ZoukFest is extremely happy to announce that Seán McElwain and Moira Smiley will be joining us for the 2012 Traditional Irish Music Weekend, June 7-10, at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

Seán McElwain, originally from Co. Monaghan, but now resident in Dublin, is a multi-instrumentalist performing on banjo, bouzouki and guitar. A member of the award-winning traditional group Téada, he has recorded four albums with the group, as well as appearing as a guest accompanist on a number of other releases. Currently engaged in a Ph.D study in D.K.I.T. exploring the music of the cross-border region of Sliabh Beagh, he is also actively involved in the organisation and running of an annual weekend of music “Scoil Cheoil na Botha” in his native county Monaghan.

Singer and composer Moira Smiley travels the world as a soloist and creates new work for dance, theatre and film. She is a life-long student of traditional song – specializing in Irish (Anglo-Celtic), Appalachian and East European solo and ensemble singing. Her voice can be heard in feature films, BBC, PBS, frequently on NPR, and on over 50 recordings. She tours regularly with her group, VOCO and has sung with leading vocal artists around the world.

ZoukFest is thrilled to announce that Mick O’Brien and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh will be on staff for ZoukFest 2012 Traditional Irish Music Weekend!

Mick and Caoimhín’s critically-acclaimed 2003 recording Kitty Lie Over is considered a modern classic that sets a new standard in duet playing for Irish traditional music. Their follow-up to that CD, Deadly Buzz, is a worthy successor and shows further subtle innovative development building on the foundation of their earlier release, and Gaelscéal, the National Irish language newspaper, has just named it Album of the Year.

Born in 1961 in Dublin, Mick O’ Brien began his musical education on the Uilleann pipes in the renowned Thomas Street Pipers Club in Dublin. His father Dinny O’ Brien, a traditional “box” (accordion) player, was also a constant source of tunes and inspiration. Mick recorded his first LP with his family when he was 13 years old. He later joined Na Piobairi Uilleann, an organization founded to promote piping, where he absorbed hundreds of tunes and refined his technique. His playing can be heard on numerous recordings with artists such as The Dubliners, Frankie Gavin and the RTE Concert Orchestra. Mick has toured extensively and given master classes throughout Europe and North America.

Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh plays traditional and contemporary folk music on fiddle, hardanger fiddle and ’5+5′ fiddle. In addition to being an established solo artist, he performs duos with dynamic Kerry accordion player Brendan Begley and Dublin uilleann piper Mick O’Brien, plays in a trio with Martin Hayes and Peadar Ó Riada, and is a member of two groups: The Gloaming and This Is How We Fly.