Mountain City Traditional Arts to Present Irish Traditional Music Trio

       A powerhouse of Irish Traditional Music will perform at Mountain City Traditional Arts, Tuesday, March 8^th, at 7:00 PM.  Musicians John Blake, Mairead Hurley and Nathan Gourley will bring the sounds of Ireland to Frostburg just in time for an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration.  A $15 donation is suggested, but tickets are not necessary, the program is open to the public.

       John Blake is a traditional Irish flute player, guitarist and pianist. An ex member of traditional group Teada, John has performed and recorded with the cream of Irish musicians including, John Carty, Paddy Glackin, Noel Hill, Liam O’Flynn, Jesse Smith, Harry Bradley, Colm Gannon, The Kane Sisters and James Kelly.

       Mairead Hurley is from Ballymote, Co Sligo, and won the All Ireland Concertina Senior Championships at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in 2006. Music runs in her blood as her father is a flute and tin whistle teacher and her four siblings all play music. She has been playing since she was four years old.

        Nathan Gourley is one of America’s most highly regarded young players of traditional Irish music. His playing is steeped in lifelong study of the Irish tradition, and is at same time colored by his American roots. Gourley started playing music at age five. While living in Minnesota he had the opportunity to collaborate with such renowned players as Paddy O’Brien of Chulrua. Nathan can be seen playing at concerts, ceilis, sessions and festivals in Boston and throughout the United States and Ireland.

 

Mountain City Traditional Arts is a program of Frostburg State University, which receives support from the Maryland Traditions Program of the Maryland State Arts Council.