Perspectives 2014 – a new flagship series at the National Concert Hall –  begins with a traditional music festival in January, entitled Tradition Now, focusing on forward looking traditional music. The weekend festival features a range of performances: The Gloaming, June Tabor’s ECM project Quercus making its Irish debut at the Pepper Canister Church, The Kilfenora Céilí Band with dancer Michael Donnellan and the Kickincrew, and for the first time a traditional music marathon featuring artists Lau, At First Sight, Padraig Rynne’s Notify, Mossy Nolan and Colm McGowan.

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY 8PM
PEPPER CANISTER CHURCH
Quercus: June Tabor vocals • Huw Warren piano • Iain Bellamy saxophones
Three of the UK’s internationally celebrated, award-winning musicians come together to create lyrical and mesmerising chamber music. Possibly odd bedfellows, this trio weaves together folk and jazz to make them seem the most natural and tender companions, with poignant words, enchanting melodies and heartfelt delivery.

‘…clarity, stillness and deep but fragile sound. It’s a unique tribute to the power of song’ The Guardian

SUNDAY 26 JANUARY 1PM
Kilfenora Ceili Band with Michael Donnellan and The Kickincrew
The world-renowned Kilfenora Ceili Band are seen by many aficionados as the quintessential Irish ceili band. Their core repertoire of dance music, puntuated with an incomparable lift and rhythm, defines an unbroken tradition that dates from the beginning of the twentieth century. Despite this link with the past, their recent recordings and concert performances point to a broadening of the perceived boundaries of their genre. Collaborations with a diverse ranger of song and dance artists, experimentation with repertoire outside of the dance domain and complex harmonic arrangements speak to an ensemble who are pioneering new and exciting performance contexts for the céilí band genre. The creative and imaginative processes at play, clearly demonstrate that tradition is certainly not defined by stasis. While acknowledging and incorporating the past, the Kilfenora thrives on creativity and innovation.

SUNDAY 26 JANUARY 3PM
Lau • At First Light • Pádraig Rynne’s Notify • Mossy Nolan
3pm    Mossy Nolan bouzouki and mandolin • Colm McGowan guitars
3.30pm     Pádraig Rynne’s Notify: Pádraig Rynne concertinas • Tyler Duncan guitars, computers/ programming • Joe Dart bass • Mike Shimmin drums

4.20pm      At First Light: John McSherry uilleann pipes • Donal O’Connor fiddle Francis McIlduff bodhran
5.00pm     Lau: Kris Drever vocals/guitars • Martin Green accordian • Aidan O’Rourke fiddle

As traditional music goes through a flourishing of new ideas and artists, this marathon concert is a journey into the new with some of the most exciting artists around today featuring:

Lau are modern folk music’s most innovative band. Brilliant musicians, thrilling performers and free-thinking visionaries. BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Winners Best Group 2013

At First Light mix traditional Irish songs with the power and delicacy of duelling pipes, fiddle, whistles, guitar, bouzouki and bodhrán. They create a sonic landscape that takes the audience on a journey of discovery from the roots to the future of the Irish tradition.

Notify is the new transatlantic project from Padraig Rynne combining influences from Irish trad, pop, funk and many more genres to create a melting pot for cool groovy music with plenty of rhythm.

Mossy Nolan & Colm McGowan’s music is not trad but it’s not folk either, it is a mix of rip-roaring delicately played instrumental compositions taking inspiration from all over Europe, together with drones, electronic soundscapes and spectacular vocals.

SUNDAY 26 JANUARY 8:30PM

The Gloaming: Martin Hayes fiddle • Iarla Ó Lionaird vocals • Caoimhin Ó Raghallaigh hardanger  • Dennis Cahill guitar • Thomas Bartlett piano

Martin, Caoimhín, and Dennis have been recognized for extending the Irish and Celtic music traditions – both literally and metaphorically, balancing traditional rigor with an energy that seems entirely new. Thomas has been identified with the independent rock scene for his work with artists as diverse as

The National, Glen Hansard, Antony and the Johnsons and old friends Nico Muhly and Sam Amidon. Iarla has sung with projects as far afield as “new music” composer Donnacha Dennehy’s Nonesuch debut and the electronic/world-music hybrid Afro-Celt Soundsystem, the second bestselling artist in the history of Real World.

The music they make is ephemeral yet furious, pairing memorable, yearning melodies with a progressive style. Imagine if alchemical music of a band like Tortoise could appeal to your old Irish uncle – and you have an idea of what The Gloaming are after.

The Gloaming return to the scene of their début show to make the release of their eponymous album in January 2014 on Brassland and Real World Records.

www.nch.ie