Advanced Reserved Tickets: $26.00 Tickets Purchased at Door: $28.00 17 & under: FREE when accompanied by paying adult
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Cash, check or credit card accepted for payment at door. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. The Blue Ball Barn is a Delaware State Parks system facility. Park entrance fees will not be in force during the concert. Ample free parking is available at the venue. No alcoholic beverages will be permitted.
Tommy Sands
Tommy Sands, County Down’s singer, songwriter and social activist has achieved something akin to legendary status in his own lifetime.
From the pioneering days with the highly influential Sands Family, bringing Irish Music from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Moscow’s Olympic Stadium, he has developed into one of the most powerful songwriters and enchanting solo performers in Ireland today.
His songwriting, which draws the admiration of Nobel Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney and father of folk music Pete Seeger, prompts respected US magazine Sing Out! to regard him as “the most powerful songwriter in Ireland, if not the rest of the world”.
His songs, like “There were Roses”, and “Daughters and Sons”, which have been recorded by Joan Baez, Kathy Matthea, Dolores Keane, Sean Keane, Frank Patterson, Dick Gaughan, The Dubliners and many others have been translated into many languages and are currently included in the English language syllabus in German secondary schools.
In May 2002 Tommy Sands received an honorary doctorate of Letters from The University of Nevada for his outstanding work as musician and ambassador for peace and understanding and, May 18th was pronounced “Tommy Sands Day in Reno”.
“The gentle songs of a gentle man, ringing out above the tumult and the shouting. . . Through people like Tommy Sands there will be an answer. . .” BELFAST TELEGRAPH
“Tommy Sands has achieved that difficult but wonderful balance between knowing and loving the traditions of his home and being concerned with the future of the whole world. . .” PETE SEEGER
Blue Ball Barn 1914 West Park Drive (Alapocas Run State Park) Wilmington, Delaware 19803
Tickets: Adult – Advance: $23.00 Adult – Door: $27.00 17 & Under: FREE when accompanied by Adult
Advance sales for this concert have ended. However, tickets will be available at the door for $27.00
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Cash, check or credit card accepted for payment at door. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. The Blue Ball Barn is a Delaware State Parks system facility. Park entrance fees will not be in force during the concert. No alcoholic beverages will be permitted.
HighTime are an accomplished trio from the heart of Connemara on the West Coast of Ireland. Combining Irish music with an intriguing blend of modern folk influences, they produce a rich and unique sound and an electric energy onstage. This coupled with intricate three-part vocal harmonies and displays of exceptional, rhythmic step dance, have left audiences worldwide awestruck by their performances.
Featuring a distinctive line up of Celtic Harp, Flute, Guitar, BodhrĂĄn, Whistles and Vocals, HighTime make a youthful and energetic statement. The past two years have seen them travel extensively, performing in concert tours across the globe. The band has continued to make waves on the music scene to date. This saw them develop a very loyal following far and wide.
Blue Ball Barn 1914 West Park Drive (Alapocas Run State Park) Wilmington, Delaware 19803
Tickets: Adult â Advance:Â $22.00 Adult â Door:Â $26.00 17 & Under:Â FREEÂ when accompanied by Adult
THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 VIRUS CONCERNS. IF YOU PURCHASED AN ADVANCE TICKET, WE WILL CONTACT YOU REGARDING REFUND.
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Cash, check or credit card accepted for payment at door. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. The Blue Ball Barn is a Delaware State Parks system facility. Park entrance fees will not be in force during the concert. Ample free parking is available at the venue. No alcoholic beverages will be permitted.
The celebrated virtuoso partnership of âthe doyenne of Irish harpersâ (SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY) MĂĄire NĂ Chathasaigh (MOY-ra nee HA-ha-see) and âone of the UKâs most staggering and influential acoustic guitaristsâ (fROOTS) Chris Newman, has by now brought its special musical vision to venues large and small – from the tiniest of historic churches in England, Germany and Italy to palaces in Kyoto and Istanbul, Londonâs Barbican, Sydney Town Hall and the Philharmonie in Cologne â in twenty-two countries on five continents. Their performances – described by The Irish Times as âmusic of fire and brilliance from the high-wire act in traditional musicâ – are rooted but eclectic, emotional but adventurous: a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, coupled with striking new compositions and Chrisâs delightfully subversive wit. They’ve made many appearances on TV and radio and their busy touring schedule has brought them to twenty-one countries on five continents.
