ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Le Vent du Nord
Le Vent du Nord (“The North Wind”), hailing from Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu in Quebec, performs traditional Québécois music, which is heavily influenced by Celtic music from both Ireland and Brittany, as well as traditional French music. Initially founded in 2002 by Nicolas Boulerice, Olivier Demers, Sébastien Dufour and Frédéric Samson, the lineup soon evolved after they met Benoit Bourque (vocals, accordion, mandolin, bones, and step dancing) in Vancouver later that year. Around the same time, Bernard Simard joined on guitar and vocals, solidifying the group. They released their debut album, Maudite Moisson, in 2003 through Borealis Recordings. The album earned them a Juno Award for Roots and Traditional Group Album of the Year.
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Triton Trio
Hailing from Vermont and Québec, Triton offers music rooted in the traditional dance repertoire of Northwestern Europe. The three are masters of the piano accordion, the quieter, bellows-blown bagpipes, and fiddle and nyckelharpa, together creating a beguiling and orchestral blend which utterly subverts the common stereotypes of their Old World instruments. Their repertoire includes bourrées from central France, triple-time hornpipes from the Scottish Borders, the Swedish slängpolska, the Breton hanter dro, and compelling originals reflecting these influences. Unified by their zeal and musical craftsmanship, their performances are also punctuated with engaging commentary on the music and instruments.
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Diarmuid Ó Meachair
Diarmuid Ó Meachair is an Accordion player from Cúil Aodha, Co. Cork. He is also an accomplished Melodeon player and sean-nós singer. He was awarded the prestigious TG4 Young Musician of the year award in 2022. Diarmuid is part of the teaching staff at the Department of Music in UCC. He is the new Professor of Irish Music in College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Diarmuid has released 3 solo albums in the past two years, “Siúl na Slí” (December 2022), “Melodeon Medleys” (July, 2023) and “Diarmuid Ó Meachair” in (July 2024). He was nominated for 2 RTÉ Folk Awards in 2023, “Best instrumentalist” and “Best emerging artist.”
A native Irish speaker from Cúil Aodha in the Múscraí Gaeltacht, Diarmuid has won many sean nós singing competitions at the Oireachtas na Gaeilge.
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Maeve Gilchrist
Described by one critic as “a phenomenal harp player who can make her instrument ring with unparalleled purity”, Maeve Gilchrist has taken the Celtic (lever) harp to new levels of performance and visibility.
Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, and currently based in New York, Maeve’s innovative approach to her instrument stretches its harmonic limits and improvisational possibilities. She is as at home as a soloist with an internationally renowned orchestra as she is playing with a traditional Irish folk group or using electronic augmentation in a more contemporary, improvisatory setting.
She tours internationally as a band leader, soloist and composer as well as belonging to a number of innovative collaborations including the prestigious Grammy award-winning Silkroad Ensemble (as a performer/composer and Arooj Aftab’s Vulture Prince and Night Rein Ensemble (as a performer/arranger). She has appeared at such major music events as Newport Folk Fesival, Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Big Ears Festival, the World Harp Congress in Amsterdam and the historic opening of the Scottish Parliament. She has played with such luminaries as Yo-Yo Ma, Esperanza Spalding, Frankie Gavin, Ambrose Akinmusire, Darol Anger, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Paul Simon.
Maeve is the Artistic Director of the Rockport Celtic Festival and the Founder of the Hudson Valley Creative Harping Retreat.
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