Episode 87-Revisited Fairy Forts and Changelings
Irish Music Stories Podcast
As magical new Irish music podcasts emerge, as dark forces swirl around the world, and as much of the northern hemisphere enters into shorter, colder days, the Irish Music Stories re-investigates lore and mystery surrounding Irish fairies. With care and caution—and with young co-producer Nigel—fiddle players Tara Connaghan and Martin Hayes, singer Emily Smith, and storyteller Máirtín de Cógáin help explore songs and stories about the Sí. ________________________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to recent underwriters: Harish Babu Arunachalam,...
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Episode 86-King of the Bees (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For this final (sixth) installment #6 she talks about the heartbreak and beauty of mortality, and (not so silly) naked rulers, and why there are no kings in the bee world. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project,...
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Episode 85: Red Rose and White Lotus (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #4 she talks of kings and royal roses, and spiritual leaders and mud-born lotus plants; and how it takes a team and timing for plants—and for humans—to transform. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this...
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Episode 84: William of Orange (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #4 she breaks down one movement of her Flute Duel (with talk of cadenzas, Nuevo Tango influences, and butterfly flight patterns). She also shares stories about the ancient monarch butterfly’s namesake and its Mexican guardians. _________________ For playlists,...
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Episode 83-Copper Over Navy (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #3, she highlights the Blue Dress motif, one of the recurring melodies on Perfect Maze. And she tells the story of weathering updates and tragedies of primates and men with a few different hues. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion...
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Episode 82-Aristotle in Spring (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #2, she examines her Sweetest Blooms Suite and considers some of the dramatic Spring blossoms in Aristotle’s day. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to
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Episode 81-Mapping the Perfect Maze (IMS Sidequest)
Irish Music Stories Podcast
In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). In keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project. For installment #1 host Shannon Heaton talks about finding her way through a tangle of old files (and political news) by writing stories. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to
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Episode 80-The Winning Hand
Irish Music Stories Podcast
When you’re tracing a song through six generations, and you’re digging into distinct versions of dance tunes carried by players from East Clare, you never know what card games and shipwrecks you might also uncover. This special episode—the last new story for a while—weaves together stories from John Tunney and Mary MacNamara, who grew up around generations of music in rural Ireland, with the tale of an American kid who played cards with her grandparents. * Find Paddy Tunney’s (restrung) Stone Fiddle .. and * Find Mary MacNamara’s * Listen to other episodes, and stay tuned to...
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Episode 79-Kesh v Glendart
Irish Music Stories Podcast
What is the U.S. Electoral College? And what does it have to do with The Kesh Jig and The Humours of Glendart? This election adjacent exploration of two popular jigs takes a look at the stories behind jig (and Presidential) contenders, and the process used to choose a winner. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to ___________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: John Sullivan, Heather Carroll, Michael Craine, Adele Megann,...
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Episode 78-Tools of the Trad
Irish Music Stories Podcast
When you’re making an instrument, you’re forming something that can be used to design a melody. Or a musical life. This episode follows a precious flute’s unexpected journey. And flute makers Patrick Olwell and Eamonn Cotter, piper Colleen Shanks, and fiddle players Bob Childs and Pat O’Connor talk about what it’s like to carve an approach as musicians and craftspeople. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to . ___________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank...
info_outlineMost of the Irish traditional jigs and reels I play have associations, information, history, and sentiments bundled into them. Even these dance tunes that have no words carry so much. And everybody who plays these tunes bears and shares more than just a few notes and rhythms. In this episode, flute player and piper Emer Mayock, harp player Andrea Kiupel-Grona, and banjo/harmonica player Don Meade share Rose in the Heather and Maid of Selma lore.
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For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org.
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Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: Susan Walsh, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Gerry Corr, Jonathan Duvick, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Ian Bittle, Finian McCluskey, Kieran Jordan, John Ploch, Brian Benscoter, Chris Murphy, Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, David Vaughan, Suezen Brown, and Paul DeCamp.