Irish traditional band Bua comes to Columbia

Brian Hart, Jackie Moran, Sean Gavin, Chris Bain and Brian Miller

YouTube video: Bua at Milwaukee Irish Fest, Aug 2007

Brian Hart, CMCAA 2007 summer artist-in-residence is part of this terrific band, that includes three All-Ireland champions and loads of talent!

Sunday, May 4, 7:30 p.m.
Unity Center of Columbia, 1600 W. Broadway
$14 / $12 members / $10 students & seniors
Free for ages 14 & under

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A quintet comprised of some of America's most talented, young musicians, Bua have been described by Irish Music Magazine as "the essence of a superb band," their sound "a throwback to the playing of the 1960s and 1970s, keeping the music down the path of tradition" and their 2006 release, Live at Martyrs', "a work without gimmicks, where the musicianship is of the highest quality." It is no surprise then that Bua, lending to its Irish Gaelic meaning of 'innate gift,' have quickly risen to the status of America's premier traditional Irish music ensemble.

As a band, Bua have performed at numerous festivals including Boston's prestigious Irish Connections Festival, The Milwaukee Irish Festival, Cleveland's Irish Cultural Festival, Celtic Fest Chicago and The Saline Celtic Festival. As individuals they've shared the stage with a host of top Irish musicians including Martin Hayes, David Munnelly, Liz Carroll, Larry Nugent, Paddy Keenan, Aoife Clancy, Pat Broaders, Dennis Cahill, John Williams and more!

Bill Margeson of the Irish American News captures their essence concisely: "Clearly, this group is no locally-based collection of musicians trying to break out of Chicago. This is a group that has established itself [both] individually and as a group in the eyes and ears of the traditional community... As other bands change, disband or simply fade away, the tradition is blessed by what seems to be an inexhaustible pool of talent that comes to the front of the stage. It is Bua's time. Here they come."

Read more about the group: www.buamusic.com

Bua will also be playing at The Dubliner in St. Louis on Friday, May 2 www.dublinerstl.com
and in Kansas City at Community Christian Church on Saturday, May 3, 8 p.m. www.mvfs.org

The Irish Rogue, a 19th century classic comedy adapted by Mary Barile that is set in New Orleans on the eve of the Louisiana Purchase with period music and dance.
It will be performed at the Rhynsburger Theater on the MU campus, 8 p.m. on May 1, 2 & 3 and at 2 p.m. on May 4.

Read the review in the Columbia Tribune

YES! It's that time of year again!

JUNE 14 to AUGUST 8 -- Once again we will offer a variety of classes this summer for children, teens and adults. The schedule is not quite ready yet; it's really been a challenge to pull this together this year, but I am very excited and think it's going to be a FANTASTIC summer!!

Thanks to a $1500 grant from the Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation, we are able to bring over guest artist-in-residence Conor Caldwell, a student at Queens University Belfast, finishing his BMus and about to start his Master's program in the fall. He plays fiddle, banjo and mandolin and He will teach a variety of music classes, a dance class and a class on the regional styles of traditional dance music of Ireland.

We are also costructing a unique class, co-taught by Conor and local old-time musicians tentatively called "Tune-playing for folk dances" -- this class has two purposes: increasing the number of musicians in the community willing and able to play music for dances, and improving the ability of musicians to play for dancers through discussion and practice.

In addition, Brian Hart has offered to come over one evening per week to teach Irish language classes and individual lessons for concertina, accordion and traditional singing. We need a minimum of 12 language students (beginning and improvers) to make this possible.