SEAMUS BEGLRY & JON SANDERS

Renowned Kerry accordion/singing - guitar duo Seamus Begley and Jon Sanders will be touring New Zealand early in the New Year in a series of concerts and music workshops across the nation. The month-long tour comes after a two week pilot run this March which proved so popular that the pair decided to take in more places on the return run. This time they will play folk clubs, theatres and concert venues in the main cities and in rural areas that would have a history of Irish and Scottish settlement.

Music of West Kerry with Seamus Begley Number of students: between 5 and 20. Identify the different slides, polkas, jigs, reels and hornpipes with strengths and weaknesses. Techniques of singing. History of West Kerry music. Songs of West Kerry and examples for students to work on. Duration of each workshop: one hour. Phone: Vicki Sanchez-Lloyd on 388-8478 for more details.

Seamus Begley has reshaped Irish traditional music over the last decade. He won Ireland’s National Entertainment Award for Traditional Music for his acclaimed CD Meitheal recorded with Steve Cooney. In 2000 Seamus’ more recent album Ragairne was awarded Folk/Traditional album of the Year by The Irish Times and Hot Press, Ireland’s leading music magazine. Ragairne features duets with world acclaimed Irish singer Mary Black and backing from Triona Ni Dhomhnaill (ex supergroup The Bothy Band).

Seamus Begley is known for his tiptoeing, high stepping West Kerry box style and he loves nothing better than to give his vocal chords’ an airing. He is the quintessential Irish musician, an eager storyteller known for his sharp wit and, in the words the Irish Times, famous for "his alarming energy and frisk spontaneity, belting out jigs and slides and polkas with rapid sprays of reckless ornamentation before making a sudden key change into a bittersweet air, sung or played on the accordion".

Guitar Workshop with Jon Sanders Number of students: between 5 and 20. Identify the different tunings: DADGAD, drop D and standard, their strengths and weaknesses in accompanying and playing tunes Techniques of accompanying melodies of Celtic origin and of a wider music style eg latino, eastern Europe. Includes rhythm, tempo and speed, picking style, tone, attack, building chords, modal tuning, using capos How to flat pick tunes from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany and further afield. Identifying tune types an making accompaniment fresh, original and imaginative Give students examples to work on. Identify their strengths and address any weaknesses

Jon Sanders has played extensively in the world of Irish traditional music and beyond, teaming up over the last 14 years with Seamus and the likes of singer Mary Black, fiddler Frankie Gavin (of supergroup De Dannan), whistle player Vinnie Kilduff (of Clannad and The Waterboys fame) and many more. He has toured Europe extensively and New Zealand three times, most recently from January to May this year with fiddler Mark Crickard, Seamus Begley and Nelson-based jazz group Sunsuite. He also composes soundtrack music for tv and film.

His latest album, Latitudes, was described by the Irish Times as "a canny musical curiosity that refuses to be boxed in". It comprises 10 original compositions that draw on Latin jazz, Balkan and eastern European music. His guitar style has been described as "quantum leaping", a percussive, modal underpinning of melodies that colours and flavours the music he accompanies.

On this nationwide New Zealand tour, Seamus and Jon will play dance music and songs from their home town Dingle, its Irish-speaking environs and beyond.

For more details of tour dates or to book a concert with them contact Jon at his website www.jon-sanders.com.

KATHLEEN GRAHAM

Kathleen Graham is one of the leading Gaelic singers of her generation. Hailing from the Isle of Skye in the north-west coast of Scotland, she was brought up in a very musical family immersed in her native Gaelic culture and language. In 2003 she graduated with a BA Hons in Scottish Music from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where she studied Gaelic song under the renowned singer Kenna Campbell and Jazz singing with singer/songwriter, Sophie Bancroft.

Kathleen is the lead singer with the exciting and driving septet Brolum, who in 2005 released their second album The Fair Face I Never Saw to great acclaim, and have toured extensively throughout Britain, Europe and the United States.

As well as performing Kathleen is in great demand as a tutor of song, Clarsach, group-work and dance and is a regular tutor for the Youth Music Initiative Scheme in Skye and Lochalsh and Ross-shire

Kathleen is hiding away for a while to work on a couple of new projects with other musicians including Gillian Frame (Fiddle/vocals), Nuala Kennedy (Flute/Vocals) and Mhairi Hall (Piano and Flute). She is also trying to get some Jazz songs together for something totally different...hopefully she won’t hide for too long!

MARY DUNNE & DAVY STUART

She's back! after 3 years away, including a prolonged spell in her beloved Donegal playing and recording, as well as performing and entertaining children in Toronto, Canada.

This hugely talented songwriter and singer with a wonderful warm stage presence, has returned to Christchurch as full of song as ever.

Mary will be joined by highly regarded local multi-instrumentalist Davy Stuart, as he goes about enhancing the sheer Irishness of Mary's music with a tasteful hint of Scottish reserve.

Both performers are a welcome addition to the Celtic Fusion lineup performing a mixture of both their original arrangements of traditional Irish songs as well as both old and new originals penned by Mary herself.