Brendan Mulvihill, Angelina Carberry, and Dan Brouder

ANNAPOLIS—Acclaimed Irish fiddler Brendan Mulvihill, Angelina Carberry (tenor banjo), and Dan Brouder (button accordion) present an unforgettable night of rare jigs, reels, hornpipes, and more drawn from the Martin Mulvihill collection of Irish Traditional Music. This concert is not to be missed by lovers of folk and traditional music.

“Mulvihill, in particular, is an astonishing fiddler, even better now than when he left mouths gaping as a member of The Irish Tradition. He is able to slip in grace notes that harmonize with his main melodic line without sacrificing any of his lustrous tone, agile speed or effortless fluidity.” – The Washington Post

“Dan and Angelina play with a subtlety that brings a natural feel to the combination of accordion and banjo…Their playing is almost nonchalant without being arrogant and it is clear that not only is there a great respect for each other’s playing but for the tunes themselves – Rawbar

BIOGRAPHIES:

BRENDAN MULVIHILL’s roots in Irish music run deep. Brendan’s grandmother, Bridgid Mulvihill, nee Flynn, was a fiddler and her brothers were all musicians as well. Brendan’s father, the late National Heritage Fellow Martin Mulvihill of County Limerick, Ireland, was a renowned fiddle player and one of the most highly respected Irish music teachers in America.

Brendan immigrated to New York with his family in 1965. In the ‘70s, he traveled to Ireland playing throughout the country with his contemporaries and building a huge repertoire of tunes. Later, Brendan moved to Birmingham, England where he played in céilidh bands and with the many Irish musicians who had also settled in the English Midlands. In 1975, Brendan returned to New York, where he soon began playing with accordion player Billy McComiskey and singer/guitarist Andy O’Brien. The three eventually made their way to Washington, DC, ostensibly for a week-long gig in The Dubliner pub as The Irish Tradition. The week turned into several years, and The Irish Tradition became a seminal influence in traditional music, helping to establish it as a permanent and integral part of Washington’s musical fabric. After recording several albums, the Irish Tradition disbanded. Brendan remained in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area, using the region as a home base for his travels.

Micheál Ó Súilleabháin referred to Brendan as “a rare genius.” This same thought has been shared by others and that is why so many have sought him out as their teacher. Brendan has taught several rising young fiddle players in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area. Brendan received the Maryland Traditions Folk Arts and Culture Apprenticeship Award in 2005 and 2018 for teaching the art of traditional Irish music. He was inducted into the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Mid-Atlantic Region Hall of Fame in 2008. Brendan continues to play at various venues in the Washington D.C. area, teach fiddle, and lead sessions and workshops. Brendan published his first tune book with a learning CD in 2013, Brendan Mulvihill’s Irish Scroll Volume One; it contains 93 tunes, mostly traditional tunes but also a few of his own compositions. In 2018 he released his first solo recording, The Journey, to share some tunes in Brendan’s playing style to help intermediate and advanced musicians learn to play traditional Irish music.

ANDELINA CARBERRY was born in Manchester, England into a County Longford musical family steeped in traditional music. Starting on the tin whistle, she later moved onto the banjo following in the footsteps of her father Peter and grandfather Kevin Carberry. Angelina moved to Galway in the late 90’s where she recorded the highly acclaimed album Memories from the Holla with her father Peter on accordion and John Blake on guitar and piano. Angelina was a member of the all female group the Bumblebees and toured with the legendary duo Tony MacMahon and Barney McKenna. Angelina performed for the Margaret Barry Hall of Fame Award, at the 2019 RTE Folk Awards in Vicar Street, Dublin, and in 2021 she received the prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil, Ceoiltor na Bliana / Musician of the Year.
Angelina’s style has evolved into one that is incredibly distinctive with its own rhythmical characteristics. Her two solo CD’s, An Traidisún Beo (2005) and Pluckin’Mad (2014), which were awarded among the Irish Echo’s Top 10 CD’S of the year, showcase her unique banjo sound. Over the years, Angelina has appeared on several albums as a guest performer, including The Lark’s Air (2011) by accordionist Dan Brouder and Music in the Frame (2017) by accordionist Josephine Marsh. Additionally, Angelina released two duet albums: Angelina Carberry and Martin Quinn (2003) and A Waltz for Joy (2017) with Dan Brouder.

