Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The girl who took the geek factor out of classical music here
Image via WikipediaThe girl who took the geek factor out of classical music here Belfasttelegraph.co.uk: "Few genres have gone through quite as profound an image change in recent years as classical music.Far from being perceived as frumpy or plain, mainstream classical musicians nowadays are often more glamorous, well-dressed and sexy than ever.
It is a formula which has worked well for such successful acts as Katherine Jenkins, Il Divo and Rhydian Roberts. But for Ulster flautist Eimear McGeown, such a transformation in the industry has proven a distraction from the genuine talent of the performers."
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Seminole Chronicle - Local teen flutist will represent America in Irish competition
Seminole Chronicle - Local teen flutist will represent America in Irish competition: "Local teen flutist will represent America in Irish competition
By Amy KD Tobik | August 11, 2010
The spirit of the Irish comes alive in Matt Saunders as he picks up his wooden flute and begins to play one of his favorite tunes.
As he steadily taps his foot to the uplifting beat, swiftly playing the notes, it's clear the 17-year-old plays straight from the heart.
'I feel very much in my element when I play,' Saunders said. 'I feel like that's what I should be doing. I love the way it buzzes underneath your fingers when you play because it's a wooden flute as opposed to a metal flute, so when you play it there's this 'reediness' to it; it vibrates.'"
By Amy KD Tobik | August 11, 2010
The spirit of the Irish comes alive in Matt Saunders as he picks up his wooden flute and begins to play one of his favorite tunes.
As he steadily taps his foot to the uplifting beat, swiftly playing the notes, it's clear the 17-year-old plays straight from the heart.
'I feel very much in my element when I play,' Saunders said. 'I feel like that's what I should be doing. I love the way it buzzes underneath your fingers when you play because it's a wooden flute as opposed to a metal flute, so when you play it there's this 'reediness' to it; it vibrates.'"
Friday, June 25, 2010
A bumpy road to Carnegie Hall
A bumpy road to Carnegie Hall - The Irish Times - Fri, Jun 25, 2010: "I’M BACK on the flute. It’s one of those things that happens without reason or intent. I was at a barbeque on Saturday and there was a woman from Jamaica who sang a Whitney Houston song, and it took my breath away, and then she turned to me and asked me to sing. And before I could stop myself, I blurted out that I had a flute in the Jeep, and she said “bring it out” and I thought it would be wonderful to serenade her with a few slow Irish airs.
“Of course I will,” says I, and I headed for the Jeep.
The thing is, I haven’t been playing for a few years. My old black wooden flute has been gathering dust on the mantelpiece and a lot of practice would be required before I’d have the neck to play in public. But my infatuation with the Jamaican woman wiped out all reason."
“Of course I will,” says I, and I headed for the Jeep.
The thing is, I haven’t been playing for a few years. My old black wooden flute has been gathering dust on the mantelpiece and a lot of practice would be required before I’d have the neck to play in public. But my infatuation with the Jamaican woman wiped out all reason."
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Flatley a proud son as village honours dad
Cover of Lord of the DanceLast night, Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley (51) made an emotional return to Culfadda, the village of his father's birth in Sligo, for the opening of the Garden of Music and Memory, where his own outstanding achievement in bringing Irish music and dance to the world stage was acknowledged."
Monday, June 14, 2010
Auditions to be held for play on flute bands
Auditions to be held for play on flute bands - Londonderry Today: "OPEN auditions will be held in Irish Street Community Centre on June 15 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm and also at Newbuildings Community Centre on June 16 at the same time, for a new play entitled The Pride by Jonathan Burgess.
The play was commissioned by The Pride of The Orange And Blue Flute Band in Newbuildings and it looks at the community that builds up around flute bands and the band culture.
Although based on research through The Pride Of The Orange And Blue, the ADVERTISEMENT
play tells a story which will be familiar to all those who have been a band member or from the band community throughout Northern Ireland."
The play was commissioned by The Pride of The Orange And Blue Flute Band in Newbuildings and it looks at the community that builds up around flute bands and the band culture.
Although based on research through The Pride Of The Orange And Blue, the ADVERTISEMENT
play tells a story which will be familiar to all those who have been a band member or from the band community throughout Northern Ireland."
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Album review: Rua MacMillan, Tyro
RUA MACMILLAN: TYRO
GREENTRAX, �11.99
AN AUSPICIOUS debut album under his own name from Highland fiddler Ruairidh 'Rua' Macmillan, a member of the Paul McKenna Band, who last year collected both a Scots Trad Award and the Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year accolade."
Album review: Rua MacMillan, Tyro - Scotsman.com News: "FOLK
GREENTRAX, �11.99
AN AUSPICIOUS debut album under his own name from Highland fiddler Ruairidh 'Rua' Macmillan, a member of the Paul McKenna Band, who last year collected both a Scots Trad Award and the Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year accolade."
Album review: Rua MacMillan, Tyro - Scotsman.com News: "FOLK
JUNE 3rd, 1968: Fleadh Ceoil is success story in Irish music - The Irish Times - Thu, Jun 03, 2010
FROM THE ARCHIVES: The resurgence of Irish traditional music during the 1960s fed into, and drew from, the success of Comhalthas Ceolteóri Éireann’s annual Fleadh Ceoil, usually held on the Whit weekend and periodically known for excessive drinking. The 1968 event, however, was a model of its time, as Michael Heney reported from Clones, Co Monaghan. – JOE JOYCE
WITH A twang and a fiddle and a beat on the bodhran, Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann burst upon Clones yesterday like an old friend renewing a four-year-old acquaintance. He brought with him his musicians, drawn from Cuig Cuigi na hÉireann, and the by-now traditional horde of initiated and uninitiated supporters, who numbered perhaps 80,000, and who will spend, so one is told, a quarter of a million pounds in Clones this festival weekend.
WITH A twang and a fiddle and a beat on the bodhran, Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann burst upon Clones yesterday like an old friend renewing a four-year-old acquaintance. He brought with him his musicians, drawn from Cuig Cuigi na hÉireann, and the by-now traditional horde of initiated and uninitiated supporters, who numbered perhaps 80,000, and who will spend, so one is told, a quarter of a million pounds in Clones this festival weekend.
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