SEAN-NOS

Sean-nos


COORDINATORS PROFILES

Isao Moriyasu

- Isao studied baroque music in the Toho Gakuen Music College. He completed the post-graduate course of the same college. During the post-graduate course, he was honoured with the highest award and the special award for the all Japan recorder soloist competition. Isao also mastered traditional Japanese instruments, fue (flute) and taiko(drum), under the instruction of the head of a traditional Japanese music family and was assigned to accompany temple music & dance styles which had been designated as intangible cultural assets by the government.
Since 1987, he has travelled to Europe, visiting the renowned music institution the Leipzig Gewandthaus in Germany and the National Conservatoire of Music in Goeteborg/ Sweden, for lecturing on Japanese traditional and modern music. He also gave recorder recitals in these countries. Recently, he aroused his interest in Irish traditional music. He specialised in flutes and has been professionally active in promoting Irish music in various music scenes in Japan, together with his wife Masako, who plays concertina, Irish harp and bodran. He extended his career for lecturing on music, including Irish traditional music, in Kunitachi music college, one of the most eminent music colleges in Japan. His book on Irish music and people will be in print (publisher :Tokyo Shoseki) very soon, too.
With his valuable and experienced music career, Isao has coordinated performances and workshops for the Japan trip of the old-style Irish dancing and music group Sean-nos. He and his wife Masako will play together with Sean-nos members on various occasions during their stay in Tokyo.

Rieko Yamashita

- Having knowledge on international business and languages in which Rieko Yamashita had been professionally involved, she contributed to the establishment of the Tokyo branch of Comhaltas, the association for traditional Irish culture, in Japan in the early 90s and served as its chairperson for three years. While promoting Irish culture, she herself learned set dancing both in Japan and Ireland. Every summer she attended classes at the Willie Clancy Summer School in Co. Clare and was taught by well-known dance tutors such as Joe & Siobhan Donnovan, Aidan Vaughan, Willie Keane etc. She also was part of a team that initiated the annual Celtic Festivals in Japan which invites professional musicians and artists. For organising the first Celtic Festival, she worked with various organisations and firms related to Ireland and raised sponsorship. Since 1995 she has been enrolled in the post-graduate course in Communication & Cultural Studies at Dublin City University and worked as liaison supporter in a Japanese firm in Bray. Taking advantage of the stay in Ireland, she has also received dancing instruction by master set dance tutors such as Mick Mulkerrins and the late Connie Ryan. She also started old-style step dancing, taught by Celine Turburty, James Keane and Brenda Hogan. She is very interested in bringing authentic Irish music and dance, as put together by Sean-nos, to Japan.

ARTISTS PROFILES
Introduction of the group, Sean-nos:

Each of the members of Sean-nos is an artist who has mastered traditional Irish music and dancing. They have been active for a long time in promoting Irish culture both in Ireland and abroad and by participating in professionally-led international festivals. With their professional skills and experiences, they will take part in various events to introduce the authentic Irish culture to Japan, a country where traditional cultures have been also highly evaluated. All events, such as concerts, performances, lectures and workshops, are aimed to bridge two sides of the world, by means of Irish music.

Antoin MacGabhann

- Antoin is one of Ireland's best known traditional fiddle performers. The essential thing about Antoin's music is that it is pure music for the love of it, said Hilda Chiasson, one of Cape Bretons foremost piano players and step dancer who recorded the CD Ar Aon Bhuille (Matching Beats) with Antoin. He has been twice All-Ireland Senior Fiddle Champion, winner of Fiddler of Dooney and Fiddler of Oriel titles, Oireachtas Senior Fiddle title and Orieachtas Crotty Cup for previous prizewinners. He is a widely recognised performer, teacher and adjudicator in Ireland and Britain. He was a member of tour groups to Britain, USA and Canada on a number of occasions and in September made a World Tour with Na Ridiri with performances in Ireland, Britain, USA, NZ and Australia. He has performed at Cape Breton, France (Ti Kendalc, Brittany) and last year at the Irish Festival Kelterne Kommer in Aarhus, Denmark. He has performed regularly on radio and TV and RTE made a programme titled Anton Mac Gabhann on his contribution to Irish music and language. He has recorded a CD with Cape Breton pianist Hilda Chiasson, and is also featured on tracks on Comhaltas albums and as guest on an album with the group The Boys of the Lough. At home in Ireland, he is teaching fiddles to children and organising many concerts and events. He has four children, each of them are talented dancers and musicians.

Mick Mulkerrins

- Mick can just walk on the music and he frequently does (by Cath Taylor in the magazine The Set Dancers). Mick Mulkerrins has been widely acclaimed as a performer and teacher for set dances and sean-nos dances. He has been known as a button accordion player from his youth also with his humour and smile, he is one of the most popular dance tutors in Ireland. He has given workshops around Ireland and in the USA at international festivals such as Milwaukee, Washington, West Virginia etc. He has been giving workshops in Denmark for the past few years, including at last year's largest Irish Festival Kelterne Kommer in Aarhus.

Aidan Vaughan

- Born in Miltown Malbay, Clare, the county wheretraditional music and dancing is an essence of life, Aidan Vaughan started dancing from his youth. Among famous Clare dancers, he has been recognised as a genius of step and set dancing. Audiences have been nailed down on his excellent foot-work and amazed at sounds created by his steps. Aidan's steps are heard on the CD of Noel Hill (concertina) and Tony MacMahon (button accordion). He has performed frequently on TV and has been a member of a number of tour groups to Britain, USA and Canada. He also demonstrated dancing in the popular set-dance video tuition series, Come Dance with me in Ireland. He has been also teaching dancing at home and in summer schools. This year Aidan Vaughan and Mick Mulkerrins taught together the West Clare battering steps in the Willie Clancy Summer School in Co Clare.

Bernadette MhicGabhann

- Bernadette MhicGabhann, married to fiddle player Antoin, came from a famed Clare set dance family. Her father passed down traditional Clare dances to many prestigious dancers of today including Aidan Vaughan. Her family tradition of New Year House Ceili has been maintained by Antoin and Bernadette and their house dance ceilis in January with more than 100 musicians and dancers in their house, has been broadcast live by RTE radio for the past three years. Bernadette herself is a very talented set dancer and step dancer. She has performed on TV on many occasions and has been a member of tour groups to Britain, USA, Canada, and the Lorient Interceltique Festival. She is also teaching dancing to the younger generations as her father did.

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