Monday 30 January 2012

Wanted: traditional musicians, Ottawa Heritage Day at City Hall

This is a request for Irish/Celtic traditional musicians to play for the City of Ottawa Heritage Day Proceedings:

  • Feb 21st, City Hall - 11:30 gathering time
  • This year a stage will be set up in the Main Hall
  • They will have all the proceedings out there..so the Mayor will give a short speech..and then play from the stage
  • Lunch is provided
  • If you can make it please contact Jim to let him know if you can make it

Saturday 28 January 2012

The Ottawa Traditional Fiddling & Folk Art Society 24TH ANNUAL Fiddle Workshop - Saturday, 28 April 2012

Instructors: Ray Legere and Shane Cook

Ray Legere – Sackville, NB
BLUEGRASS FIDDLER AND MANDOLINIST:
Ray Legere is one of today's most honored Bluegrass fiddlers. His many awards include five-time winner of the Eastern and Central Division Bluegrass Awards in the categories of Mandolin and Fiddle, winner of two Open Mandolin Championships and finalist in the Canadian and Nashville's Grand Masters Fiddle Championships. Ray's extensive tour schedule includes backing artists like Michelle Shocked, Tony Rice, John McDermott, Alison Brown, Rita McNeil and finding time to be “house fiddler” for a popular French Canadian music TV series. He has recorded for hundreds of sessions and graced world-renowned stages such as Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry.

For more info: http:// http://www.raylegere.com/.

Shane Cook – London, Ontario
FIDDLE: Shane Cook "rates at the top of the short list of the finest fiddlers in the world today," says the Canadian Fiddlers' Hall of Fame. Shane has distinguished himself as a master of an array of fiddle styles ranging from Irish and Scottish to French-Canadian, Texan, and Bluegrass. He is one of Canada's most highly awarded Canadian Old-Time fiddlers, a three-time Canadian Open National Fiddle Champion, a three-time Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion, a Grand North American Fiddle Champion and is the only Canadian to have ever won the US Grand National Fiddle Championship.

In concert, Shane captivates audiences with his danceable playing that is as adventurous as it is technically thrilling. He has toured Canada, United States, Germany, England, China and Taiwan, and has performed with several orchestras. Shane is a member of The Brian Pickell Band - a collection of Canadian virtuosos of traditional music. Shane also leads his own band with whom he has recently released his fourth solo CD. This self-titled CD is a collection of hot and swinging standards from the Canadian Old-Time fiddle tradition that the London Free Press describes as "Relaxed, sprightly…and brilliantly played."

Nepean Creative Arts Centre – 35 Stafford Road, Nepean
Saturday, April 28, 2012 – 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cost for all participants (includes lunch): $45.00
Registration Form – 24th OTFFAS Fiddle Workshop

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: (Day) ________________(Evening) _________________

E-mail address: ____________________________________________________

Make your cheque or money order payable to: OTFFAS

Send your registration to: Don Fletcher
56 Stonepath Cres.
Stittsville, ON K2S 1S4

Questions?
• E-mail: fletchers5@rogers.com
• Home: 613-836-9410
• Cell: 613-227-1859

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Ottawa Celtic Choir Recital at St. Luke's Anglican Church

The Ottawa Celtic Choir (Ellen MacIsaac, conductor) presents a concert as part of St. Luke's 2011-2012 Recital Series.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18th - 7:30 p.m.

In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a concert of Celtic music from around the Celtic Nations and the Celtic Diaspora in North America.

ADMISSION BY DONATION

Location: St. Luke's Anglican Church
760 Somerset St. West,
Ottawa, Ontario
(613) 235-3416

music@stlukesottawa.ca

www.stlukesottawa.ca

For further details, contact Ellen MacIsaac at ellen@laughingbrook.ca

Thanks,
Ellen
(ed. They also have a concert Feb 4 in North Bay! http://ottawacelticchoir.blogspot.com/2012/01/upcoming-concert-in-north-bay.html)

Naismith Pub Session - Wednesdays - Almonte, ON

Charlie Kitts, Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Famer welcomes all visitors - regular and those passing through the Valley's friendly and picturesque Almonte to this unique pub. The atmosphere is set with local and Valley sport memorabilia adorning the walls. Charlie has an excellent selection of beers on tap and in the cooler from over 100 countries, and of course the Naismith Pub serves up some great pub fare.

Every Wednesday night the Valley's celtic music comes alive with the Naismith Pub Celtic Session. Anywhere from 6 - 10 musicians show up and share time-honored tunes around the session circle that have resonated within the Ottawa Valley's logging camp walls, farmsteads, taverns and churches for generations. 

The Naismith Pub's name is inspired by Dr James Naismith, graduate of Almonte High School who went on to invent the sport of basketball in 1893 at the YMCA College in Springfield, Mass.

Thursday 12 January 2012

Announcing the new Ottawa Celtic Choir blog!

Seems Ellen McIsaac, creator and leader of the the Ottawa Celtic Choir, has been busy since New Year's. After some badgering from me to do such a thing, Ellen has created a new blog for the Ottawa Celtic Choir! The Ottawa Celtic Choir is a very unique choir and well deserving its own web presence. I know this based not only on the merit of the choir, but also because the Ottawa Celtic Choir has consistently been the most popular topic on the Irish Music Ottawa blog!

Please make a bookmark for the Ottawa Celtic Choir, and check there often. Here is the link:
http://ottawacelticchoir.blogspot.com/

Congratulations to Ellen and the voices at the Ottawa Celtic Choir!

Monday 9 January 2012

Patrick Ourceau in Kingston - 27-29 January

Patrick Ourceau Fiddle Immersion Weekend and Concert
  • Irish Fiddle immersion weekend - January 27-29,  $125 (includes concert)
  • House Concert - Saturday, January 28. 8:00 p.m: Concert: $20 advance, $25 at the door 
Patrick Ourceau is a virtuoso on the fiddle, an avid student of the old masters, and a particular specialist in the style and repertoire of Clare and East Galway.

The usual reminder, a house is just a house and only holds so many (about 45, with many seats taken by the workshop musicians) and our house concerts normally sell out - reserve early.

The $125 immersion covers classes all day Saturday, concert and session Saturday night, and a half-day class on Sunday.

Since moving to North America, Patrick Ourceau has performed with many U.S.-based musicians, including the legendary accordion players James Keane and Paddy O'Brien, concertina wizard John Williams, and the band Celtic Thunder. In June 1999, Patrick joined the Tulla Céilí Band on their last U.S. tour, and for the three years performed regularly with former Tulla Céilí Band accordion player Andrew McNamara. In recent years, however, Patrick's main concert partner was Gearóid ÓhAllmhuráin, a renowned County Clare concertina player now living in Montreal. Together with Gearóid, Patrick performed in concert and at festivals all across Europe and North America. In 1999, they released Tracin', a critically acclaimed duet recording faithful to the style and repertoire of the older generation of traditional musicians in Clare and East Galway. Patrick now plays in the band 'Chulrua' with Paddy O'Brien and Pat Egan. More at http://www.srayner.ca/comhaltas/M_SpecialEvents.htm

Reservations
Reservations can be made by e-mailing rmacdiar@gmail.com

Payments can be made at any of the Kingston sessions or Harp of Tara events or by Interac e-mail money transfer to harpoftara@gmail.comif you have internet banking.