September 29th 2016
October 2016 – Concerts in NY and CT – North American Premier of Áille na Háille
”Aille na hAille – A Terrible Beauty” is a stirring, brilliantly conceived tribute…..Highly recommended.” The Irish Echo
I am honored to have been invited to sing once again in one of Dr Charlie Lennon’s beautiful, sweeping suites of music that illuminate watershed events in Irish History.
Please join us for the North American Premier of
Áille na Háille – A Terrible Beauty: A Suite in Honor of the Heroes of 1916 by Dr Charlie Lennon
The concerts features Dr Lennon’s newly composed suite of music and song as well as beloved traditional songs and instrumentals of the 1916 Rising. Dr Charlie (piano and fiddle), Kieran O’Hare (uillean pipes), Éilís Lennon (fiddle), the New York String Quartet and I look forward to sharing this musical celebration with you on:
FRIDAY OCTOBER 28, 2016 AT 7:30PM
Woodside, Queens, NY
St. Sebastian Church
39-63 57th St
For Ticket Information: Fiona Smyth 631 796 7217
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2016 AT 8PM
Fairfield, CT
Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts at Sacred Heart University
5151 Park Avenue
Fairfield, CT
http://www.edgertoncenter.org/
“Charlie Lennon’s new suite, commissioned by Gael Linn, adds to the depth and breadth of interpretation of our past in this centenary year…. an evocative work..” Siobhan Long, The Irish Times
“One of Ireland’s foremost musicians, Dr Charlie Lennon from Kiltyclogher, County Lietrim was commissioned to write this suite of music in honor of the year that is in it.
Lennon, a veteran musician and composer in the classical and traditional idioms, tackles subjects like this with great pride and professionalism and recruits the right musicians to convey his master works. The heroes of 1916 are lifted onto the beautiful notes of jigs, reels, hornpipes, a Planxty, a slow air, and poems become songs. Three thematic movements form a sonata and add grace.
The best way to experience it is a live performance and the opportunity presents itself twice at the end of the month.”
Paul Keating, The Irish Echo
“In Áille na hÁille – A Terrible Beauty, Charlie Lennon builds sonic bridges unifying many of the sound communities that make up the Irish mind.” Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, An tOllamh
Dr Charlie Lennon:
Dr. Charlie Lennon is a renowned composer of traditional tunes and of larger works that bring together orchestral and traditional musicians in a new and exciting manner. His previous suites include Island Wedding and Flight from the Hungry Land, which premiered in North America at Lincoln Center. The two volumes of his traditional tunes, Musical Memories, published by Walton’s in Ireland are a testament to his love of the music of his homeland and have been recorded by De Dannan, Liam O’Flynn, Kevin Burke, Sharon Shannon, Altan, The London Lasses, Pete Quinn, and more. His own recordings include Lucky in Love (with Mick O’Connor), The Emigrant Suite, Flight from the Hungry Land, Island Wedding, Time for a Tune and Turning the Tune. Charlie has also been piano accompanist on over twenty-five recordings, among them Omos do Joe Cooley with Paul Brock and Frankie Gavin and The Bucks of Oranmore with Joe Burke.
Charlie Lennon was born in Kiltyclogher, County Leitrim approximately 4 miles from the birthplace of Sean MacDiarmada. Charlie began playing piano at age seven. His brother, Ben, also taught him the fiddle, inspired by the music of the Sligo masters Coleman, Killoran, Morrison and Gillespie. With this sure traditional grounding, Charlie went on to study classical violin in his late teens.
From age seventeen Charlie was a professional musician playing fiddle, piano, drums, and double bass with several céilí bands. At twenty-two Charlie enrolled in Liverpool University, eventually securing a Doctorate in Nuclear Physics. During those years in Liverpool he played with the ‘Liverpool Céilí Band’. The ‘Liverpool’ won two All-Ireland titles, recorded two albums with Decca and toured the United States.
Charlie lives in Spiddal, Galway with his wife, sean-nós singer, Sile Ni Fhlaithearta (Spiddal) where they raised their family and continue to make music.
