Na Fidleiri – Fantastic Irish Folk Fiddlers
GreaterCharleston.com
June 3, 2009 by Laura Hogarth Tutt
Young and Irish at heart you certainly didn’t have to be Irish to enjoy Na Fidleiri Saturday, May 30 during Piccolo Spoleto at Circular Congregational Church in downtown Charleston. The hour and one half show featured sixteen fiddlers, plus a whistler, guest percussionist, Danny Mallon, guest guitarist, Chris Teves, and guest cello, Wade Davis. They kept the audience’s toes tapping and heads nodding to the driving beat of traditional Irish tunes from Lannigan’s Ball, to Lafferty’s Reel, and the classic Danny Boy sung by soloist Kiri Taylor. The group has performed extensively throughout the Southeast and toured in Ireland in 2007. The members range in age 9 to 18 and attend a number of Charleston area grade and high schools. Most are classically trained and learn the Irish folk tradition when they join the group, mainly by playing by ear without sheet music, although it is available to them. Try outs are held each year in August. This year auditions will be held 10 a.m. Aug. 22 at the College of Charleston, Simons Center for the Arts. Na Fidleiri, founded in 2000 by Mary Scott Taylor, a first-generation Irishwoman whose parents instilled in her the love of Celtic music, is part of The Taylor Music Group, founded by her husband Robert Taylor, which supports activities that incorporate art music and folk music in performance and education through guest professional performances and the Festival Choir. Na Fidleiri will perform again 7 p.m., Monday, June 8 at Circular Congregational Church with Ferintosh. For more information about Na Fidleiri or auditioning, contact Mary Taylor at 843-819-6961.
Excellent Fiddlers
The city of Charleston hoards an embarrassment of riches in its cultural realm but none rarer than the incomparable Mary Taylor. We were fortunate to host her amazing troupe of young fiddlers, Na Fidleiri, at our Irish Festival this past weekend.
The first thought that came to mind as I witnessed their performance was of the hundreds of hours required to produce such discipline and excellence. Yet the discipline was obviously not of the grim and joyless variety, as the musicians performed with a vitality and virtuosity that stunned the audience members and brought them to their feet repeatedly.
Nowhere have I beheld the mastery of difficult skills at such young ages. To use an old 19th century phrase: The effect was sublime. Mary Taylor has lit the fire of creation of great art.
I thank the young performers, their parents and all who have encouraged them to strive for demanding artistic heights. But most of all. I thank Mary Taylor for her vision and will and the extension of both through these marvelous musicians. Na Fidleiri will always be welcome at our festival.
JIMMY BUTTIMER
Chairman
Savannah Irish Festival
