Friday, February 17 | 8 pm Friday, March 23 | 8 pm Friday, May 11 | 8 pm
A new series showcasing Ireland's songwriting tradition.
In February, March and May, IrishArtsCenter invites you to spend an evening with some of Ireland's best contemporary songwriters as they tell their stories up close and acoustically in the intimate Donaghy Theatre.
Friday, February 17 | 8 pm Susan McKeown and Declan O’Rourke
Susan McKeown has won a Grammy award and a BBC Folk Award nomination for her strong, expressive voice. She has recorded many albums spanning the realms of world music and rock and has performed with Pete Seeger, Natalie Merchant, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Linda Thompson, Billy Bragg, The Klezmatics, Mariachi Real de Mexico, Ensemble Tartit, Flook, Lúnasa, Andy Irvine and Johnny Cunningham.
Susan McKeown performs "No Jericho" from her album Belong:
Declan O'Rourke has been praised for his richly resonant voice and beautifully crafted songs. Fan Josh Groban covered O'Rourke's "Galileo" on his 2010 album Illuminations.
Friday, February 17 – Susan McKeown and Declan O’Rourke Admission: $18 non-member / $15 member
Friday, March 23 | 8 pm Michael Brunnock and Brendan O’Shea
Album Release show! Brunnock’s album, The Orchard, will be released the evening of the concert. Listen for him on David Byrne’s soundtrack for the film This Must Be the Place (2012), starring Sean Penn.
“The Orchard” by Michael Brunnock
Brendan O’Shea is a veteran of New York City’s songwriter scene. Brendan and friend Karl Geary (Sin-é) began hosting a successful Sunday night concert series in NYC’s EastVillage called the Scratcher Sessions, which features musicians from around the world.
“No Mystery” by Brendan O’Shea
Friday, March 23 – Michael Brunnock and Brendan O’Shea Admission: $18 non-member / $15 member
Friday, May 11 | 8 pm Mark Geary and Ann Scott
U.S. album release show for songs about love, songs about leaving. Geary’s songs have been featured on various television shows including One Tree Hill and Bones.
“Stardust” by Mark Geary
Twice nominated in the Best Female category for the Irish Meteor Awards, Ann Scott has developed a reputation as an intense performer and a firebrand songwriter.
“Imelda” by Ann Scott
Friday, May 11 | Mark Geary and Ann Scott Admission: $18 non-member / $15 member
Purchase a SongLives: SeriesPass and enjoy one (1) ticket to each of the SongLives presentations for only $45, a 20% savings.
If you need assistance placing your order, call 866-811-4111.
This program is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and Culture Ireland, the agency for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide.
Celtic Appalachia Along the Crooked Road
Thursday, March 15 | 8 pm
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
Join us for a delightful evening celebrating the cultural links between Ireland and Celtic Appalachia.
In a concert rich with live performance and audio visual illustrations, folklorist and musician Mick Moloney traces the wondrous story of old time American, country and bluegrass music. Featuring The Green Fields of America (Mick Moloney, Athena Tergis, Martin O’Connell, Joey Abarta,Brendan Dolan, Niall O'Leary and Parker Hall), and musicians from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina including Eddie Bond, Leigh Beamer, Wayne Henderson, Kirk Sutphin, Linda Lay and Sammy Shelor.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, waves of Northern Irish immigrants, known today as the Scotch-Irish or the Ulster Scots, ended up in theSouthern Appalachian Mountains. They brought with them the music, songs and stories of Ireland and Scotland and settled in Virginia, West Virginia, the Carolinas, eastern Tennessee, eastern Kentucky and northern Georgia. They met and lived beside Cherokee, German, Scottish and English settlers who moved to the mountains from the Southern East Coast Tidewater, and African Americans who moved there from the Southern plantations before and after the Civil War.
At this one-evening-only performance, celebrate the evolution of a music, song, dance and way of life that grew from the multi-cultural tapestry of immigrants that came to call the Appalachian Mountains home.
Admission: Tier 1: $45 non-member / $36 member Tier 2: $35 non-member / $28 member / $25 student
This program is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Friday, April 13 | 8 pm
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
with Martin Hayes, artistic director, fiddle Iarla Ó Lionáird, vocals Dennis Cahill, guitar Máirtín O’Connor, accordion Cathal Hayden, fiddle Seamie O’Dowd, guitar David Power, uilleann pipes
"terrifically enjoyable show…accomplished line-up…thrilling climax of galloping jigs and reels." – THE AUSTRALIAN
Purity, power and intimacy—traditional Irish music at its finest!
Seven of the most compelling artists in Irish music today come together at Symphony Space to explore the heart of Irish traditional music, based on a famous festival curated by Martin Hayes in the West County Cork town of Bantry. Having mesmerized audiences in Ireland and Australia, including the Sydney Opera House, Masters of Tradition is now touring the U.S. In solos, duets, trios, and full group collaboration, these acclaimed musicians bring an unparalleled level of mastery to the spellbinding music they play.
Admission: Orchestra: $45 non-member / $36 member
Tier 2: $38 general / $28 member / $18 student
Sneak Peek of Masters of Tradition
This program is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and Culture Ireland, the agency for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide.
Julie Feeney
April 25 – May 6 Wednesday – Sunday | 8 pm
“Blending the pop ambitions of Gaga with Elvis Costellvian wordplay” – VILLAGE VOICE
“an innovator, an original; incomparable with any of her contemporaries" – THE IRISH TIMES
Stylish and dramatic, chamber-pop singer, composer and orchestrator Julie Feeney is a powerhouse of creative energy. Hailed as “The Emerald Isle’s Original” (THE WASHINGTON POST), Julie has captivated audiences around the world with her mesmerizing voice and unique stage presence. Over a residency of 10 performances, this Irish sensation will amaze with new material and songs from her masterpieces pages and 13 songs in an innovative pop and theatrical live show. Directed by Vallejo Gantner of Performance Space 122 with Julie Feeney, the shows will fuse beautiful melodies, unique fashion and avant-garde arrangements with Julie’s ensemble of singers, strings, accordion, recorders, pianos, and trumpets.
“‘13 Songs’…a charming…dreamy record” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
Admission: $20 non-member / $18 member
If you need assistance placing your order, call 866-811-4111.
Watch Julie Feeney perform 'Impossibly Beautiful' on The Late Late Show
This program is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and Culture Ireland, the agency for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide.