Claire Egan
London born, County Clare based fiddle player Claire Egan was born into a family of musicians and artists from the West of Ireland and has been immersed in the music from listening to the recordings of the Master musicians from the 1920s as well as the wealth of great musicians from Ireland living in London, including Bobby Casey, Brian Rooney, John Carty and many others. She has been hugely influenced and inspired by fiddle player and teacher Brendan Mulkere in London. Claire has won several competitions, prizes and awards including the Young Artists Award from the Irish Youth Foundation to assist with her studies, including among others, a masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music, London. Her music is regularly heard on BBC radio, RTÉ, RnaG, as well as on international media. She has played on several soundtracks and appeared on various television shows and recorded with various singer/songwriters, upcoming composers, ensembles and Orchestras throughout the world. Claire is also well regarded teacher and teaches internationally.
“This solo debut from London-Irish fiddler Claire Egan is a quietly confident collection that comfortably casts a glance to both the past and the present”
Siobhán Long, The Irish Times
“Turning Tides” is just sublime and certainly one for the collection, especially if you love fiddle music – definitely check it out”
Daniel Neely, The Irish Echo
We are privileged that she shares her wonderful music on this stunning début recording and I'm delighted that Claire Egan sounds, well, just like Claire Egan!"
John Carty
"I have to admit that this CD ranks with the top recordings of traditional Irish music, whether contemporary or historical. It is a refreshing review and regeneration of some classic favourites from the traditional repertoire, performed with exquisite artistry and creativity. This CD takes you on a glorious and vital journey through a great range of beautiful old tunes (and couple of novelties!).
Claire demonstrates her command and mastery of the violin and of the medium, the moods and modes of the traditional Irish music repertoire. Her playing reminds me of the swing style of the South East Galway masters. Her articulation and phrasing of the tunes presents a seamless melodic flow with dramatic use of stylistic elements – harmonic and melodic variation. Children, born to a multi-lingual early experience, handle languages with ease and natural expression in later life. Claire, likewise, nurtured in an Irish musical family and schooled also in the Classical repertoire, moves gracefully and with elegant sensitivity though a wonderful range of tunes in the traditional repertoire. In her playing, it is easy to recognize her attention and respect for traditional forebears; but her performance here is uniquely her own.
Claire’s exposure and performance of Classical scores not only has not hindered, but contributes to the possibilities in the delightful regeneration of the little cycles of the Irish dance tunes. She entertains a holistic view of music and finds it natural to move across genres. She finds adventurous and effortless artistic musical “pathways” in her creative forays into the traditional music repertoire.
Claire’s playing of the slow air is for me a poignant reawakening of the memories of my father’s beautiful slow air playing. He will be thrilled to hear this rendition - from another place. My great friend, the master fiddle player from Killaloe, Seamus Connolly – forever identified with the Boston College of music in the USA – will not, I trust, be unhappy with Claire’s playing of his composition, “An Carraig Rua”.
Claire has been showered with prodigious talent from the Almighty! She is sharing this gift with you in this CD. Thanks be to God."
Brendan Mulkere June 8th 2015
Claire Egan: Fiddle and Viola
Sinéad Egan: Guitar
Mick Conneely: Greek Bouzouki
Jack Talty: Concertina, Piano
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Jack Talty
Artwork & Design by Collette Egan.
Photography, Design & Graphics by Robert Ellis.