Mike Rafferty and Willie Kelly
Suggested donation: $25 general in advance ($28 at the door), $12 students, $7 children 12 & under
For more information & directions, please call Jody Cormack 860-983-7963 for reservations. Also,you can email to jcormack@wesleyan.edu
Mike Rafferty was born in 1926. He grew up in Ballinakill, East Galway in the heart of a locality steeped in the very best of old-style traditional music. Mike is an outstanding exponent of the East Galway style of flute playing. He learned his music from his father, Tom “Barrel” who played flute and uilleann pipes. Mike emigrated to the United States in 1949 and has appeared at an extensive array of concerts and festivals all over America including the Smithsonian Institution’s Bicentennial Festival of American Folklife in 1976 and toured with the Green Fields of America. Mike has appeared on many recordings and has recorded three albums with his daughter Mary; "The Dangerous Reel", "The Old Fireside Music", "The Road from Ballinakill" and most recently his solo CD "Speed 78". Mike has devoted a lifetime to exploring, performing and teaching traditional Irish music on both sides of the Atlantic . Recently, he was named Irish Echo's Traditional Musician of the Year.
Willie Kelly is recognized as a master in the art of Irish fiddling. He was born in the Bronx, was raised in northern New Jersey , and was inspired to play Irish music after hearing his Irish-born father and grandfather playing the fiddle at home. In his teenage years, he studied under the highly acclaimed West-Limerick fiddler and teacher Martin Mulvihill. Willie has performed for the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. and several other folk arts programs in the U.S. and Canada . He teaches fiddle and Uilleann pipes classes at his home in Northern New Jersey and at Irish music summer schools in East Durham , New York , and Elkins , West Virginia . He is featured in the recording “The Road From Ballinakill”, which The Irish Echo rated as one of the top 10 Irish music recordings of 2001.
Dónal Clancy grew up in the Ring Gaeltacht of Co. Waterford, a place steeped in traditional music and song. Being born into a musical family (his father Liam, being one of the legendary Clancy Brothers) he was exposed to Irish music from an early age. Dónal began his musical career at age 14 performing in venues around his native Waterford . Since then he has recorded two albums with his father Liam and cousin Robbie O’Connell, and also has appeared on many other recordings by artists such as Kevin Crawford, Danú, Martin Murray, Mike & Mary Rafferty, Aoife Clancy, Cherish The Ladies, The Clancy Brothers, Eileen Ivers Band and Solas. He just recently released his solo CD "Close to Home" on Compass Records. In addition, he put together a compilation CD "Masters of the Irish Guitar" with Shanachie Records featuring Arty McGlynn, John Doyle and many more. Dónal now lives in New York and has recently toured with The Eileen Ivers Band, The Chieftains, Cathie Ryan, Karan Casey & Niall Vallely, Clancy O'Connell & Clancy, Solas, and Kevin Crawford and Cillian Vallely.
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