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Event
RUNA - Contemporary Celtic Music - First Saturday Concert Series
RUNA burst onto the music scene during the summer of 2008 and has been taking audiences by storm ever since! Drawing on the diverse musical backgrounds of its individual band members, Runa brings a contemporary and refreshing approach to traditional and more recently composed Celtic material. Through their repertoire of both highly energetic and graceful, acoustic melodies, a fusion of music from Ireland, Scotland, the Shetland Islands, Canada and the United States. This vocal and instrumental ensemble gives its arrangements of traditional songs and tunes a fresh sound.
Runa consists of vocalist Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist Fionán de Barra, and Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion. The band often performs with world-renowned musicians, including Isaac Alderson on the uilleann pipes, flutes, and whistles, who will be guest appearing on this evening, and often with Tomoko Omura on the fiddle, who is also on their new CD.
Coming from a variety of musical backgrounds including Celtic, folk, classical, and musical theatre, Shannon Lambert-Ryan, of Philadelphia, fronts Runa with rich, vibrant vocals, and gentle piano playing. As a musician, she spent three years as the lead female vocalist in Boston-based world-music ensemble, the Guy Mendilow Band. She then formed Runa with her husband and co-founder, Fionán de Barra. Together they recorded and produced her solo album Across the Pond in 2008, and Runa's first release, Jealousy, in 2009. Additionally, she has performed as a vocalist with a number of artists, including Moya Brennan, John Flynn, and Joe Jencks. Shannon also works as an actor in theatre and film productions, including M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.
Cheryl Prashker studied classical percussion at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she was born and raised. She has toured Canada, U.S. Europe and Russia. She spent many years in New York City where she honed her skills of playing anything from Rock and Roll, Klezmer, to Celtic as well as Middle Eastern music. She now uses her special style of percussion to enhance the music of such artists as Jonathan Edwards, Pat Wictor, Tracy Grammer, Full Frontal Folk and her new group Runa. Cheryl is currently a President of NERFA (Northeastern Regional Folk Alliance).
Fionán de Barra started playing guitar professionally with Riverdance in the USA in 2001. Since then he has worked as musical director for Moya Brennan (of Clannad) and her band. He performed, co-wrote, arranged and recorded songs for her albums, Two Horizons (2003, nominated for a Grammy), An Irish Christmas (2005) and Signature (2006, which he also co-produced). He co-wrote music with her for the film To end all wars (2001). He has performed with Solas, Eileen Ivers, Camille O'Sullivan, Zoe Conway, Catriona McKay, Tommy Fleming, Francis Black, Damien Dempsey, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Galldubh. He now tours regularly with the internationally renowned Fiddlers Bid and Clannad. Fionán is also currently working with dancer Colin Dunne on his new show Out of Time as sound designer and live sound processing.
Isaac Alderson began pursuing the craft of Irish traditional music at the age of 13 in his home city of Chicago. Throughout his teenage years he had the good fortune to study with Fermanagh flute and whistle master Laurence Nugent, and took piping essons periodically with Al Purcell, Kieran O'Hare, and Jerry O'Sullivan, among others. At the 2002 Fleadh Cheoil in Listowel, Isaac was named the All-Ireland Senior Champion on three instruments: uilleann pipes, flute and whistle. He is the first American ever to win such a "hat trick" victory, and he is also the first American to win either competitions for the flute and pipes, and the first since Joanie Madden to win the tin whistle championship. Now residing in New York, he has played throughout the northeast and across the country with a wide range of traditional and modern trad music artists, including Eileen Ivers and John Whelan.
We are delighted by the opportunity to present
this exciting new Celtic folk group
live on our stage for their
Long Island CD release concert !!!
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LocationCongregational Church of Huntington
30 Washington Drive
Centerport, NY 11720
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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