Celebrate 25 Years of Irish Music at St. Louis Tionól

Some of the world’s top traditional Irish musicians will gather in St. Louis over the weekend of April 20-23 to celebrate the 25th year of the annual St. Louis Tionól, a four day musical celebration that includes a ceili (dance), music, dance and ballad workshops and two concerts, at the Focal Point in Maplewood and the Sheldon Concert Hall.

  • Thursday, April 20, 7:30 p.m. Ceili & Sessions, Pat Connolly’s Tavern, 6400 Oakland Ave

  • Friday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. Concert, Focal Point, 2700 Sutton in Maplewood

  • Saturday, April 22, 9am/4p.m. Workshops, SLU High School, 4920 Oakland Avenue

  • Saturday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. Concert, The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Avenue

  • Sunday, April 23, 10:30 a.m. Brunch & Sessions, McGurk’s, 12th & Russell in Soulard

“For a quarter century, St. Louis has boasted one of the largest such gatherings in the United States. “When it comes to Irish music events in North America, St Louis is definitely not flyover country,” said Andrew O’Brien, a Dublin-born fiddler and attorney who now lives in St. Louis. “It is an action-packed weekend of concerts, classes and sessions—informal Irish music jams—where the finest exponents of the art form are brought to St. Louis to play, teach and share.

For one great weekend every year, St. Louis becomes a premium Irish culture hub and a place to be.” Originally the Mississippi River Celtic Music Festival, the St. Louis Tionól was born out of a meeting between Judy Stein, of the Focal Point, and musicans Michael “Piper” Cooney and Mike Mullins in 1997. Mullins said the weekend music festival has grown in popularity as people have become interested in their roots and had their hearts and minds capture by productions such as Riverdance.

“By bringing together world class performers and teachers and hosting workshops, concerts and jam sessions, the St. Louis Tionól provides a much-needed link and pathway to pass along a tradition that many want to claim,” Mullins said. ith a total attendance of more than 3,000 since its inception, the St. Louis Tionól has become the event in the Midwest for lovers of traditional Irish music.” The highlight of the St. Louis Tionól will be a concert at the Sheldon Concert Hall showcasing teachers who hail from Ireland and across North America.

The weekend starts on Thursday, April 20 with a ceili and sessions at Pat Connolly’s Tavern. A ceili is lively social dance. Jackie O’Riley will be teaching the dances as the evening progresses and music will be provided by our own ceili band. A session will take place that evening as well.

The Saturday, April 22 concert begins at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available through MetroTix (metrotix.com, 314-534-1111) or at the door. Children 12 and under are free.

Workshops will be held Saturday, April 22 at St. Louis University High School. Both morning and afternoon workshops provide an excellent opportunity to learn new tunes, songs, and dances, not to mention techniques for all the instruments common to Irish music from master musicians. Newcomers are welcome; no experience is necessary to enjoy the dance or ballad workshops or learn a tune on the tin whistle or bodhrán (Irish drum).

This year’s roster of teachers includes Liam O’Connor from Dublin who’s at the top of a who’s who of traditional fiddle players. Liz Knowles, of the band, Open The Door for Three, will be here along with Pat Broaders, who will teach ballads, and Kieran O’Hare on pipes.

A central part of the weekend will be the iconic “sound of Ireland”, the uilleann (pronounced "illin”) bagpipes which have recently been placed on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Guest pipers will include Emmett Gill, Kieran O’Hare, Colm Broderick, Michael Stribling and Seán Gavin. A long time favorite and raconteur supreme, John Skelton will be teaching flute and we’ll have two of the finest whistle players in this part of the world, Dan Lowery and Frank Claudy, doing the honors in the whistle classes. Liam O’Brien, from a great musical family in Clare will be coming in to teach concertina. And of course, there will be classes in Bodhrán with Chris Weddle Jim Wenham and guitar with Keith Reins. The Tionól includes several other workshops, all of which can be seen on tionol.org.

Sunday, April 24, the festival concludes with a 10:30 a.m. festive brunch at McGurk’s in Soulard followed by sessions lasting until 4 p.m.

More information, including a schedule of all events, online workshop registration, and concert tickets can be found at tionol.org.

Arts and Entertainment, Editors PicksGrayling Holmes