www.imro.ie

IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) have announced a call for entries for
the 2009 IMRO Showcase Tour. Established in 1992, Ireland’s most established
new band showcase has provided a live platform for scores of emerging Irish
music talent over the years. Recent acts to have featured include Fight Like
Apes, Oppenheimer, Declan O’Rourke, Halves, Delorentos, The Immediate and
The Flaws to name a few. IMRO now invite submissions for the IMRO Showcase
Tour 2009. Bands and artists who wish to be considered for a place on the
tour should send a website or MySpace link to showcase@imro.ie before Friday
February 27th, 2009. All genres of music are welcome. Successful acts will
be notified in early March.
(more…)

Turning Heartache Into Art
www.kierangoss.com

Kieran Goss left Ireland for Austin, Texas, to record his eighth solo album. ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ took shape in the Texan heat during a handful of loose, live sessions with the aid of co-producer and musician, Gabe Rhodes.
(more…)

www.francismcpeake.com

The Francis McPeake School of Music which started in Belfast during troubled times, has become an icon within the music world. The School is a world renowned centre of excellence in traditional music tuition, providing Belfast with culture for the past 31 years. Indeed, since 1977, the School has been changing the lives of everyone within our community irrespective of their background.

This legacy is now in peril. The School has no funding therefore placing the future of this cultural beacon, which has been in operation since 1977, in jeopardy. Francis McPeake stated “After 31 years of teaching music in Belfast, the very thought of the School closing is very saddening. The School has now reached a crisis point and we need the help of everyone within our community, both nationally and , to come onboard with our campaign and ensure there is a home for both our present and future students to learn music.”
(more…)

Live acoustic and signing

Who: Cara Dillon & Sam Lakeman
Where: HMV Grafton St, Dublin
When: Saturday 24th January – 11am

HMV is delighted to welcome Cara Dillon to HMV Grafton St on Saturday 24th January at 11am. Cara will be performing songs with her husband Sam Lakeman, from her new album ‘Hill Of Thieves’ day of release.

Cara Dillon was born in 1975 in Dungiven in County Derry, Northern Ireland. She grew up in a close musical family in an area steeped in Irish traditional music. She demonstrated a striking vocal ability from an early age winning the All Ireland Singing Trophy when only 14.

The new record, ‘Hill of Thieves’ has a significantly more acoustic sound than previous albums and also sees Cara returning to her roots with an outstanding collection of traditional songs.  Already a highly acclaimed torch-bearer of the tradition and original songwriter, Cara and husband, producer and fellow musician Sam set out with a view to emulate the sound and style of classic albums by artists like Planxty and Paul Brady & Andy Irvine.

Cara delivers some of her finest performances to date with sublime interpretations of classics such as “The Parting Glass” and “She Moved ThroughThe Fair” plus a fresh sounding “Spencer The Rover” which features Cara’s brother-in-law Seth Lakeman on vocals, fiddle and tenor guitar.

HMV Grafton St manager John Rooney said, “We are delighted to have Cara perform in the store for us. Cara is a fantastic talent and her new album is a must for anyone who has followed her career so far.  This is a great opportunity to meet a homegrown talent with a bright future ahead of her. I look forward to what promises to be is a fantastic live performance.”

www.fionakelleher.com

A nationwide tour of Cork musicians Fiona Kelleher (vocal) Jim Murray (guitar) Richard Lucey (accordion) and Ciaran Coughlan (piano) kicks off on January 22nd 2009. The show will feature exciting new arrangements of traditional songs from Fiona’s debut album ” My Love Lies” and also fresh energetic arrangements of well known tunes.

All musicians are well known highly regarded performers and have toured extensively and collaborated with various other groups such as North Cregg, Altan and Sharon Shannon to name but a few. The dynamic combination of Ciaran’s jazz influenced piano playing and Jim’s sublime guitar playing with Richard’s mastery of the accordion give an exciting and inventive new interpretation of the traditional tunes while these supreme musicians provide the perfect backdrop to Fiona’s pure crystal like vocals. Not to be missed!!

Kindly supported by Music Network and An Comhairle Ealaion.

apply now for postgraduate funding
www.mbf.org.uk

Applications are now invited for the MBF Music Education Awards 2009. The awards are the largest source of funding offered by the MBF for postgraduate performance students and up to £300,000 will be awarded in total.

Awards will be offered to outstandingly talented instrumentalists and singers to help with full-time postgraduate study costs (fees and maintenance) or towards the costs of buying a musical instrument. Individual awards will range from £1,000 to £5,000 and the awards also encompass several prestigious named scholarships such as the Ian Fleming Charitable Trust Music Education Awards, Myra Hess Scholarships for piano and Sybil Tutton Awards for opera.

The awards are open to musicians who are British, Irish or have lived in the UK for at least three consecutive years at the closing date and who are intending to study full-time at postgraduate level for the 2009/10 academic year. The main set of auditions will be held at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama during the week of Monday 30th March 2009, with further auditions throughout May and June.

The closing date for applications is Friday 6 February 2009. To apply online visit www.mbf.org.uk.

Tuesday 27 January 2009

A pleasant evening of music and song
is promised in the company of
EITHNE NÍ CHATHÁIN
(voice, fiddle, piano, guitar)
and TARA DIAMOND (flute )! 6p.m. – 8p.m.
(doors open 5.45p.m. )
ADMISSION: €15 (incl. complimentary finger food !)
Bar open/Tea and coffee available
Booking essential ( limited space !): 087-2547574