Greetings from the Center for Irish Music,

Éigse CIM, A Gaela Event was a legendary evening fill with lively tunes, songs and lore from emcee, Máirtín de Cógáin, and it was an overwhelming success for the CIM!  Thanks to your support, we blew past our $12,000 goal for the "Help Give a Hand Up to the Next Generation" fund a need initiative, and are already making plans to get our projects rolling.  Just yesterday morning, seven "Celtic Cuties" were happily singing and leaping about with instructor, Alisa Mee at the first class.

I'd like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our incredible team of lead volunteers and to event chair and CIM Events & Communications coordinator, Aja Beers, for weaving the event together with style and poise.   Thanks also to the event sponsors, table sponsors, raffle and silent auction donors, instructors and guests for their generosity and active show of support.

Master of ceremonies, Máirtín de Cógáin at the finale.
Singing in full voice at the finale!
2 CIM musicians and O'Shea Irish dancers, Adrienne and Carmen kick up their heels for the finale!
The Advanced Youth Ensemble played a gorgeous set during the dinner program.
Rich Fitzgerald saying a few words about his brother before we announced the 2018 Timothy "Fitz" Fitzgerald Scholarship recipients. Congratulations to Finn Coleman, Victoria Pierce and David Hill!
The send-off, releasing hundreds of hearty Irish-Minnesotans out into the gorgeous night of freshly-fallen snow.
All photos by Patrick Maun

Onwards and upwards for traditional Irish music in the Twin Cities, and I'll see you next year on February 23rd for Éigse CIM, A Gaela Event 2019! 

I look forward to seeing you at one of the St. Patrick's Day festivities this month. Please do consider volunteering a few hours of your time at the CIM booth at the Landmark Center!

Norah Rendell
Executive Artistic Director

LandmarkStPatrick
Join the CIM in celebrating St. Patrick's Day
at the Landmark Center
   
Info. booth 2014
The CIM will have an information booth at the Landmark Center on March 17th and 18th, and we're asking for your help! This is a great way to get to know your fellow CIM community members, share your enthusiasm about CIM, and and enjoy the St. Patrick's Day festivities!   


CIM Performances at the St. Patrick's Day Celebration, Saturday March 17th

TIME
LOCATION
FEATURING (CIM INSTRUCTOR)
10:00 am Weyerhauser The HiBs (Jode Dowling)
10:00 am Main Stage Two Tap Trio (Brian Miller, Norah Rendell & Mary Vanorny) play for Rince na Chroi
10:00 am Tea Room Open Sky Ensemble
10:40 am Tea Room Sona (Mattie Ernst, Hannah Flowers)
10:45am Weyerhauser  Brian Miller & Mary Vanorny play for MacTír
11:20 am Tea Room The Bellows Brothers
1:00 pm Main Stage Border CrosSing - The musical story of the "San Patricios" with Andala Juana and Norah Rendell
1:30 pm Tea Room Rupalai (Chad McAnally)
1:35 pm Children's Stage Jigs for Kids (Danielle Enblom)
2:20 pm Weyerhauser Clairseach (Charlie Heymann)
3:10 pm Main Stage Advanced Youth Ensemble
3:40 pm Tea Room Clairseach (Charlie Heymann)
3:50 pm Main Stage Barra (John McCormick)

CIM Performances at Day of Irish Dance, Sunday, March 18th

TIME LOCATION FEATURING (CIM INSTRUCTOR)
11:00 am Tea Room An Luan Ensemble
11:40 am Tea Room Dórain (Iain Dove Lempke)
12:20 pm Tea Room Young Adult Ensemble
1:00 pm Children's Stage Instrument Petting Zoo (Mattie Ernst & Iain Dove Lempke)
1:35 pm Children's Stage Jigs for Kids (Danielle Enblom)
2:00 pm Seminar Room "The O'Carolan Project" (Chad McAnally & Cory Froehlich)
2:20 pm Tea Room Swallowtail Ensemble
3:00 pm Children's Stage Play & Sing (Charlie Heymann)
3:00 pm Tea Room Starling Ensemble


HarvestHome
Save the Date for 
A Harvest Home Traditional Irish Music Day
September 22, 2018
   
Join us on Saturday, September 22nd  for A Harvest Home, a one-day event featuring workshops and a concert with the renowned members of traditional band Trían: Liz Carroll, Daíthí Sproule, and Billy McComiskey. Watch for details on the CIM website and in our upcoming newsletters! 

HarvestHome
Fiddle & Uilleann pipes workshops with
Willy Kelly and David Power
Saturday April 28, 2018
   
David Power is one of Ireland's foremost musicians on the uilleann pipes. Fiddler, Willie Kelly was born in the Bronx to a musical family from Ireland and is a  well-respected player and teacher. Together, they are embarking on tour beginning in New York and on through the midwestern United  States with their album Apples in Winter. The tour promises performances of pure  quality; moving and deeply felt Irish traditional music at its best.

Workshops will take place at the Center for Irish Music on Saturday morning followed by a concert presented by the Celtic Junction Arts Center.  Concert tickets are on sale.  Contact admin@centerforirishmusic.org for more info and to register for workshops.
IMDAEdGrant
   
IMDA Logo
The Irish Music and Dance Association is now accepting applications for their Educational Grants to help students of all ages pursue an interest in the traditional arts of Ireland. 

Grants may be used for classes, fees, travel expenses, equipment purchases or other purpose which supports the applicant's learning.  Grant recipients then bring their new skills back to the community by performing at an IMDA event in the Twin Cities. 

Since its start in 2006, the program has made grants to musicians, dancers, students of the Gaelic language, several of whom have been CIM students.



ConcertsEvents
Upcoming Concerts & Events

More than just St. Patrick's Day, the month of March is bursting with Irish music and culture.  Don't miss out - visit the "Gigs & Events" page of our blog  for an up-to-date calendar of concerts and events in the Twin Cities. Be sure too check back regularly for newly added traditional music events throughout the month!


IMDA St. Patrick's Day Celebration & Day of Irish Dance
Join us at the Landmark Center as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Day of Irish Dance with the IMDA! 

See above for student and instructor gigs at the Landmark Center. 

For a complete listing of performances, visit the Irish Music and Dance Association website . 


Music at the Cedar  
This month, the Cedar Cultural Center will feature concerts by some of Irish music's greatest performers. For more information and tickets, visit thecedar.org.  
  • March 8, 7:30 pm - An Evening with Cherish the Ladies
  • March 11, 7:30 pm - An Evening with LUNASA
  • March 15, 7:30 pm - We Banjo 3 with Talisk
  • March 17th, 8:00 pm - Boiled in Lead with SisterTree
  • March 25th, 7:30 pm - An Evening with Altan
Kickin' it Irish
This Irish dance and music event, featuring O'Shea Irish Dance and a star-studded band including Brian Miller, Todd Menton, Cormac O'Shea, Randy Gosa and Adrienne O'Shea.  Kickin' it Irish returns to the Celtic Junction Arts Center for March 10-11th, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres on March 12th and the Fitzgerald Theater on March 17th. Visit kickinitirish.com for more information and tickets. 

T he CIM blog's "Gigs & Events" calendar is not an exhaustive listing of all events withi n the Twin Cities Irish community. For more listings, please visit the IMDA Event Calendar, and the Celtic Junction Arts Center concerts.

DonateNowThe Center for Irish Music is a 501c3 nonprofit, and we depend on donations to continue passing along the tradition of Irish music and song. Please consider making a gift to CIM today! 

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This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the 
arts and cultural 
heritage fund.