In addition to performing, Angelina is also a music teacher and a popular banjo tutor at summer schools and festivals throughout Ireland, U.K., and internationally. Angelina has performed frequently and taught at Irish music events across North America and Canada, including the Catskills Irish Arts Week (NY), Augusta Irish Week (WV), Swannanoa Gathering (NC), Goderich Celtic Roots Festival (ON, Canada), O’Flaherty Retreat (TX), Cascadia Irish Music Week (WA), and most recent at Irish Musical Arts and Dance (MAD) Week (MD). Angelina has also played on popular television programs including Fleadh Cheoil RTE, Bosca Ceol, Hup, Sé mo Laoch, and Fleadh TV TG4.

DAN BROUDER is a well-respected exponent of the West Limerick accordion style from Monagea, a parish on the outskirts of Newcastle West. A musician who is highly regarded among his contemporaries for his musical honesty and the joy he passes on through the music he plays and cherishes, Dan learned his music in the surrounding parishes of Ardagh, Carrigkerry, and Glin on the Sliabh Luachra boundary from accordion player Donal de Barra and concertina player Timmy Collins from West Limerick. He also learned from flute players Donal O’Sullivan and Francis O’Connor (who learned their music from fiddler Peadlin Aherne) and from recordings of flute player Pajo Gleesen from the 1930’s and 40’s, whose styles were strongly bedded in West Limerick roots.
Dan has had the good fortune to perform with Sliabh Luchra fiddle icon, Julia Clifford, along with accordion player Johnny O’Leary and fiddle player’s Dennis McMahon, Paddy Cronin, and Connie O’Connell. Dan has been greatly influenced by Finbarr Dwyer, Joe Burke, Joe Cooley, West Limerick flute player Donal Sullivan, Martin & Brendan Mulvihill and the Dwyer family from West Cork.

Dan’s debut solo album, The Larks Air, was released in 2011 to critical acclaim by musicians and music reviewers. Dan appeared as a special guest on the 2008 recording Cairde Cairdin by fiddler Diarmuid O’Brien, which also featured a group of West Limerick accordion players. A Waltz for Joy (2017) and Back in Time (2021) are two duet albums that Dan recorded with banjo player Angelina Carberry. Dan has been featured extensively on popular RTE and TG4 program’ series Geantrai, Fleadh Cheoil RTE, Hup, Se mo Laoch, and Fleadh TV.

For more information, visit www.carberrybrouder.com

About Martin Mulvihill and his collection:

MARTIN MULVIHILL (born in Ballygoughlin, County Limerick, Ireland in 1923; died 21 July 1987) was an Irish traditional musician, composer, teacher, and author. He composed roughly 25 tunes in the Irish traditional style. Although his mother, Brigid Flynn, played the concertina and fiddle, Martin – the youngest of her ten children – was the only one to become a musician.

Martin began his study of music at the age of nine. From a violin player in the neighboring town of Glin, he learned the rudiments of the fiddle and how to read and write music; from his mother he learned the Irish traditional style. His early repertoire was learned both from local musicians and written sources such as the “Roche Collection of Traditional Irish Music,” “Ker,” and “O’Neill’s 1001.” In 1940 at age 17, he joined the Irish Army. After his discharge, he played with Meade’s Dance Band in Glin. In 1951 he emigrated to Northampton, England; there he married Olive McEvoy from County Offaly, with whom he had his four children, Brendan, Brian, Gail, and Dawn. All four of the Mulvihill children are musicians, with Brendan having become a noted performer and recording artist in the traditional Irish fiddle genre. Mulvihill continued playing music during this time, expanding his skills to include button accordion and piano accordion. The latter became his main instrument for several years.

In 1965 the Mulvihill family relocated to New York City. He began teaching music lessons part time, but as his reputation grew this quickly became his full-time occupation. He taught in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New York. Former students include Eileen Ivers, Mary Rafferty (of Cherish the Ladies), Willie Kelly, and Patrick Clifford. In 1984, Mulvihill was honored with a NEA National Heritage Fellowship. In 1986, he self-published a songbook titled “First Collection of Traditional Irish Music.”