Paula explores ‘power of the pair’ in new concert series

THE POWER of the Pair in traditional music is the theme of a new series of concerts, curated by musicologist and broadcaster, Feakle’s Paula Carroll, starting at Glór next month.

Paula is a presenter on The West Wind on Clare FM and curator of several hugely successful live music initiatives, including Folk Nights at Glór and The Kitchen Sessions, broadcast live from venues across the region.

Her latest live series, ’Just the Two’, will feature duos who are in tune musically and emotionally, sometimes linked by bonds of family or friendship. It will explore the power of the pair in music and song.

Paula, who has also worked on a number of documentary and oral history projects, believes that if the solo voice is where the authentic expression of traditional music is found, then the duo is where musical communication is at its most creative.

When two musicians really understand each other, audiences witness an almost indescribable ‘flow’ between them. For this series, Paula has invited musicians to perform and to try to describe that process. Four pairs will perform every second Thursday night from September into October.

Ennistymon-based Paul Dooley, one of Ireland’s leading exponents of the Irish harp in its historical form and style will take to the stage on Thursday, September 1.

He will be joined by Kseniya Rusnak who arrived from Kyiv, Ukraine, earlier this year. Kseniya who plays harp and bandura, the national instrument of Ukraine, taught at the Kyiv Conservatory of Music and went down a storm at the Willie Clancy Summer School last month.

On Thursday, September 15, Elaine Hogan and Sheila Garry will explained their playing and their process.

Elaine is a harper from Ennis, who grew up with a love for all types of music. She felt a particular pull towards the Irish traditional world.

Elaine has toured extensively as a harper and is a regular performer and tutor at music festivals. Musical partner, Sheila, is a fiddle player from Ballynacally, and a fellow graduate of The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.

She has appeared on several albums, most notably her collaboration with Elaine on the acclaimed tradtional album ‘The Shores of Lough Breda’.

September 29 will see hugely-talented Miltown duo Therese McInerney and Marian Curtin join Paula. Therese is a fiddle player, broadcaster and singer.

As well as being a performer and teacher, she is a specialist music presenter and has been on the production teams of several music series on TG4 and RTÉ. Her second studio album ‘The YouthThat Belonged To Miltown’ is a collaboration with Marian.

Marian is a flute and whistle player and a student of the acclaimed teacher Bríd O’Donoghue.

She is steeped in the music of her internationally-known home town and now teaches that music in Clare and in her adopted County Laois.

Carna singing sensations Séamus and Caoimhe Ó Flatharta are a brother and sister who have been making an impact on the traditional music scene since appearing on TG4’s ‘Slí na mBeaglaíoch’.

Their use of harmony produces unique renditions of the sean nós song canon of their native Carna. Since 2020, they have appeared on ‘Fleadh TV 2020’ and taken part in ‘Other Voices’.

Also known as multi-instrumentalists, Séamus and Caoimhe are both students at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at The University of Limerick (UL). This will be their first appearance at Glór.

Show dates are September 1, 15, 29 and October 13. All concerts begin at 8pm.