ADVANCE SALES HAVE ENDED, BUT TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Cash, check or credit card accepted for payment at door. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. The Blue Ball Barn is a Delaware State Parks system facility. Park entrance fees will not be in force during the concert. Ample free parking is available at the venue. No alcoholic beverages will be permitted.
Kevin Burke will perform a solo concert for the Green Willow on Thursday, April 25 at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park near Wilmington, Delaware
Kevin Burkeâs fiddle playing has been at the forefront of traditional music since the 1970âs. His far-reaching solo album, âIf the Cap Fitsâ and his work with such distinguished performers as Arlo Guthrie, Kate Bush, Christy Moore and the Bothy Band established him as a first class musician. Never one to be restricted by geography or genre, his decades long career has seen several innovative collaborations with notable musicians of differing styles – Classical, Old Time, Bluegrass, Pop and Rock as well as the Irish Traditional music for which he is so well known. Some of the eminent players he has worked with are: Grammy winner, singer and instrumentalist Tim OâBrien; Liam O Maonlai, lead singer of the Hothouse Flowers; classical violinists Gilles Apap and Greg Ewer; Old Time favourites, The Foghorn String Band; renowned Irish bands Dervish, Solas and Lunasa and his most recent recording is a collaboration with veteran Rock guitarist John Brennan(Poco, Chris Hillman Band and others).
Kevin has earned international acclaim in both Europe and America as a solo performer, a teacher and as a member of some of folk musicâs foremost groups including the exciting Celtic Fiddle Festival and Irelandâs long admired and respected Patrick Street. In 2007 he also set up his own record label, âLoftus Musicâ, which soon developed a reputation for excellence in both its musical output and its unique eco-friendly packaging.
His contribution to music has received formal acknowledgement on both sides of the Atlantic where he has been the recipient of several awards including Irelandâs âGradam Ceoilâ (Traditional Musician of the Year, 2016), and a National Heritage Fellowship, the USA’s highest honor for excellence in the folk and traditional arts. (Previous National Heritage Fellows include B.B. King, Doc Watson, and Bill Monroe.) Kevin has also been honoured by his adopted home state with his induction to the Oregon Music Hall of Fame .
In 1980 Kevin settled in the USA and was performing with Bothy Band colleague Micheal ODomhnaill. Their 2 albums, âPromenadeâ and âPortlandâ, became, and still are, very influential resources for many traditional musicians.
In the mid Eighties Kevin was a founding member of two influential groups, âOpen Houseâ and âPatrick Streetâ, whose recordings and performances were greeted with great acclaim both in Europe and US. In the mid Nineties Kevin was a founding member of yet another successful and enduring traditional group – âThe Celtic Fiddle Festivalâ, this time with Johnny Cunningham from Scotland and Christian Lemaitre from Brittany.
Although Kevin has spent much of his life playing in a group context, he has never lost his love for solo fiddle music â the ânaked fiddleâ as he himself sometimes puts it. This is very evident in his new live solo release, âAn Evening with Kevin Burkeâ, a collection of performances and stories before audiences in Ireland and US, including his home town of Portland, Oregon.
Lunasa: An Irish Christmas with Special Guest Vocalist Ashley Davis
Friday, December 14, 2018 – 8:00 pm
Grand Opera House – Copeland Hall
818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware
Tickets: $26.00 – $31.00
Green Willow patrons can obtain a $5 discount for this show by using the code WILLOW when ordering tickets by phone only.
For full information on this concert and to order tickets, visit the Grand’s page.
LĂșnasa is widely acknowledged as being the finest traditional Irish instrumental band of recent times, renowned for stunning shows honed by superb musicianship. LĂșnasaâs inventive arrangements and bass driven grooves have steered Irish acoustic music into surprising new territory. Their recordings have sold over a quarter of a million, have been hailed as some of the best and most important world music albums anywhere, while their blend of intelligence, innovation, virtuosity, and passion has brought them to the forefront of Celtic music. Christmas from Ireland with LĂșnasa will feature traditional Irish music and Ashley Davis
Young Dubliners
Saturday, February 16, 2018 – 8:00 pm
Grand Opera House – Copeland Hall
818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware
Tickets: $22.00 – $30.00
Green Willow patrons can obtain a $5 discount for this show by using the code WILLOW when ordering tickets by phone only.
