Month: June 2016

KEITH HARKIN : ”RISK THE FALL”Music Video unveiled June 25.2016

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KEITH HARKIN

SINGLE ”RISK THE FALL”Music Video unveiled June 25.2016

The world needs more romantics, which is another way of saying – the world needs to meet Keith Harkin. Born in County Derry, the handsome young Northern Irishman has traveled far and wide in search of the perfect wave and the perfect inspiration for his next song. With surfboard and guitar as his essentials, Harkin has entertained throughout Europe, Australia and North America. His disarming charm has won over countless audiences. Whether it’s singing or sharing stories, there’s always a smile in his voice.

The obvious next question is: Who is Keith Harkin? For the thousands throughout the world who have witnessed “Celtic Thunder,” the spectacular musical celebration of Irish song and culture, he’s the eye-catching blond whose voice and stage presence stood him out even in the large ensemble. The those few who may have been at the Rialto in Derry City one special night some time ago, he was the precocious 4-year-old who stole the variety show with his rendition of “Mrs. Jenny Wren.” For many others, he’s simply a friend, a good guy to hang with at a seaside pub after a day spent riding waves along Ireland’s Atlantic coast.  Though his Celtic roots are undeniable, his sound as a solo artist draws from that place where Matt Nathanson, Van Morrison, Jack Johnson and maybe a bit of Zac Brown and Joni Mitchell meet — that sweet spot between adult pop and acoustic contemporary.

Between his own records, Celtic Thunder and other projects, Harkin has recorded more than 20 albums, maybe two a year since he started being a musician 10 years ago. It’s worth noting that for all the immediacy of On Mercy Street, its appealing rough edges and spontaneity, Harkin brings a lifetime of experience into his sessions and onto the stage. Skilled on guitar and piano, he has performed on festival stages in the U.K., recorded with a 60-piece orchestra on his self-titled debut album with Grammy winner David Foster producing, and starred on the BBC Irish-language program Dha Theanga, whose music he also wrote and arranged. His solo concerts moved BBC Radio Ulster to hail him as the “Irish Jack Johnson.”

On his new album, ‘On Mercy Street’, (to be released later this year), the first Irish Single “Risk the Fall” is a meditation on the pain that can cut through love’s ecstasies, accompanied only by its composer, Patrick Murdoch, on acoustic guitar. They faced one another, recording into a single microphone positioned between them, each in his way bringing to life the truth of its refrain: “It’s hard to make sense of it all, I didn’t mean to get this high, but I’d risk the fall any day.”

LINKS: www.keithharkin.com

https://twitter.com/keithharkin

Instagram: @keithharkin

ELEANOR MCEVOY APPOINTED TO BOARD OF NATIONAL CONCERT HALL

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The Minister for the Arts, Heather Humphries, has announced a new board for the National Concert Hall in Dublin – and leading Irish artist Eleanor McEvoy is among the chosen individuals.

ELEANOR MCEVOY
ELEANOR MCEVOY

Eleanor McEvoy has been appointed to the board of the National Concert Hall. The composition of the new board was announced today by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys. All of the appointees have been vetted by the Public Appointments Service and were found to have the requisite experience to serve on the Board.

Eleanor is also a member of the board of IMRO. She is one of Ireland’s most distinguished songwriters of the past 25 years. Her current album is called Naked and it has received hugely positive reviews both in Ireland and internationally.

A first glance the list of members might suggest a further strong rock ’n’ roll connection, in the name John Reynolds. However, this is neither the boss of POD Concerts nor the drummer, producer and manager John Reynolds, who has guided the career of Damien Dempsey and worked extensively with Sinéad O’Connor. The John Reynolds appointed to the board is a former executive with KBC Bank.

The Minister has nominated Maura McGrath, who has been a board member at the National Concert Hall since 2014, as Chair designate. Her formal appointment will be made after her appearance before the relevant Oireachtas Committee.

The new members of the board of the National Concert Hall are:

· James Cavanagh

· Rebecca Gageby

· Gerard Gillen

· Eleanor Mc Evoy

· Maura Mc Grath (nominee for Chair)

· Máire O’Connor

· Michael O’Donovan

· John Reynolds

· Don Thornhill

This is the first board to be appointed since legislation was passed to place the National Concert Hall on a Statutory footing.

What follows are short bios of the members, as released by the Department of Arts (etc.) today, on behalf of the Minister.

  • James Cavanagh: Professor of Trumpet at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Extensive experience in classical music.
  • Rebecca Gageby: NCH Board member since 2014. Head of Programming and Administration at the Royal Irish Academy. Marketing, PR and fundraising experience.
  • Gerard Gillen: Professor Emeritus, Maynooth University. Former NCH Board Member (1986-91)
  • Eleanor Mc Evoy: International recording artist and performer. Elected board member of IMRO
  • Maura McGrath (nominee for Chair): NCH Board member since 2014. Extensive experience in Human Resource Management and Corporate Governance.
  • Máire O’Connor: Former partner at McCann Fitzgerald and Ernst & Young. Extensive legal, financial, business and corporate governance experience.
  • Michael O’Donovan: COO at Microsoft Ireland. Board member at Dublin Youth Orchestra.
  • John Reynolds: Former Chief Executive of KBC Bank. Extensive business experience.
  • Don Thornhill: Former Secretary General of the Department of Education. Extensive experience on a wide range of boards and selection committees.

 

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