Trí60 No.2 - Artists in Concert

Traditional music, wherever it’s from, can provide the vocabulary for musicians to interact in new ways, and Trí60 aims to provide the right ambience for great conversations to flourish. When it works, it’s a natural dialogue, an easy ebb and flow of ideas and creativity, borne on the mobility of traditional music and the diasporas that carry it with them. For our second Trí60 concert, we’ve brought together four musicians from three continents, all of them perceptive to the musical possibilities that this residential encounter at The National Concert Hall might offer.

The exquisite voice and piano of Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill has been a lyrical presence in Irish music for four decades, be it with groups devoted to the rich Donegal repertoire like Skara Brae, the memorable achievements of The Bothy Band, or the jazz terrain of Nightnoise. Her understated approach and wealth of song will find good company here.

Among them is Wouter Vandenabeele, a remarkable violinist from Brussels, a city whose international disposition is reflected in his instrumental philosophy. The nuances and colours of the fiddle around the world, from Arabic classicism to gently insistent West African grooves, have been absorbed in an entirely natural and coherent way.

Liu Fang is without peers in her command of the pipa, the teardrop shaped lute with deeply scalloped frets that came to China via The Silk Road in the 6th century. Based in Montreal since the mid 90’s, Liu Fang has blossomed as an ambassador for China’s great trove of traditional music, with a resume of collaborations that include kora master Ballake Sissokho and Irish classical guitarist Michael O’Toole.

Knitting it all together is the charismatic Australian Steve Cooney, who has elevated the guitar to new heights in Irish music since becoming a vital presence here in the 80’s, his spirited playing always bringing out the best from those around him.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this diverse quartet in conversation at 11am on 15 October at The National Concert Hall!

Presented by The National Concert Hall in association with Improvised Music Company and Conor Byrne.