For full information on this concert and to order tickets, visit the Grand’s page.
The Young Dubliners are quite possibly Celtic rock’s hardest working band, playing hundreds of shows to thousands of fans across the US and Europe every year. In recent years they have twice appeared on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! had songs featured in TV shows (Sons Of Anarchy, Human Target) and toured extensively as a headliner and as the opener for such a diverse list of artists as The Flaming Lips, Collective Soul, Jethro Tull, Johnny Lang and many more.
Although the Young Dubliners sound is most commonly called ‘Celtic Rock’, that label, as labels often can be, is misleading. The Irish influence is there, certainly, but it’s not the only influence that rears its head on their albums, or in live shows. After all, several of the band members have no Irish roots of any kind. “That was always the idea”, Keith Roberts, lead singer for the band explains. “The sound was always intended to be a hybrid because we all come from different backgrounds. Even though two of us are from Ireland, a lot of the music we listened to growing up wasn’t Irish at all, but when we got here, we got homesick and developed a new appreciation for Irish Music. In truth the Celtic riffs can just as easily come from the American band members. Everyone writes now so you never know what you’ll end up with when you start on a new album.â
The Young Dubliners seamlessly blend their rock and Celtic influences into a high energy, anthemic and lyrically poignant mix of songs; the band whose lineup since 2002 includes co-founder Keith Roberts (vocals, guitar), fellow Dubliner Brendan
Songs of Ireland: A Celtic Celebration
Sunday, March 10, 2019 – 7:00 pm
Grand Opera House – Copeland Hall
818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware
Tickets: $37.00 – $43.00
Green Willow patrons can obtain a $5 discount for this show by using the code WILLOW when ordering tickets by phone only.
For full information on this concert and to order tickets, visit the Grand’s page.
Songs of Ireland presents an exhilarating and unique musical approach to universally loved songs and arias with all original arrangements drawing from Irish Traditional folk song; opera arias, duets, trios, quartets and ensembles; songs from the great American songbook; Broadway hits; and âmodernâ contemporary popular repertoire.
The company features 4 tenors, 4 sopranos, 1 pianist, and 3 traditional Irish instrumentalists (Uilleann Pipes, Whistles, Fiddle, and Concertina) as well as some familiar faces from the popular Five Irish Tenors
Socks In The Frying Pan
Wednesday, February 7, 2018 – 8:00 pm
Grand Opera House – “the baby grand”
818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware
Green Willow patrons can obtain a $5 discount for this show by using the code WILLOW when ordering tickets either by phone only.
For full information on this concert and to order tickets, visit the Grand’s page.
Irish Music Magazine says âtheir sound flows in magnetic, energetic waves and so does their banter on stage.â This multi-award winning young trio hails from County Clare in the west of Ireland, a long-established center for sensational Irish music. Blending intricate vocal harmonies, dynamic music ability, and a witty stage presence, AodĂĄn Coyne (guitar) and the Hayes brothers Shane (accordion) and Fiachra (fiddle, banjo) have captivated audiences in Ireland and now the U.S. The worldwide âSock Invasionâ continues in force!
Once again, the Green Willow Folk Club is proud to collaborate with Wilmington’s Grand Opera House to co-sponsor several of the Celtic/British Isles music and dance events in their current 2016-2017 season at their main venues on Market Street in Wilmington, as well as The Playhouse on Rodney Square.
Green Willow patrons can score a discount on tickets for these events by using the code ‘WILLOW‘ when ordering tickets online or by phone. The information below on each of these shows includes a direct link to order tickets online. To see all the upcoming offerings at The Grand, visit their main website at thegrandwilmington.org.
