News.....
Gigs!
I've had my head down working hard on finishing my PhD in Asturian flute playing. It's hand in time and time to get step foot into the world of gigging. I have to concerts coming up at the end of April. With a sparling line up including Gina Le Faux (ex Red Shift, Tannahill Weavers, Shegui), Will Hampson (Ex Demon Barbers), flute god Paul Daly and my humble self. The Sheffield gig sold out within hours. Thank you!
Thursday 27th April 2023 Cafe#9 Sheffield.. SOLD OUT.
Friday 28th April 2023 Todmorden Folk Festival with Angeline Morrison (8pm)
Tickets – Todmorden Folk Festival (todfolkfest.co.uk)
Teaching @ Festival Interceltique de Lorient 2022.
I am thrilled to be invited to be Flute tutor at the 2022 Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany in August. It's also year of the Asturians so I'll be catching up with Asturian friends and making some final notes for my PhD thesis that I'll submitting in December 2022. Le Festival Interceltique de Lorient en Bretagne Sud (festival-interceltique.bzh)
Quarehawks raise money for Sheffield charity....
Thanks to everyone who bought Quarehawk over the weekend of 4th to the 6th of December 2020. All proceeds went to the wonderful Roundabout Youth Homeless Charity in Sheffield. We raised £75. Thank you all so much. You can find out more about the work the charity does @ https://www.roundabouthomeless.org/
Blarney Pilgrim Podcast
I had a great morning chatting with the lads from the excellent The Blarney Pilgrims Podcast. A couple of hours talking about growing up in Manchester, Playing Irish music and the themes from my Album Quarehawk... gender, identity, sexuality, nationalism, Irishness, my PhD research in Asturias. Take a listen and check out there other podcasts with musicians such Kevin Crawford and Theresa O Grady amongst many others.
https://www.blarneypilgrims.com/episodes/michael-walsh-interview-flute-whistle-singing
Hi all. I have my head down writing the PhD. Just under a year to go. This weekend would have been one of the last Quarehawk gigs until after I finish my research at the University of Sheffield. I was due to be playing at Shepley Spring Festival, a festival with so many happy family memories. But I am grateful to be well and safe. Just when you think it goes quiet you get a call from a journalist who has picked up on your album. I had a lovely chat with Robert McMillen from the Irish News based in Belfast. He loved Quarehawk and was a really lovely chap. You can read on the link below. Tonight I'm going to take out a couple bottles of Asturian Cider and count my blessings. Stay well and if you'd like to give me a hand, buy my album or message your favourite radio presenter or journalist and tell them about Quarehawk. I love you all.
Séan Ó Riada Gold Medal Finalist 2020!
I'm really thrilled to be a finalist in the Ó Riada Gold Medal competition in Cork in February 2020. The competition is organised by the family of the late Irish composer Séan Ó Riada. It aims to encourage the diversity of styles to be found in Irish traditional music. I sent in 6 recordings. Each year there is a different category of instruments. 2020 is flutes and tin whistle. They are passed on to the adjudicators. The adjudicators don't know the name of the performer so make a judgement based on what they hear rather than any preconceived ideas the may have about the performer. This years judges are Mary Bergin, Michael Turbridy and Gary Hastings. We'll all meet up in Cork in February for a weekend of music. You'll be able to listen live on RTE Raidió na Gaeltachta Friday 7th February.