Martin Connolly Concert in Dun Uladh
Concerts
- Date
- 15 December 2007
- Time
- 8:00 PM
- Location
- Dún Uladh
- Address
- Ballinamullan Road
- Contact
- Brendan McAleer
- Phone
- 028 8224 2777
Virtuouso traditional accordionist from County Clare, Martin Connolly brings his dinstinctive style of box playing to the Dun Uladh Cultural Centre for this great pre-Christmas concert on Saturday 15th of December. Martin is highly regarded as a musician, accordion maker and teacher. A native of Killaloe, Co. Clare, he grew up in a house where music was a major part of everyday life with both his parents’ musicians.
Music sessions were commonplace in the Connolly household in Killaloe, with famous names like Paddy O Brien, Joe Burke and Charlie and Ben Lennon regular visitors. Indeed everybody who liked to play Irish traditional music were made feel welcome in Connolly’s and it was inevitable that Martin would continue the tradition. With encouragement from his parents and the visiting musicians, Martin started playing the accordion and progressed steadily. He went on to win All-Ireland titles at all levels and is now one of the top accordion players of today, never compromising his music to achieve this status. Martin has travelled extensively in Europe, Canada and the USA performing and teaching. In 1995 he had the honour of representing Ireland at the Carrefour Mondial de L’Accordéon, World Accordion Festival in Quebec, Canada and shared the stage with names like Valentino Lorenzetti from Italy, Tony Russo from Switzerland, Francois Heim from France and Stephane Landray from Quebec, Canada. Martin’s talents were not confined to performing and teaching. From an early age he took an interest in the mechanics of the accordion. He set up his own tuning and repair business after learning most of the skills from Nils Nielson who was regarded by many as being “the only one to tune a box”. Nielson was a former employee of the now defunct Paolo Soprani Company and was exclusive tuner to the world leading accordionist Toralf Tollefson. It is said that there was nothing Nils didn’t know about the accordion and his willingness to divulge many of his secrets to Martin were an invaluable help in bringing the Kincora Accordion to what it is today. After returning from Quebec in 1995 Martin began designing and making his first accordion which was completed in March 1996. A year later the Kincora was awarded 1st prize in the Clare enterprise exhibition. Today these handmade accordions are many musicians first choice and their popularity is increasing worldwide.
This is an opportunity to see one of the truly great traditional virtuoso musicians of our time play a concert with some very talented local performers. The concert on the 15th of December will prove very popular with some of the best in local talent providing support to Martin and is the perfect night for family, friends & visitors. For tickets and booking information contact the Dún Uladh box office on 028 8224 2777