Thursday, January 19, 2017 – 8:00 pm
Enter The Haggis
We Banjo 3
Copeland Hall, The Grand Opera House 818 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware
The best and latest Celtic music from Ireland and Scotland, these
Enter The Haggis (1/19/2017 – the baby grand)
two bands will delight with their stunning combination of tradition and innovation. Direct from Galway, We Banjo 3 delighted Grand audiences as openers for Gaelic Storm two years ago, and came back for a headline show in the baby grand. The group does not have 3 members, and they donât all play the banjo; but they do entertain
We Banjo 3 (1/19/2017 – the baby grand)
with a program that is offbeat, funny, and incredibly well-performed. After all, the band includes three all-Ireland music champs. The Irish Echo hails We banjo 3 as âfreshness and finesse bordering on magical.â Enter The Haggis, a Toronto-based band, performs contemporary Celtic music with a rock edge. Imagine bagpipes and fiddles backed up with a rock n roll rhythm section! Festival circuit favorites for more than 20 years, Art Voice says Enter The Haggis is âinnovative yet true to traditionâ and the Washington Post exclaims âno one can anticipate the level of energy they throw down.â
February 21 thru 26, 2017 – (Evening & Matinee Performances, check website for times)
Riverdance: 20 Years
The Playhouse on Rodney Square 1007 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware
The international Irish dance phenomenonâand one of the highest
Riverdance: 20 Years (2/21 thru 2/26, 2017 – Playhouse on Rodney Square)
grossing shows in Playhouse historyâ is back by popular demand in Riverdance â The 20th Anniversary World Tour. Drawing on Irish traditions, the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music into the present day, capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures in an innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song. Of all the performances to emerge from Irelandâin rock, music, theatre and filmânothing has carried the energy, the sensuality and the spectacle of Riverdance.
Riverdance â The 20th Anniversary World Tour is composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, and comes directly to North America from a sold-out run across Europe and Asia.
the baby grand, The Grand Opera House 818 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware
Fiddler, singer, and stepdancer April Verch knows how relevant an old tune can be. She took the leap into professional musicianship at a young age, and has been quietly leaping into new, nuanced places for
April Verch (2/25/2017 – baby grand)
more than two decades. Now on her milestone 10th album The Newpart, released in April 2015, Verch digs deep into songs and tunes for the era before the often-mined mid-century heyday of bluegrass and folk. Harkening back to vaudeville and beyond, Verch and her fellow trio members pare down their arrangements, highlighting the simple pleasures of upright bass, guitar, clawhammer banjo, mandolin, voices, fiddle, and stepping in intimate conversation. At the heart lie Verchâs delicate voice, energetic footwork, and stunning playing, a trifecta of talents she brings together simultaneously for the first time on stage. Verch keeps the community-fired celebratory side of her music at the forefront, honing a keen awareness of how to engage contemporary listeners. Even as she plays with the tradition she inherited in her native Ottawa Valley, Verchâs energetic and breathtaking performances speak to the heart of roots music with mature and reflective songwriting, interpreting, and storytelling.
Copeland Hall, The Grand Opera House 818 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware
After nearly two decades and more than 3,000 live shows, Gaelic Storm â the chart-topping, multi-national Celtic band â is looking sharper than ever with their latest release, Matching Sweaters. The new album mixes traditional Irish music with modern influences, creating a sound that’s as wide-ranging as the band’s own audience.
From bluegrass fans and country cowboys to Deadheads, rock &
Gaelic Storm (3/2/2017 – Copeland Hall)
rollers and Celtic fanatics, Gaelic Storm has built one of the most diverse fan bases in modern music. Matching Sweaters helps explain the broad appeal. Rooted in the songwriting of founding members Patrick Murphy and Steve Twigger, the album moves from drinking songs (“Another Stupid Drinking Song”) to energetic instrumentals (“The Narwhaling Cheesehead”) to rootsy pop/rockers (“Whiskeyed Up and Womaned Out”), gluing everything together with the spark and spirit of a band that’s spent close to 20 years on the road.
the baby grand, The Grand Opera House 818 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware
The musical partnership between Alasdair Fraser, known as Scotlandâs premier fiddle ambassador, and the sizzlingly-talented young California cellist Natalie Haas may not seem an obvious one. But the pair displays dazzling teamwork, driving, dancing rhythms,
Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas (3/9/2017 – the baby grand)
and their shared passion for improvising on the melody and the groove of Scottish tunes. Their two instruments duck and dive around each other, swapping melodic and harmonic lines, and trading rhythmic riffs. Fraser, who has been called âthe Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling,â has a concert and recording career spanning 30 years, with a long list of awards, accolades, television credits, and feature performances on soundtracks like Last of the Mohicans and Titanic. Natalie Haas, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, wasnât even born when Alasdair was winning national fiddle competitions on the other side of the Atlantic. Now regularly touring with Fraser and creating a buzz at festivals and in concert halls throughout Europe and North America, Natalie is in the vanguard of young cellists who are redefining the role of the cello in traditional music. The duoâs debut recording, Fire & Grace, won not only critical acclaim, but also the coveted Scots Trad Music âAlbum of the Yearâ award, the Scottish equivalent of a Grammy.
