Eileen Gannon: From Generation to Generation Irish Music in St. Louis
My guest today is harpist Eileen Gannon. I first met Eileen at the University of Limerick’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. We were both studying for our Masters in Ethnomusicology. And I want to thank Eileen for encouraging me on my harp journey.
Eileen grew up in St. Louis Missouri where her parents Helen and P.J. Gannon, who are from Ireland, wanted to make sure their children learned how to play and dance in the Irish tradition. St. Louis Irish Arts was created with the motto, “From generation to generation”. Established in the 1970s it has become a center of learning Irish music and dance attracting some of the finest Irish traditional musicians in the world to teach. Eileen and her family are passionate about teaching Irish music and dance to the next generation. Eileen is the head of music education at SLIA and is a well respected harpist in the tradition. Make sure to pick up a copy of Eileen’s newest solo harp album from 2017, “The Glory Days are Over”.
Eileen’s newest album with fiddler Robert Ryan is, “Down the Rocky Road”. This album primarily draws inspiration from Petrie’s Complete Irish Music, a publication featuring over 1500 tunes collected in Ireland between 1850 and 1860, and from the music of the Sliabh Luachra region in Ireland. On this album Eileen wanted to let the harp sing. She would find the harp resonating with the tunes making the overtones and harmonics of the harp shine.
We also discuss accompanying other instruments with the harp and how to play harp in a Traditional Irish Session.
Robert Ryan and Eileen Gannon
Links
Eileen’s Website: eileengannon.com
St. Louis Irish Arts: www.slia.org
Eileen’s Bandcamp: eileengannon.bandcamp.com
Workout at Home with Eileen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/279418142090331
Down the Rocky Road: robertryanfiddle.bandcamp.com/releases
The New Pornographers - Challengers: https://store.matadorrecords.com/challengers
The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland: (link to IndieBound click on photo)
Artists and venues mentioned:
Mícheál Ó Raghallaígh (concertina): www.copperplatemailorder.com/mor01.html
Renée Anne Louprette, organ & Ivan Goff, uilleann pipes & Irish flute at St. Patrick’s Cathedral NYC: www.reneeannelouprette.com/recordings/
The Focal Point - St. Louis: thefocalpoint.org
The Pageant - St. Louis: www.thepageant.com
The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at The University of Limerick, Ireland: www.irishworldacademy.ie
Nancy Blakes Limerick, Ireland: nancyblakes.ie