17/10/2022
We've been taking a little break from the public stage here, but behind the scenes, our various team members have been super busy! Here's a taste of what our composer, KenWhelan, has been up to before his forthcoming gig with The Tolka Hot Club at The Civic this Saturday! Wishing you all the best for the gig!
Spotlight on...Ken Whelan
Ken is a professional accordionist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer who has been performing and touring Europe across folk, Irish trad, indy rock and classical genres for nearly 30 years. He has a Masters Degree (Hons) in Music and Media Technology from Trinity College Dublin and has studied Improvised Jazz in TUD Conservatoire.
Recent performance work includes The Music of John Williams with the Ulster Orchestra, featuring as a wandering minstrel in Northern Ireland Opera's smash hit 'La Boheme' and devising and performing in Irish National Opera's groundbreaking opera, 'Out of the Ordinary' .
He has recorded on numerous albums with artists such as Don Baker, Eamonn Dowd, Eamon Carr, Gemma Hayes, Peter McVeigh, Caliban and more. He plays piano, saxaphone and accordion with Eamonn Dowd and the Racketeers and has played accordion with Caliban, both on tour and in the recording studio and easily navigates the genres of folk, rock, classical, Irish trad and jazz.
He co-founded the Diamond Ensemble, an award winning group of classical accordionists and after training with Eimear Noone and Craig Stuart Garfinkle is Musical Director with Lucan Concert Band and The Now And Then Production Company.
Earlier this year he premiered music in the play Breaking Deep by Creatrix Theatre at Scene and Heard Festival and toured in Switzerland, Austria and Italy with Irish artist Shane Ó’Fearghail.