The Playhouse on Rodney Square 1007 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware
A unique program that blends Irelandâs traditional musical vocal
The Five Irish Tenors (3/16/2017 – Playhouse on Rodney Square)
heritage with a modern, vibrant contemporary Ireland. Featuring classics such as âDanny Boyâ and âMy Wild Irish Roseâ alongside Bonoâs âIn a Lifetimeâ and Brendan Grahamâs âYou Raise Me Upâ.
The Five Irish Tenors in âVoices of Irelandâ presents a thrilling,
dynamic program of joy and passion, spirit and love, performed by this magnificent group of Ireland’s leading tenors.
Friday, March 31 thru Sunday, April 2, 2017 (Evening & Matinee Performances, check website for times)
ONCE
The Playhouse on Rodney Square 1007 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware
Winner of eight 2012 Tony AwardsÂź including BEST MUSICAL, ONCE is a truly original Broadway experience. Featuring an
ONCE (3/31-4/2, 2017 – Playhouse on Rodney Square)
impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, ONCE tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician whoâs about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights⊠but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, ONCE draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. Itâs an unforgettable story about going for your dreams⊠not living in fear⊠and the power of music to connect all of us.
1914 West Park Drive (Alapocas Run State Park), Wilmington, Delaware
Tickets:Â $15.00 Advance Reserved/$18.00 at Door/Age 17 & under FREE when accompanied by a paying adult
Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. Doors open at 7:00 pm. Cash or check accepted for payment. E-mail concert ticket reservations to reservations@greenwillow.org or call 302-456-3242. Advance reservations end at Noon on the day of the concert.
The three of them have appeared onstage with The Chieftains, John Whelan, Paddy Keenan, The Teetotallers, and Altan. Haley has performed on the worldwide FleadhTV webcast, and was featured in Fiddler Magazine.
Sean Smith with the Boston Irish Reporter writes of her unique and tremendous talent: âHaley doesn’t take the easy route when it comes to their repertoire of music; sure there are plenty of jigs and reels, but also slow airs, barn dances and horn pipes – including J. Scott Skinner’s outrageously intricate “The Mathematician,” a high wire act in and of itself – all of which exert their own demands and idiosyncrasies on the fiddle.â
Three friends, thirty fingers, and lots of tunes. “Haley, Keegan, and Dylan are absolutely astounding musicians and singers with skills that belie their years. Watching them play made me think that here is a true contender to any modern Celtic/roots band….Watch out scene.” Tim Edey (with The Chieftains)
Green Willow patrons can obtain a $5 discount for this show by using the code WILLOW when ordering tickets either by phone or online.
For full information on this concert and to order tickets, visit the Grand’s page.
Referred to as âSensationalâ by the Akron Legal News, the 110-minute phenomenon, Rhythm in the Night, The Irish Dance Spectacular, reimagines traditional Irish dance to take the audience on an exciting journey of a fallen hero and his rise to redemption for an unforgettable experience the entire family will enjoy! Led by former Michael Flatleyâs Lord of the Dance lead dancer, Justin Boros, the accomplished cast featuring 20 of the worldâs most skilled Irish dancers and musicians brings the inspiring story of love and salvation to life against a backdrop of ancient ruins that transports the audience to another time and place where the imagination unfolds. The world-renowned Irish dance troupe performs lighting fast hard shoe rhythms and graceful soft shoe jigs to an epic orchestral soundtrack, while state of the art lighting ignites the stage into an explosive display of dance and music. Strength, agility and precision formulate the fastpaced and breath-taking experience on stage as the cast performs to the heartpounding and fluid symphonic music that has enthralled audiences all across North America!
1914 West Park Drive (Alapocas Run State Park), Wilmington, Delaware
Tickets:Â $25.00 Advance Reserved/$28.00 at Door/Age 17 & under FREE when accompanied by a paying adult
Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. Doors open at 7:00 pm. Cash or check accepted for payment. E-mail concert ticket reservations to reservations@greenwillow.org or call 302-456-3242.
