Irish
Cultural Center
1106 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-258-0109 www.azirish.org
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Irish
Cultural Center
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Maire
Ni Chathasaigh Friday, April 14,
2006
The Harp has had a unique significance in the artistic life of Ireland for more than a millennium. In the 21st century, it is enjoying unprecedented popularity. Maire Ni Chathasaigh will discuss the history, changing role and repertoire of the harp in present day Ireland. Maire Ni Chathasaigh is one of Ireland's most important and influential traditional musicians, described by LIVE IRELAND AS "THE GREATEST Celtic harper of our age" and by the late Derek Bell of the Chieftains as "the most interesting and original player of the Irish harp today" The performance will start at 7:30 pm and admission is $8.00. All tickets will be sold at the door and seating is limited so come early. The harp has had a unique significance in the artistic
life of Ireland for more than a millennium. Having gone into what MÁIRE is one of Ireland’s most important and influential traditional musicians, described by Live Ireland as “the greatest Celtic harper of our age” and by the late Derek Bell as “the most interesting and original player of the Irish harp today”. She grew up in a well-known West Cork musical family and was already proficient in a variety of other instruments by the time that she began to play the harp at the age of eleven. For further information, please call (602) 258-0109 or check www.azirish.org/newsletter . Music Reviews "Maire grew up in a well-known West Cork musical
family & began to play the harp at the age of eleven. As a teenager
The IRISH AMERICAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE (IACI) is a not-for-profit membership organization that has the distinction of having as its patron the President of Ireland, Ms. Mary McAleese. The IACI publishes EIRE-IRELAND , a journal of Irish Studies, and DUCAS , a quarterly newsletter for members. Through the IRISH PERCEPTIONS SERIES , the IACI brings historians, artists, actors, musicians, archeologists, poets, and writers from Ireland to the US on lecture tours each fall and spring. The IACI also offers the IRISH ARTIST IN RESIDENCE program, an annual residency in New York City for contemporary artists from Ireland and Northern Ireland. The IACI CULTURAL AWARDS are presented in Ireland annually in support of prose, poetry, heritage, art, music, and crafts. In excess of $25,000 is distributed recognizing excellence in these disciplines. The IACI IRISH RESEARCH FUNDS are presented annually in Washington, D.C. to scholars in support of research on Irish American topics that will eventually lead to publication. The IACI and the National University-Galway offer an ANNUAL FELLOWSHIP in Irish Studies for a semester in Galway. Dave Tierney, Chairman, Local Chapter
of IACI (The Irish Cultural Center, The Heart Of The Celtic Community,
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This site © 2005
Arizona
Irish Music Society
On
Friday, April 14, 2006, The Irish American Cultural Institute will be
presenting The Irish Harp - It's History, Repertoire and Role in Irish
Society" with Maire Ni Chathasaigh at The Irish Cultural Center located
at 1106 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004. 
seemed
like a terminal decline in the 19th century, the Irish harp sprang to
life again in the 20th century and is now, in the 21st, enjoying unprecedented
popularity. The ancient Irish harp was of unique construction, distinguishing
it from harps played elsewhere in Europe in the Middle Ages, and had its
own distinctive techniques and repertoire. Photographs of some surviving
period instruments will be shown.
her originality
was quickly recognized: having won the All-Ireland & Pan-Celtic Harp
Competitions several times, a number of TV & radio broadcasts followed.
In 1985 she recorded the first harp album ever to concentrate on traditional
Irish dance music, The New-Strung Harp - "a mile-stone in Irish harp
music": the techniques which she invented for the purpose have been
profoundly influential - a single-handed reinvention
of the harp". 
"And,
then---there is Maire Ni Chathasaigh (pronounced Moira Nee Ha-ha-sig.)
Surely, she is the greatest Celtic harpist of our age. No fooling. And,
we’re not the only ones who think so, as she was named 2001’s
TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year! She and her partner, the fantastic
Chris Newman, on guitar, have carved a niche in traditional and folk music
that leaves them at the top of a wonderful mountain. There are several
albums. Máire's first was the solo, The New Strung Harp in 1985.
The others include their latest, Dialogues and a riveting solo album featuring
Chris on guitar in the aptly named, Fretwork. Through virtually all their
albums, guest stars sit in on some of the cuts, and none more well known
than Maire's sister, Nollaig Casey on fiddle. Máire also has a
lovely singing voice. But, this is all about her harp, a Camac brand,
made in France. (For the guitar fans, Chris favors a Martin OM42.)
