Philadelphia Ceili Group

Monthly Slow Session at the Philadelphia’s Irish Center on April 18

Monthly Slow Session at the Philadelphia’s Irish Center on April 18
The Phila Ceili Group will sponsor a monthly slow session from 8 to 9 pm on the third Friday. A regular session sponsored by the Irish Center will run after that from 9 to 11pm.

This is a traditional Irish session in all ways except one: the tempo. We will play common session tunes at a slower than normal pace, so that beginning and intermediate players can more easily learn the tunes and join in the session. Also great for experienced players who are picking up another instrument!

Since this is a traditional Irish session we will not use any sheet music. It will be helpful to bring some type or recorder (tape or MP3) to practice the tunes we went over at home.

This month’s slow session will be held by Caitlin Finley.

For more information contact Kirsten Erwin at swampkat@martnet.com or 610-517-1462.

Fiddle and Tenor Banjo/Mandolin Workshop Available on April 5

On Saturday April 5th, following the Friday, April 4th concert, Patrick Ourceau will host a fiddle workshop on Sat., Apr. 5, at the Irish Center. Patrick has a remarkable grasp of the East Clare/East Galway style, having studied at the feet of Paddy Canny and other greats of the music from that part of Ireland. There will also be a tenor banjo/ mandolin workshop with Eamon O'Leary. Pre-registration is required. Call for specifics, which are still being worked out: at (610) 925-6235 [days] and (610) 486-2220 [eves].

Patrick Ourceau heard Irish fiddle music on recordings in his native Paris, and instantly decided it was the music he wanted to play. He started playing at the age of 12, and his primary reason for coming to the US in 1989 was to be part of the thriving trad scene in New York City. He has had a fine career in his 20 years in the US playing with the band Chulrua and others. His repertoire shows a preference for the beautifully crafted tunes of the East Clare tradition.
Eamon O'Leary came to traditional music in Dublin in his teens, through friends who happened to play. He didn't expect to be playing music professionally when he arrived in New York in the late 1980s, but soon he was playing in sessions around the city with various musicians, including Patrick. Eamon is an outstanding guitar & banjo accompanist with a great ear for key and chord changes.

Don't miss the Friday, April 4: 8PM concert at The Irish Center / 6815 Emlen St. / Phila., Pa 19119
Tickets: $15, PCG members, $13 / More Info, etc: (610) 486-2220

CONCERT REMINDER - Patrick Ourceau & Eamon O'Leary - Traditional Irish Dance Tunes and Songs

April 4, 2008

Patrick Ourceau & Eamon O'Leary - Traditional Irish Dance Tunes and Songs

Friday, April 4, 2008; 8:00 PM

Commodore Barry Club / Irish Center
Carpenter Lane and Emlen Street
Phila., Pa   19119 / (610) 486-2220

Admission: $15, PCG members, $13

At a session, Patrick with his fiddle nearly dances in his seat, both feet tapping out the rhythm, bright eyes full of humor, smiling, winking, ever ready with a warm gesture for newcomers ... Eamon, the essence of understatement and disheveled reserve, his guitar playing and his presence an anchor beneath the flights of melody.

Patrick Ourceau & Eamon O’Leary are both master musicians.

Patrick Ourceau was born in Paris, France in 1967. He first heard traditional Irish music on recordings, liked it instantly and decided it was the music he wanted to play. He is now known as a great fiddler, but it was not his first instrument of choice. “The concertina was tops on my list but it was hard to find one, living in France. And so I decided to go with the fiddle. Maybe one day I’ll still play the concertina.” He started playing at about 12 years of age, and his primary reason for coming to the US in 1989 was to play Irish music in the thriving trad scene in New York City. “I knew of fiddlers there like Andy McGann, Paddy Reynolds, Tony DeMarco and Brian Conway, and I thought it would be really good for me. Why not?” Patrick has since had a fine career in his almost 20 years in the US playing with the noted Clare concertina wizard Gearoid O’hAllmhurain and with button accordionist Paddy O’Brien’s popular trio “Chulrua”. His repertoire is dominated by his preference for the beautifully crafted, sinewy, lyrical music of the East Clare / East Galway tradition. He has become well known in that regional tradition, respected as much in Ireland - where he spent much time at the feet of master fiddlers like Paddy Canny and others - as he is in the United States. Patrick recently left New York and currently resides in Montreal, Canada.

Eamon O’Leary was born in Dublin in 1972. He started playing the guitar in his teens. “I didn’t really come to Irish traditional music until, I suppose, my late teens. It was through friends that I’d made along the way who happened to play, and I just began to soak it up that way”. Eamon didn’t expect to be playing Irish music professionally when he arrived in New York in the late 1980s. “I started hanging out around a café on St. Mark’s Place where we used to play every week. It was an Irish-owned place and the enthusiasm with which they responded to the music was sort of inspiring”. Soon he was playing in sessions around the city with various musicians, including Patrick. Eamon is an outstanding guitar accompanist with a great ear for key and chord changes. He is also an accomplished tenor banjo player with an impressive repertoire.