Photo by Nuala Purcell, used with permissionI've not mentioned anything about the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra (WSHSO) since our big Symphony Space concert last October. Lest you think nothing's happening, just let me tell you about the whirlwind of performances we've given lately.
Pre-St. Patrick's Day events:
- On February 1 we appeared with Dan Milner, one of our singers, at the South Street Seaport Museum's monthly folk concert. This particular concert celebrated the release of Dan’s Irish Pirate Ballads CD on Smithsonian Folkways label. Several songs on that CD are part of the WSHSO repertoire.
- On February 6 we appeared with Dan once again, this time as part of the Blarney Star concert series at Glucksman Ireland House.
- On February 23 we played at a book launch party for Tom Coyne's book, A Course Called Ireland.
- On March 3 we appeared with Mick Moloney at the Lolita Bar in a memorial for writer/historian/musician Daniel Cassidy, author of How the Irish Invented Slang.
- On March 5 we appeared at Glucksman Ireland House, again with Mick Moloney, to celebrate the launch of a book Mick co-edited on traditional Irish dance in America - Close to the Floor: Irish Dance from the Boreen to Broadway.
- On March 12 we joined Mick Moloney and Friends at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for the annual Irish Heritage Concert.
- On March 14 we played at the reception following the annual Irish language mass at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on Mulberry Street in lower Manhattan. A blogger in attendance noted our appearance and included a picture - click here to check it out.
- On March 15 we played at the St. Patrick's Day party for residents of the Mary Manning Walsh Home.
- On the same day, March 15, we played at the Irish American Historical Society's gala St. Patrick's day event. The picture at the top of this post was taken at that event. Here's another one which will give you a glimpse of the party's ambience.
Photo by Nuala Purcell, used with permission- This star-studded occasion received New York Times coverage in which our banjo player Dan Neely was quoted. The party was mentioned in NY Insider TV, which also carried pictures of us!
- On St. Patrick's Day - March 17 - we provided music for the Irish Consul General's St. Patrick's Day party. It was a beautiful sunny day so we were able to play outdoors on his penthouse balcony. And don't I just look like the cat that ate the canary, with the Empire State Building in the background there?
Photo by Daniel Neely, used with permission- On March 23 we played at the Irish Consulate at the book launch of Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh’s new book of poetry entitled Péacadh. Ailbhe was the Irish Language Fulbright scholar this past year at Lehman College.
Photo by Thomas Ihde, courtesy of Scott Spencer- On March 26 we traveled to the Bookcourt in Brooklyn to play at the book launch for Robert Sullivan’s new book, The Thoreau You Don’t Know. As a result of our performance there, we were mentioned several times in blog posts. (1) Photographer Eric Etheridge submitted these two short posts from his iPhone while the event was in progress! Every Reading Should Have a Band and Robert Sullivan Reads from his new book on Thoreau (2) On March 28, Robert Sullivan cited Eric's posts on his own blog post entitled Captured, then (3) on April 2 Robert posted a video of the entire event (about 1 hour) which includes one set of tunes at the beginning and all of the music we played after his 30 minute talk.
- On April 5 the WSHSO was the featured guest of the New York Packet, South Street Seaport’s resident folk singing group at the monthly folk concert held in the South Street Seaport Museum. We presented about 45 minutes of music.
- On May 5 we will play at the Airneal na Bealtaine, an evening of traditional music by NYU students and WSHSO in celebration of Spring.
- On May 16 WSHSO will perform in Battery Park City - watch our Myspace site for details.
Needless to say, after all these appearances, our playing is very tight right now, and we are thoroughly enjoy playing together. We are all grateful to Mick Moloney for his sponsorship and guidance. Global person that he is, he can't make all our gigs, but when he's there, he adds his own distinctive spark to our sound.
This post brings you up to date on my 2009 St. Patrick's Day Irish music adventures. In keeping with all these great memories, let me wish you a belated Happy St. Patrick's Day. Looking at the clock, maybe I'd better quickly say Happy Easter too, before that holiday passes by as well!
© 2009, Linda Mason Hood
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