Month: September 2018

Recap 28th Salon Concert: Eimear Arkins and Eileen Gannon August 25, 2018 #irishmusic #fiddle #harp #song #thankstoall #IAHC #SalonConcertsChicago

September 4, 2018 — Leave a comment

The 28th Salon Concert featured the harp, fiddle, and vocals duo, Eimear Arkins and Eileen Gannon, who presented a beautiful program of traditional music and songs.

Eimear presented many lovely interpretations of traditional fiddle tunes, mostly from Clare, with a few from further afield and a few of her own compositions.  Her take on the much loved Clare tunes “Glen of Aherlow” and “Porthole of the Kelp” were masterful and highly expressive.  She also regaled the audience with her clear, very natural soprano voice several times during the evening, with and without Eileen’s accompaniment on harp. She sang the Connemara Sean Nos song, “An Spailpin Fanach,” her own version of Percy French’s “The Darling Girl From Clare,” and several others besides.

In addition to skillful accompaniment of Eimear’s beautiful singing, Eileen demonstrated her artistry on dance tunes and dedicated harp pieces.  She never failed to weave a spell with her harp playing whether in accompaniment as a soloist.

They gave an encore and stayed late afterward to talk with fans and autograph CDs, a gesture everyone much appreciated.

Thank you to Eimear Arkins and Eileen Gannon for an evening of beautiful music. Thanks again to our sound engineer, John Halliburton, for ensuring we could enjoy it all.

Thank you to Maryann McTeague Kiefer at Ireland Tonight, Siobhainn O’Connor at the O’Connor Irish Radio Show, Sean Ginnelly at Good Morning Ireland, and Christopher Mines and Denise Hagerty at the Hagerty Irish Radio Hour for their promotional assistance, we appreciate it greatly.

We would also wish to say Thank you to the IAHC Board, and also to the IAHC staff: Meg Buchanan, Nancy Moore, and Kathy O’Neill.  Big Thanks to Laura Coyle for her outstanding artwork for our flye