ITMA presents an evening of traditional music, song and dance from four of Ireland's leading contemporary traditional artists: Iarla Ó Lionáird (singer), Aoife Ní Bhriain (fiddle), Derek Hickey (accordion), and Stephanie Keane (dance)
These artists have engaged with ITMA’s artistic programmes, including its flagship series Drawing from the Well, an initiative which connects artists with archival materials to inspire new art. Examples of the artists’ new work is freely available to view online at: https://www.itma.ie/drawingfromthewell/
Drawing from the Well will visit venues across Ireland including The Duncairn, Belfast, on September 27th.
Artist Bios
Aoife Ní Bhriain
Fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain combines the richness of a family heritage of traditional music and a lifetime of classical music training. Born in Dublin she began studying the violin at an early age winning numerous national and international competitions for both classical and traditional Irish music. Her unique musical pedigree has led her to experiment, collaborate and perform across many musical genres with artists such as pianist Eliso Virsaladze, fiddle player Martin Hayes, jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, actor Tim Robbins, and the avant garde string quintet Wooden Elephant. With her father uilleann piper Mick O’ Brien and flute player Emer Mayock she has recorded two albums of tunes sourced from the Canon Goodman Collection. Aoife holds an abiding interest and admiration for the fiddle playing of Tommie Potts.
Aoife has worked with ITMA on a number of projects. She has featured in our concerts in the National Concert Hall, performing her interpretations of the music of Tommie Potts. She featured on ITMA’s Saothar series as a composer in 2023.
Stephanie Keane
Stephanie Keane is an Irish dance artist, performer and choreographer from Limerick. Her style is influenced by her formative dancing years as a competitive Irish step dancer at world championship level, and her immersion in the tradition of Sean Nós dancing as an adult. Through learning tunes in her feet and by pushing the boundaries of her own dance experience, she has developed her own unique style of Irish dance and is an well established Irish dance artist. She continues to evolve as an artist, working on new projects in film, theatre, dance choreography and sound production.
Stephanie's performance style combines the best elements of Sean Nós dancing with her fiery individuality built on a keen sense of tradition. She connects with the music, dancing the tune with her feet, and naturally understands the musician's interpretation of the tune. Her style is free flowing, energetic and wild.
Iarla Ó Lionáird
Iarla Ó Lionáird has carved unique career in music both internationally and in Ireland. Iarla’s voice is one that ventures far beyond the boundaries of any one genre: a defiantly unclassifiable sound. He’s a child of traditional music, born and bred in Cúil Aodha, with Seán Ó Riada a neighbour and indisputable early influence. His great aunt, the traditional singer Elizabeth Cronin, had forged a reputation for rich interpretation before him.
A twice Grammy nominated artist, Ó Lionáird has worked with a stellar cast of composers internationally and he has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Peter Gabriel, Nick Cave, Robert Plant and Sinead O'Connor. His unique singing style has carried him to stages and concert halls all over the world, from New York's Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House and beyond. He has performed as soloist with concert and symphony orchestras. His voice has graced the silver screen also, with film credits extending from "The Gangs of New York" to "Hotel Rwanda" and most recently as featured singer in the film “Brooklyn” starring Saoirse Ronan. He is the vocalist with the critically acclaimed Irish /American band "The Gloaming."
Recently, Iarla presented an episode of ITMA’s Taoscadh ón Tobar series which was broadcasted on TG4. In this episode, Iarla explores and discusses a collection of songs, collected by A. Martin Freeman, from his native Ballyvouney, Co. Cork.
Derek Hickey
Derek Hickey is from Adare in County Limerick. Influenced by both of his grandfathers, who played fiddle, Derek began to play music at age 10, beginning lessons with Dónal de Barra when he was 12. Three years later, he joined the Shannonside Céilí Band, touring extensively in England and throughout Europe. In 1991 Frankie Gavin asked Derek to join him for regular sessions in his then leased hotel in Kinvara, Co. Galway. The following year, Derek joined Arcady, Johnny ‘Ringo’ McDonagh’s band, performing alongside Frances Black, Brendan Larrisey and Patsy Broderick.In 1995 he joined De Dannan, recording two albums and touring until they disbanded in 2003.
Derek is the button accordion tutor on the BA Irish Music and Dance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. In 2023 he performed at the National Concert Hall Dublin, as part of the third series of the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s ‘Drawing from the Well’ series. Earlier this year, Derek was awarded prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year award.