Liam O'Connor
Born into a musical family in Dublin, his father Mick is a renowned music historian, flute-player and former member of the Castle Ceili Band. Liam is still in his early 20s and has recently qualified as a national school teacher. In 2002 Liam was awarded the prestigious TG4, Young Traditional Musician of the Year".
Liam absorbed much music in the home and began fiddle lessons with Seamus Glackin at the age of 8 and he credits Seamus with having developed and sustained his deep interest in traditional fiddle music. Liam completed all eight grades of classical violin with distinction in the College of Music, Chatham Row, Dublin and is an accomplished concertina player.
He has won 5 All Ireland fiddle and slow air championships, won the Oireachtas fiddle competition at junior and senior levels. Liam has been asked to teach at the Willie Clancy Summer School, Scoil Acla, The Frankie Kennedy Winter School and The Joe Mooney Summer School in Drumshanbo. He has toured and played extensively in Ireland in combination with Sean McKeown, Liam O'Flynn, Noel Hill and Harry Bradley. Television appearances include The Raw Bar and Fleadh Cheoil. Liam has played concerts in the USA, France and Italy.
Sean McKeown
Sean grew up listening to music at home on Dublin with his parents Gay McKeown (uilleann pipes) and Mary Corcoran (fiddle and piano) being his earliest influences. He began playing the tin whistle at the age of 6 under the guidance of Maureen McGrattan. Within two years Sean progressed to the uilleann pipes. Sean's first and only formal lessons came from Sean Og Potts. At a young age Sean took an interest in the older generation od musicians, such as, Seamus Ennis, Patsy Touhey and James Morrison. It was this keen interest in recordings of older musicians that helped shape Sean's approach to piping.
By the age of 15 Sean had amassed a total of 5 Fleadh Ceoil na hEireann titles and within a month of turning 18 he had won the senior Oireactas solo competition. In recent years Sean has performed with Noel Hill, Robbie Hannan and (fiddle player)Sean Keane as well as forging an exciting duet with fiddle player Liam O'Connor. He has toured Europe performing and teaching music and continues to teach at Na Pioibairi Uilleann as well as at various traditional music events like the Willie Clancy Summer School, South Sligo Summer School and Frankie Kennedy Winter School. Sean plays a full set of concert pitch pipes made by Cillian O Briain and released a recording in 2005 that features both his own music and that of his brother, Conor, and his father, Gay.
Sean was honoured to be awarded the 2005 TG4 Young Traditional Musician of the Year.
Tags: Liam O'Connor Sean McKeown full set irish celtic uilleann pipe fiddle
