On Sunday August 26 2007, I presented a workshop of Japanese and Irish music and culture with Junshi Murakami, an accomplished player of the Irish harp. This was part of a Japanese festival organised by Irish Art Now and took place at the Newry Museum in Northern Ireland.



We presented a programme that included pieces by the blind Irish harpist Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), Irish dance tunes, some well-known melodies as well as a couple of honkyoku and Japanese folk tunes. The timbre of the Irish harp is not unlike the Japanese koto so the ensemble worked well. Many thanks to the staff at the Newry Museum, Kathy and Peter from Irish Art Now and the fantastic audience.



Download MP3s of the concert:
Tabhair dom do láimh
O'Carolan's Concerto
Two jigs
Planxty Irwin
Toss the feathers