Since 2009 John has been at the forefront of Flamenco in Ireland, as a performer, composer, educator and primary ambassador of Flamenco guitar & culture in Ireland.
Having studied with Flamenco masters in Andalucía over the course of 4 years, John returned to Ireland to bring his passion for Flamenco music to the stage.
His compositions are based on the styles & forms inherent to Flamenco but informed by his life growing up in Ireland.
They include elements of traditional Irish inflection & harmony, classical & jazz harmony, fused with the standard musical language of Andalucía
As a performer he has being invited as the International Artist to The 2015 Paco de Lucia Guitar Festival in Algeciras, Spain & The 2014 International Flamenco Festival in Consuegra, Spain.
John also performed for 2 consecutive nights in 2014 in the famous Flamenco venue ‘El Candela’ in Madrid, Spain.
In his home country of Ireland he has given concerts in the National Concert Hall on a number of occasions and appeared in the Guitar Festival of Ireland, the City of Derry Guitar Festival, Ards Guitar Festival and many more.
He has been commissioned to compose music for Ballet Ireland, Riverdance and Michael Rooney’s De Cuellar Suite amongst others.
Passionate about passing on to others what he learned during his time in Spain, John regularly presents Masterclasses & Workshops throughout Ireland & the UK
He has performed onstage with many acclaimed Flamenco artists including Salvador Andrades, Jose Manuel Leon, Maria Delgado, Alicia Carrasco, Karen Lugo, Luis de Luis, Antonio Sanchez,
Juan Ignacio Gonzalez, Gines Pozas, Remedios Heredia, Carmen Cervantes, Jaime Salazar,Losada, Jaime Nadal Perez, Jose Torres, David Avila, Olayo Jimenez, Lucas Gonzalez, Mercedes, Garcia Lopez, Pepe de Algeciras.
He has collaborated with many Irish artists on cross-genre projects including Hugh Buckley, Redmond O'Toole, Darragh O'Neill & Pat Farrell and is currently presenting concerts with the recently-formed John Walsh Flamenco Quartet, incorporating singing dance & percussion from Andalucía
More About this Artist
Ian Patterson, allaboutjazz.com“John Walsh gave a remarkable flamenco performance that demonstrated not only his phenomenal technique but his evident feel for the idiom. ”
Irish Examiner“Masterful Guitar ”
Bill Whelan, composer““It is one thing to be able to get your fingers around the blinding technique required to play flamenco guitar. It is another thing altogether for the player to imbue the passion and expression of flamenco into his playing. John Walsh manages magnificently to achieve both!” ”