in its heart eclectic– and this pairing of two musicians from slightly different spheres always includes at least one Irish musician.
The Masters in Collaboration Series at Irish Arts Center is a rare thing: it’s artist centered. Conceived by Mick Moloney, it’s a pairing of two musicians from different spheres, both masters in their own right. This year marks the fourth one, bringing together sean-nós singer Iarla Ó Lionáird with uilleann piper and flutist Ivan Goff (you can see Ivan wailing on the pipes with Blackie O’Connell this summer in the Catskills here!). Last year brought Riverdance composer Bill Whelan together with fiddler Athena Tergis, and Joanie Madden and Seamus Begley (watch some video of that here! Joanie sings!) Other Masters in Collaborations have included Andy Irvine (who is playing several dates here in the tristate too this month– check the scrolling calendar!) and John Doyle (who has a brand new CD of original songs on Compass!).
Martin Hayes(one of Luka Bloom’s heroes) did a residency with Gregory Harrington. If the goal, as Artistic Director Aidan Connnolly states, is to cause a “spark” that the musicians will take from one another, it clearly has succeeded: Paul Brady and Sarah Siskind, the first MIC, have toured together, and Bill and Athena are playing a few dates together at IAC later this month.
I interviewed Aidan during the Irvine/Doyle residency for Irish Connections magazine:
The musicians work “outside the usual restrictions of the musical market,” says Aidan Connolly, Executive Director of the Irish Arts Center. Even full houses for each of the three performances, and the interview moderated by Moloney mid-way through the week, would not begin to cover the costs. But money isn’t everything— the rewards to Irish music in general might turn out to be, a la Mastercard, priceless. Connolly says he and the Center’s supporters are “eager to do what’s required to empower artists in a creative environment like this.”
Usually, midway through the week, Mick leads a conversation with the two masters, interviewing them about their lives and letting us in on the process. But due to a visa glitch in Kentucky (no word on why an Irish singer’s visa has to go through Kentucky), Iarla is getting here late. So instead, the conversation will now be fully integrated into the concerts!
One thing about Mick– he always know his stuff (he’s pretty much the easiest interview in the known universe, as a result). You won’t want to miss Mick’s tribute to Harrigan and Hart at Symphony Space on the 13th, also an Irish Arts Center production. More info on that closer to the time!
Putting the intervie in the concerts should be very exciting. There’s nothing like music with demonstration combined. I predict: best one yet!
Iarla is the haunting voice behind Afro Celt Sound System, now with The Gloaming. He has a new CD, Foxlight, which he will launch here at Joe’s Pub on October 26.
Iarla O’Lionaird launches his new album Foxlight (Real World Records). And on the 27th and 28th he’s with Other Voices at Le Poisson Rouge, with Glen Hansard, Laurie Anderson, Martin Hayes, Colum McCann, among others.
This is your chance to hear him FIRST! In the lovely intimate setting of IAC.
All-Ireland champion Ivan Goff hails from Dublin, and has played with Riverdance, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, and on several film scores. He’s played with Eileen Ivers (I saw him with the band in Birmingham, Alabama!), Whirligig, Cathie Ryan (playing at Sanctuary Concerts in Chatham on Saturday!) and Lúnasa, among others. He’s also a PhD candidate in NYU’s Ethnomusicology department.
MASTERS IN COLLABORATION VI
Iarla Ó Lionáird Meets Ivan Goff
Live Concert Performances
Saturday, October 1 | 8 pm
Sunday, October 2 | 8 pm
Our acclaimed Masters in Collaboration series continues to foster exciting musical partnerships with its sixth installment, pairing sean-nós singer Iarla Ó Lionáird with uilleann piper and flutist Ivan Goff, two extraordinary artists living on different sides of the Atlantic. Ó Lionáird is widely respected for his solo work in bringing a unique blend of ancient Irish music and cutting edge world sounds to a global audience. Goff has lived in New York since arriving on Broadway over ten years ago with Riverdance and has made his mark as one of the greatest Irish musicians in America. Ó Lionáird and Goff’s collaboration will be a fascinating exploration and very much in the spirit of a series which encourages distinguished artists to break new ground.
Admission: $35
If you need assistance placing your order, call 866-811-4111.
A video preview of the Masters in Collaboration VI artists.
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This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and Imagine Ireland, Culture Ireland’s year of Irish arts in America in 2011.
