An Evening with Four Masters of Irish Music

A wonderful evening of Irish music at Cité des Arts. Irish balladeer and storyteller Danny O'Flaherty joins Mulvihill, Carberry and Brouder - three masters of Irish traditional music including Brendan Mulvihill (fiddle), Angelina Carberry (banjo), and Dan Brouder (accordion).

Angelina Carberry was born in Manchester, England into a County Longford musical family  steeped in traditional music. Starting on the tin whistle, she later moved onto the banjo following  in the footsteps of her father Peter and grandfather Kevin Carberry. Angelina moved to Galway in the late 90’s where she recorded the highly acclaimed album Memories from the Holla with her father Peter on accordion and John Blake on guitar and piano. Angelina was a member of the all-female group the Bumblebees and toured with the legendary duo Tony MacMahon and Barney McKenna. Angelina performed for the Margaret Barry Hall of Fame Award, at the 2019 RTE Folk Awards in Vicar Street, Dublin, and in 2021 she received the prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil, Ceoiltor na Bliana / Musician of the Year.

Angelina’s style has evolved into one that is incredibly distinctive with its own rhythmical  characteristics. Her two solo CD’s, An Traidisún Beo (2005) and Pluckin’Mad (2014), which were awarded among the Irish Echo’s Top 10 CD’S of the year, showcase her unique banjo sound. Over the years, Angelina has appeared on several albums as a guest performer, including The Lark’s Air (2011) by accordionist Dan Brouder and Music in the Frame (2017) by  accordionist Josephine Marsh.  Additionally, Angelina released two duet albums: Angelina Carberry and Martin Quinn (2003) and A Waltz for Joy(2017) with Dan Brouder.

In addition to performing, Angelina is also a music teacher and a popular banjo tutor at summer  schools and festivals throughout Ireland, U.K., and internationally. Angelina has performed  frequently and taught at Irish music events across North America and Canada, including the  Catskills Irish Arts Week (NY), Augusta Irish Week (WV), Swannanoa Gathering (NC), Goderich Celtic Roots Festival (ON, Canada), O’Flaherty Retreat (TX), Cascadia Irish Music Week (WA), and most recent at Irish Musical Arts and Dance (MAD) Week (MD). Angelina has also played on popular television programs including Fleadh Cheoil RTE, Bosca Ceol, Hup, Sé mo Laoch, and Fleadh TV TG4.

For more information, visit www.carberrybrouder.com

Brendan Mulvihill's roots in Irish music run deep. Brendan's grandmother, Bridgid Mulvihill,  nee Flynn, was a fiddler and her brothers were all musicians as well. Brendan's father, the late  National Heritage Fellow Martin Mulvihill of County Limerick, Ireland, was a renowned fiddle  player and one of the most highly respected Irish music teachers in America.

Brendan immigrated to New York with his family in 1965. In the ‘70s, he traveled to Ireland  playing throughout the country with his contemporaries and building a huge repertoire of tunes.  Later, Brendan moved to Birmingham, England where he played in céilidh bands and with the  many Irish musicians who had also settled in the English Midlands. In 1975, Brendan returned  to New York, where he soon began playing with accordion player Billy McComiskey and  singer/guitarist Andy O'Brien. The three eventually made their way to Washington, DC,  ostensibly for a week-long gig in The Dubliner pub as The Irish Tradition. The week turned into  several years, and The Irish Tradition became a seminal influence in traditional music, helping to establish it as a permanent and integral part of Washington's musical fabric. After recording  several albums, the Irish Tradition disbanded. Brendan remained in the Washington,  DC/Baltimore area, using the region as a home base for his travels.

Micheál Ó Súilleabháin referred to Brendan as "a rare genius." This same thought has been  shared by others and that is why so many have sought him out as their teacher. Brendan has  taught several rising young fiddle players in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area. Brendan  received the Maryland Traditions Folk Arts and Culture Apprenticeship Award in 2005 and 2018  for teaching the art of traditional Irish music. He was inducted into the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí  Éireann Mid-Atlantic Region Hall of Fame in 2008. Brendan continues to play at various venues  in the Washington D.C. area, teach fiddle, and lead sessions and workshops. Brendan published his first tune book with a learning CD in 2013, Brendan Mulvihill’s Irish Scroll Volume One; it contains 93 tunes, mostly traditional tunes but also a few of his own compositions. In 2018 he released his first solo recording, The Journey, to share some tunes in Brendan’s playing style to help intermediate and advanced musicians learn to play traditional Irish music.

Danny O’Flaherty is a native of the Aran Islands and Connemara, along the west coast of Ireland and has been a tireless ambassador for Celtic music and culture for over 50 years. He has performed for U.S. presidents, Pope John Paul II, and other heads of state all over the world. Danny’s epic career includes 31 albums, songs featured in major films, a children’s book, and hundreds of talks on Irish-Celtic history as a vocal advocate for causes including unity and cultural appreciation.

Danny’s live musical performances include hundreds of festival appearances, children’s concerts, holiday specials made for television, digital streaming and on-demand concerts, and as a featured artist for cruises and cultural tours. For many years he worked with his brother, Patrick, as co-proprietors of one of the most famous Irish pubs in the New Orleans French Quarter, O’Flaherty’s Irish Channel Pub.

As he continues to delight and educate audiences of all ages and nationalities in his fifth decade as a working musician Danny O’Flaherty continues to be an active learner of history and music. He keeps working tirelessly to further refine his musicianship, knowledge of history and improve the lives of all who hear his voice.

Dan Brouder is a well-respected exponent of the West Limerick accordion style from Monagea,  a parish on the outskirts of Newcastle West. A musician who is highly regarded among his contemporaries for his musical honesty and the joy he passes on through the music he plays and cherishes, Dan learned his music in the surrounding parishes of Ardagh, Carrigkerry, and Glin on the Sliabh Luachra boundary from accordion player Donal de  Barra and concertina player Timmy Collins from West Limerick. He also learned from flute players Donal O’Sullivan and Francis O’Connor (who learned their music from fiddler Peadlin Aherne) and from recordings of flute player Pajo Gleesen from the 1930’s and 40’s, whose styles were strongly bedded in West Limerick roots.

Dan has had the good fortune to perform with Sliabh Luchra fiddle icon, Julia Clifford, along with accordion player Johnny O’Leary and fiddle player’s Dennis McMahon, Paddy Cronin, and Connie O’Connell. Dan has been greatly influenced by Finbarr Dwyer, Joe Burke, Joe Cooley, West Limerick flute player Donal Sullivan, Martin & Brendan Mulvihill and the Dwyer family from West Cork.  Dan’s debut solo album, The Larks Air, was released in 2011 to critical acclaim by musicians and music reviewers. Dan appeared as a special guest on the 2008 recording Cairde Cairdin by fiddler Diarmuid O’Brien, which also featured a group of West Limerick accordion players. A Waltz for Joy(2017) and Back in Time (2021) are two duet albums that Dan recorded with banjo player Angelina Carberry. Dan has been featured extensively on popular RTE and TG4  program’ series Geantrai, Fleadh Cheoil RTE, Hup, Se mo Laoch, and Fleadh TV.

For more information, visit www.carberrybrouder.com