Ira Goldman Memorial Concert at Yonkers Montessori Academy, Free
The Untermyer Performing Arts Council is pleased to announce our annual Irish Concert will be held on Sunday, March 13th at 5:30 pm at Yonkers Montessori Academy, 160 Woodlawn Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704.
The performance will more than exceed expectations, with the talents of John Whelan, Kieran Flannigan and special guests Ty Kelliher, Cate Sandstrom and Brendan Fogarty, led by master fiddler Brian Conway, all award winning and highly regarded performers. Their remarkable talents will lift your spirits, make you want to tap your feet, clap your hands and dance! What better way to warm our hearts?
Brian Conway, premier Irish American fiddler, performs with a skill, grace and force that are steeped in tradition but distinctively his own. Conway has won numerous All-Ireland fiddling competitions, and has been called one of the best fiddlers of his generation. Conway was named Irish Echo’s Top Trad Artist in 2008, the most prestigious award in the New York Irish music community. Besides performing, Brian shares his talent and love for traditional Irish music by teaching talented students at his Conway School of Irish Music.
Seven-time all-Ireland champion John Whelan is one of the world’s best living Irish button accordion players. Raised in the vibrant London Irish music scene, he started playing at an early age; he learned his craft from such legends as Lucy Farr, Roger Sherlock, Paddy Taylor, Mick O’Connor and teacher Brendan Mulkare, he recorded his first album in 1974 at the age of 14 and toured extensively throughout England and Ireland until he came to the US. In 1990 John recorded his first solo CD in the US, From the Heart. In 1995 John signed a 5 CD deal with Narada, becoming one of the highest selling traditional artist in the genre. To date, John has sold close to one million CDs and appeared on the Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Fox After Breakfast with host Tom Bergeron. His music has been heard on such TV shows as Sex In The City, History’s Mysteries and History Detectives.
Kieran Flanagan comes from a family long distinguished in Irish traditional music; having grown up in the home of Irish music teacher Rose Conway Flanagan, Kieran cultivated a deep appreciation and love for the music. A protégé of esteemed pianist Brenan Dolan and renowned flutist Margie Mulvihill, Kieran has won numerous Irish music competitions and medaled in multiple All Ireland competitions, including first for piano. He is studying Civil Engineering at Manhattan College.
Special guests Ty Kelliher, Cate Sandstrom and Brendan Fogarty will be making their Yonkers debut.
The concert is being performed in memory of American Irish activist Ira Goldman, who not only served as president of the American Irish Musician Society and President of two Comhaltus Ceolteori Eireann branches, he was a former board member of the Untermyer Performing Arts Council.
This program, done in cooperation with Mayor Mike Spano, the Yonkers Public Schools and the Yonkers Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, is made possible by the Ira Goldman Memorial Fund. Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senator Shelley Mayer, Assemblymember Nader Sayegh and our generous supporters provide additional support for our programs. For further information, please call the Untermyer Performing Arts Council at 914-375-3435 or check our website at www.untermyerperformingarts.org.