The BROCK McGUIRE BAND is fronted by Moving Cloud founding members Paul Brock and Manus McGuire. Residing in County Clare, button accordionist and melodeonist Paul Brock and fiddler Manus McGuire are two of Irelandâs most celebrated traditional musicians and have been at the forefront of Irish music for many years through their joint work with Moving Cloud. Manus is also a founding member of Buttons & Bows, and both bands, ranking among Irelandâs finest, have helped to introduce international audiences to the virtuosity of their playing. Performing with the BROCK McGUIRE BAND are two outstanding musicians: Dublin based Garry OâMeara, a brilliant banjo, mandolin player & vocalist; and Denis Carey, an acclaimed pianist, composer and arranger from Newport, County Tipperary.
Passion and precision, authenticity and diversity: these are the hallmarks of the BROCK McGUIRE BAND in concert. They are steeped in tradition and perform it with abiding respect and creativity. The bandâs repertoire runs wide and deep; their tight, tenacious blend of instruments emphasizing mostly Irish music but also sprinkling in impressive arrangements of American Old Timey, Bluegrass, French-Canadian, and other Celtic traditions.
BROCK MCGUIRE BANDâS new CD collaboration âGREEN GRASS BLUE GRASSâ with 14âtime Grammy Award Winner Ricky Skaggs, has been hailed as âA Masterpieceâ by American Music critic Bill Margeson.
Green Willow patrons can obtain a $5 discount for this show by using the code WILLOW when ordering tickets either by phone or online.
For full information on this concert and to order tickets, visit the The Grand’s page.
Award-winning Irish quartet We Banjo 3 combine Irish music with Old-Time American and Bluegrass influences featuring banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, vocals, and percussion in a wave of virtuosity, verve and joie-de-vivre. The quartet has been at the forefront of Irish banjo and fiddle for two decades, with fifteen All Ireland titles on banjo, fiddle, bodhran, and guitar. We Banjo 3 plays with swing and soul, effortlessly combining the best of Irish and Bluegrass banjo music and song, mining the rich vein of the American Old Time tradition and thoroughly reinventing the banjo band sound. Modern rhythms, traditional melodies, virtuosic technique and innovative arrangements create an incredible catalog of banjo and mandolin music that makes feet tap and pulses race.
1914 West Park Drive (Alapocas Run State Park), Wilmington, Delaware
Tickets:Â $22.00 Advance Reserved/$25.00 at Door/Age 17 & under FREE when accompanied by a paying adult
Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. Doors open at 7:00 pm. Cash or check accepted for payment. E-mail concert ticket reservations to reservations@greenwillow.org or call 302-456-3242.
The celebrated virtuoso partnership of âthe doyenne of Irish harpersâ (SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY) and âone of the UKâs most staggering and influential acoustic guitaristsâ (fROOTS) has brought its special musical vision to venues large and small – from the tiniest of historic churches in England, Germany and Italy to palaces in Kyoto and Istanbul, Londonâs Barbican, Sydney Town Hall and the Philharmonie in Cologne â in twenty-two countries on five continents and now Returning to Delaware, having last performed for Green Willow in 1994. Their performances – described by THE IRISH TIMES as âmusic of fire and brilliance from the high-wire act in traditional musicâ – are rooted but eclectic, emotional but adventurous: a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, coupled with striking new compositions and Chrisâs delightfully subversive wit.
MĂĄire NĂ Chathasaigh (pronounced “Mawra Nee ha ha see”) is one of Irelandâs most important and influential traditional musicians; in 2001 receiving Irish music’s most prestigious award, that of TRADITIONAL MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR – GRADAM CHEOIL TG4 – “for the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the remarkable growth she has brought to the music of the harp and for the positive influence she has had on the young generation of harpers.â A West Cork background steeped in the oral tradition led her, while still a teenager, to develop new techniques that made it possible for the first time to play traditional music on the harp in a stylistically accurate way. She won the All-Ireland and Pan-Celtic Harp Competitions several times and in 1985 recorded the first harp album ever to concentrate on traditional Irish dance music, The New-Strung Harp – “an intensely passionate and intelligent record and a milestone in Irish harp music” (THE IRISH EXAMINER.) Her approach has been profoundly influential wherever lever harps are played – âa single-handed reinvention of the harp.â
