Kids Concert: Irish Folk Music & more!

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Past Event ....... April 21^st, 2010 — 1:30 pm

ergus Wednesday, April 21, 1:30 p.m., in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library, a special school-vacation-week concert of lively Celtic dance tunes and songs by Irish-born folk musician Fergus O’Byrne and his sidekick Jim Payne from Newfoundland, performing on accordion, fiddle, banjo, guitar, tin whistle, bodhran and more. Free. For more information: 513-3050.

Further details:
A lively program of songs and dance tunes from Ireland, Newfoundland and beyond will be presented by the folk duo O’Byrne & Payne at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, at the Lewiston Public Library. Admission is free to the hour-long event, which will take place in Callahan Hall, located on the library’s third floor.”These two gifted musicians have a special knack with young audiences so we’re very fortunate to have been able to get them here during school vacation week,” said Cindy Larock, coordinator of cultural programs for the library. “We’re hoping to attract families with kids of all ages, plus grandparents and other â€˜mature’ adults who likely will be familiar with some of these beloved old-time tunes from Canada.”

The pair is on tour from Newfoundland with their bountiful collection of folk instruments, including accordion, fiddle, banjo, guitar, tin whistle, mandolin, bodhran and concertina.

Jim Payne has been a professional performing artist for two decades. Long known as a leading performer and collector of Newfoundland traditional music, he is also one of the province’s most prolific songwriters, working in several genres. In addition, Payne is a practiced storyteller, actor, step dancer and teacher of traditional Newfoundland set and square dances.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Fergus O’Byrne emigrated to Canada in 1967. While living in Toronto he became a founding member of the Irish folk band Ryan’s Fancy, and in 1971 he moved with the group to St. John’s, Newfoundland. During the next 14 years, O’Byrne toured extensively throughout North America and Ireland as part of the trio. In 1987 he graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a degree in education, and since then he has had a concentrated interest in promoting folk music to children both as a classroom teacher and a performer.

In addition to numerous recordings with other artists, O’Byrne and Payne have produced two CDs as a duo: “Wave Over Wave: Old & New Songs of Atlantic Canada,” which was a 1997 East Coast Music Award nominee in the Traditional/Roots category, and “How Good is Me Life,” released in 2007.

The library’s Children’s Department is also offering a special gardening class for kids age 6 to 11 during vacation week. Called “Playing with Food,” the two-part program will provide an opportunity for participants to decorate a pot and plant a seed in it to take home. In the process, they will learn which vegetables are started inside, how to take care of a growing plant, and how to know when it’s time to move a seedling into the garden. The class, which is facilitated by staff from Lots to Gardens, will meet from 11 a.m. to 12 noon on Tuesday and Thursday, April 20 and 22; children must be available to attend both sessions in order to sign up. Pre-registration is requested as space is limited. Those interested should call the LPL Children’s Room at 513-3133 to register.

Other LPL youth activities happening during vacation week include storytime sessions for tots age 2 Â½ to 5 years of age at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and for babies and toddlers up to age 2 Â½ at 10 a.m. on Friday.

No tickets or advance reservations are necessary for either the upcoming folk concert or the storytime sessions. The Lewiston Public Library is located at 200 Lisbon Street at the corner of Pine Street in downtown Lewiston.

Posted: Friday, April 16th, 2010 in Family, Music