Music
Press
6 February 2008
Dear Korona Brophy
I am writing on behalf of Yn Chruinnaght Inter-Celtic festival in the Isle of Man to
invite you and the Celtic Fiddlers to perform at our festival this coming July. We
encountered your group on your wonderful recordings, as well as on the internet,
and were all so impressed with your energy, drive and professionalism that we
wanted to see if you would consider making the extra journey across the Irish Sea.
This year, our festival celebrates 30 years of inter-Celtic music, dance and arts, and
we would be truly honoured if you would be able to make this year’s celebration an
extra-special one through contact with the Celtic diaspora, something we have never
been able to do before.
We have many young and talented fiddlers and other musicians here in the Isle of
Man and were wondering if we could invite you as the first stage of an exchange
project which would see young Manx musicians and dancers coming to
Newfoundland at some point in the future. I feel very strongly that this would benefit
both of our communities greatly.
We would also like to arrange some exchange workshops with you if you are able to
come to the festival –an opportunity for all of our young musicians to learn
something of each other’s cultures. With the Celtic Fiddlers as part of Yn
Chruinnaght, we would be able to show the festival-goers the true spirit of
Newfoundland culture.
I would be grateful if you could let me know whether you would be able to come to
Yn Chruinnaght this year. The dates of the festival are 16-20 July. You may be
interested to hear that, in addition to a whole host of Manx musicians and dancers,
the performers confirmed include Deaf Shepherd (Scotland), Niamh Ni Charra and
Mike Galvin (Ireland), Never Mind the Bocs featuring Neil Browning (Wales), KaouaD
fest-noz band (Brittany) and a troyl band with traditional dancers (Cornwall).
Lesh my yeearreeyn share – with best wishes
Dr Breesha Maddrell
Committee member - Breesah Madrell
Discography
Passage -1999
The Sea in Our Eyes 2003
A Time For Christmas - 2005
We have several tracks on different radio stations here - namely Mason's apron, Memory Waltz, Geese in the Bog
Many of the radio stations here shuffle the tunes so each week there are different ones played off the two first CD's
Photos
Bio
The Celtic Fiddlers from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, is a vibrant group of 15 young professional musicians, ages 12-29. This unique group of fiddlers is accompanied by piano, mandolin, tin whistle, Irish flute, bodhran, accordion, bouzouki, bass, guitar and drums. They have gained an outstanding reputation for their eclectic style and presentation. The Celtic Fiddlers are members of the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and the East Coast Music Association.
Under the direction of Korona Brophy, musician, arranger and teacher, the Celtic Fiddlers, formed in 1993, has performed at a wide milieu of international, national and provincial conventions, local folk festivals and events, celebrations and weddings. Ms. Brophy was awarded the NLAC Arts in Education award for 2007.
In July 2008 the Fiddlers travelled to Ireland for a performance tour. They were invited to festivals in Galway and the Isle of Man and shared their Newfoundland and Labrador culture with audiences in Waterford, Cork, Cobh and Dublin.
The following is a small sample of past performances:
2007: Road To The Isles July 2007 (Twillingate, Fogo)
2006: Instrumental Artist of the Year Award (Music Industry Association)
2006: Tour 2006: Gros Morne/Rocky Harbour
2006: Flatrock Folk Festival
2005: Tour: Eastport Peninsula
2005: Divas Do Christmas
2005: Prince Edward at Duke of Edinburgh Awards
• 2004: East Coast Music Awards Showcase
• 2004: Opening act for the group Spirit of Ireland, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland
• 2004 Janeway Telethon CBC broadcast
• 2003: Tour of Ireland – Cork, Wexford, Kilkenny, Waterford, Dublin
• 2002 Music Industry Association Awards Show
• 2002: Taped a vignette for Air Canada as a tourism venture
• 2002: Juno Awards showcase, St. John’s, Newfoundland
• 2001: Maritime Fiddle Festival, Nova Scotia, Canada
• 2000: Canada Winter Games, Corner Brook, Newfoundland
• 2000/2005: Duke of Edinburgh Awards, St. John’s, Newfoundland
• 1999: Performance on Canada’s “morning show”, Canada A.M. (Millennium celebrations) and Tour of Ireland – Killarney, Galway, Waterford, Kilkenny
• 1997: Canada Day celebrations, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada
In addition, the group toured the country of Ireland in 1999 and 2003, to expose their CD’s, “Passage” – a compilation CD of song, story and music of the Irish migration to Newfoundland, and “The Sea in Our Eyes”- an instrumental collection of Newfoundland ballads, jigs and original works. On both tours, the group was well received as ambassadors of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada.
The Fiddlers released their third Cd ‘the Celtic Fiddlers …a time for Christmas’ in November, 2005. They hope to release their fourth Cd in November, 2008. In November 2006, the Celtic Fiddlers were thrilled to be awarded the Music Industry Association Award for Instrumental Artist of the Year.
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