O'Flaherty Irish Music Retreat
Teaching Traditional Irish Music
Our Guest Concert performers are students, former instructors and guests who are invited to perform in ensembles during meal times in the dining hall. See our SCHEDULE for times and days of these events. Here are our Guest Concert performers for this year:
Multi-instrumental and Kansas native, David Agee, is a pillar of the Kansas City music community. Dave began his career playing blues and rock guitar in his youth then picked up bluegrass and traditional Irish music in his early twenties, splitting time between guitar, mandolin, and fiddle. Dave was a member of the first Irish band in Kansas City, Talisman, and was a founding member of Scartaglen, … [Read more...] about Dave Agee
Guest Concert Performer | Lively Session Leader
Mark Bickford started playing Irish music on mandolin as a graduate student in Madison Wisconsin. After moving to Austin Texas in 1983 he started a session there and met Ken Fleming at Texas Irish music events (and was even at Ken and Peggy's wedding reception). He took up concertina, tenor banjo, and button accordion (B/C initially, switching to C#/D two decades later). He now lives in Ithaca New … [Read more...] about Mark Bickford
Guest Concert Performer | Moderate Session Leader
Grace Broadhead is a fiddler from Sandia Park, NM. She is a member of two local bands in Albuquerque, the Duke City Ceili Band and Jug O’ Punch. She is also a member of The Southwest Ramblers along with Dain Forsyth from Albuquerque, and Hughie Kennedy and Jason Turk from Cork, Ireland. In 2018 and 2019, Grace competed in the Midwest Fleadh. In 2019, her Newly Composed Tune “Chain Reaction” … [Read more...] about Grace Broadhead
Guest Concert Performer | Lively Session Leader
Janis Deane, M.Ed., CCC-SLP is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and has more than 30 years of experience working with patients who have voice disorders, swallowing disorders, chronic cough and vocal cord dysfunction, and those requiring voice restoration following total laryngectomy. Janis is a classically trained singer, but also an avid instrumentalist. She has played Irish … [Read more...] about Janis Deane
Former Instructor – Whistle, Flute | Workshop Presenter – Vocal Health for Singers | Guest Concert Performer | Moderate Session Leader
2004, 2005, 2008, 2009
Paul is no stranger to diverse music styles. Originally from Kentucky, moving to Texas in the early 1960’s, his passion for music was ignited by the early 60’s rock scene. Paul has played in rock, jazz, bluegrass, swing and gospel bands and is currently active in Irish-Celtic music as past president of the Traditional Irish Music Education Society and heavily involved with the O’Flaherty Irish … [Read more...] about Paul Dryer
Workshop Presenter – Playing Irish Harmonica & Irish Harmonica Session | Guest Concert Performer
Michael Dugger has been playing Irish music since 1982 when he was a founding member of the early super Irish American music group, Scartaglen. He was also a founding member of Sunrush and The Kelly Band. Though he started out in the music playing the stringed instruments, a left hand injury pushed him in the direction of the button accordion. He has been playing the box since 2001. He’s has shown … [Read more...] about Michael Dugger
Workshop Presenter – How to Arrange Irish Tunes into Sets | Lively Session Leader | Guest Concert Performer
Kevin Fleming started playing piano classically at a young age before beginning his journey into Irish music. He joined the TIMES Band & Session Players on bodhran and whistle, and soon ventured into learning flute as well. When he’s not playing in the band KinFolk, you can usually find him editing videos with his two dogs by his side. … [Read more...] about Kevin Fleming
Guest Concert Performer
Her fiddle work has been described as "fearless and formidable . . . with captivating tone and intonation," Virginia-born Margaret Graham honed her traditional music skills playing at festivals with a vast array of talents. Margaret is a classically-trained violinist and former concertmistress of the Richmond Youth Symphony Orchestra. This early training served as a foundation for her interest in … [Read more...] about Margaret Graham
Melody Player – Guitar Classes | Guest Concert Performer | Lively Session Leader
Irish musicians often joke about finding the elusive lilt in their playing -- that special something that makes a tune sound truly Irish. Hannah will be the first to tell you that this lilt can always be developed further, but there is no question that she has found it in both her fiddling and singing. While she has only called Michigan home since 2017, Harris has quickly made a name for … [Read more...] about Hannah Harris
Guest Concert Performer | Lively Session Leader
Therese Honey’s childhood fascination with the harp blossomed into an exciting and successful career as a full-time harpist, recording artist and teacher. She has performed as solo harpist with the Chieftains, has been featured at the Chicago Irish Festival, the Milwaukee Irish Festival, the annual Carolan Festival in Keadue, Co. Roscommon, in addition to the North Texas Irish Festival, … [Read more...] about Therese Honey
Former Instructor – Harp | Lead Harp Circle | Guest Concert Performer
2007, 2008
