
Nolan Ladewski began to learn the tin whistle at 6 years old with his uncle and took up the flute at age 15. He has continued to improve his craft through the study of his favorite musicians and recordings and attended workshops in Ireland in 2000 and 2003-2004. In 2007 he attended workshops in England with tin whistle master Brian Finnegan. Nolan has also had great fortune to receive advice, tips, and lessons over the years from great flute and whistle players like Paddy Keenan, Christy Barry, Tom Doorley, Tyler Duncan, Kevin Crawford and Laurence Nugent.
Nolan was a regular competitor on the whistle at the Comhaltas Midwest Regional Fleadh throughout his youth, and competed in the All Ireland Fleadh in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford in 2000. Most recently he took gold in senior tin whistle at the 2014 Midwest Regional Fleadh in St. Louis, MO.
Nolan started to play professionally at age 12 with the group Kennedy’s Kitchen from South Bend, IN, performing concerts and festivals throughout the midwestern and eastern United States. Over the years has added the guitar, bodhran and vocals to his musical repertoire. He has recorded five albums with Kennedy’s Kitchen, as well as a duo recording with fiddle player Sean Hoffman in 2012. In 2016 he recorded an album with the group Soltre. He resides now in Virginia and is in his third year touring with Irish-Americana group Scythian.
Instructor – Flute, Whistle
2016, 2018