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March 28: Irish Music for March Musical Moments
The Geneva Public Library Musical Moments Program on Friday, March 28, features traditional Irish music and stories. The program begins at 7 PM and is open and free to the public.
The all Irish performance is presented by a group that has been together for almost 30 years. It includes singer Susanne McNally, Charley Temple on guitar, Chris Vesey on the hammered dulcimer, Brooks McKinney on flute, and Kit Fallon, who both sings and plays the fiddle. The group learned to play Irish music the traditional way, by playing in the living rooms of friends. The performance will include traditional ballads, songs, and stories and promises to be informal and fun.
Local and other musicians have weaved their way in and out of the group over the years and the character and name of the group has reflected this. The group has billed themselves at times as Apples in Winter and at times as Round the House and Mind the Dresser. Ms. McNally explains that "these are just two of the many wonderful names for traditional Irish tunes that the group has used to identify themselves."
Traditional Irish music is a remarkably long-lived and universally appealing art. Centuries old, the music and stories survive because of a world-wide network of devoted fans and musicians. The music has served as inspiration for many musicians over the years. Bob Dylan borrowed lyrics and melodies from traditional Irish music. The music has influenced such diverse groups and artists as Van Morrison, Hothouse Flowers, Sinéad O'Connor, Enya, and The Pogues. George Fredrich Handel, who premiered his great oratorio, The Messiah, in Dublin, is reputed to have said that he would rather have written the Irish song "Eileen Aroon," than any opera.
Musical Moments at the Geneva Public Library showcases local musicians and writers and is offered on the last Friday of the month. It is free and open to the public, begins at 7 PM, and is supported by a grant from the Margaret Wyckoff Trust. For more information contact the library at 315-789-5303.