Sunday, April 30, 11 am - 2 pm PT (In-Person Workshop)

Delve into the magical and enchanting world of Irish and Scottish Song Tradition with visiting Irish artist and Fulbright Scholar, Edel Meade.

In this workshop, participants will explore a selection of captivating songs from the ancient sean-nós tradition, many of which are said to have originated from the mystical otherworld beyond the mist-covered mountains. These extraordinary songs are typically sung unaccompanied, in the old style. Alongside the songs, participants will learn about fairy folk, selkies, mermaids, sirens, banshees, and other fascinating aspects of Irish and Scottish folklore. The workshop will be conducted in English, but participants will be introduced to songs in both English and Gaelic, with translations and phonetics provided where necessary.

About Edel Meade

A strikingly original artist working in the field of jazz, folk and contemporary music; Edel Meade is a vocalist, songwriter, performer and educator from County Tipperary, Ireland with a passion for the songs and culture of Ireland and Scotland. Edel was selected for the prestigious Fulbright-Creative Ireland Professional Fellowship Award 2022-2023 to undertake artistic research at the CJC under the mentorship of Laurie Antonioli in 2023. Her latest album Brigids and Patricias was released in 2021 to critical acclaim, reflecting on what it means to be a woman living in 21st century Ireland, drawing on Irish history, Irish folklore and current affairs following on from the success of her debut album, Blue Fantasia in 2017. Edel is an experienced educator and holds Masters Degrees in Songwriting and in Irish Traditional Music Performance, and Bachelors Degrees in Jazz Performance and in Journalism with the Irish language (Gaelic). She has studied Scots-Gaelic singing at Sabhal Mòr Òstaig on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and undertaken intensive training in the art of sean-nós singing with Rev. Nóirín Ní Riain with support from the Arts Council of Ireland.