The annual TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards are a big highlight of the Irish tradtional music year. The winners this year include Grammy award nominee and tunesmith Liz Carroll for Traditional Composer of the Year as well as Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, flutist and singer with Danú, for Traditional Singer of the Year and the Gradam TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year goes to Noel Hill!
Most of you who enjoy traditional Irish music will be familar with most, if not all, the winners of the Gradam Ceoil awards this year. The Singer of the year award went to Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh of Danú. Muireann grew up in West-Kerry where she learned to sing sean-nós songs. As with most tradtional singers it is through the introduction to music sessions from a young age that the tradtion is passed on. This gave Muireann a firm rooting in her musical heritage which she later consolidated by attending Siamsa Tíre, the National Folk Theatre of Ireland. In 2002 she was awarded an M.A. in Traditional Music Performance from the University of Limerick. Muireann joined Danú 2003 who then went on to win the BBC 2 Folk Award for “Best Group” in 2004. She also teamed up with Julie Fowlis, Eamon Doorley and Ross Martin in 2009 on their album Dual!
Ben Lennon received the Lifetime Achievement Award. His brother, Charlie Lennon, is probably better know to most folks, but to get the Lifetime Achievement Award is a great honour and pretty much the the icing on the cake for one of the biggest musical families of Ireland.
Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin gets the Musicians’ Award, it’s probably easier to say what this man hasn’t done. He is one of Ireland’s best known pianists with over ten albums under his belt and is widely acknowledged as having originated a unique Irish piano style out of an Irish traditional base.
Pádraig Keane was awarded the Young Traditional Musician of the Year title. Pádraig is best known for playing the Uilleann Pipes. The award will raise the spotlight on him and give him some well deserved recognition.
Liz Carroll picked up Traditional Composer of the Year award, Liz should need no introduction following the huge success of her album Double Play with guitarist John Doyle which was a Grammy nominee! She has also had 185 of her own compositions published in her book titled Collected in 2010.
Noel Hill receives the Gradam TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year award. Noel is one of the best known concertina players in Ireland and once you’ve heard the album In Knocknagree on which he performs live with Tony MacMahon, you’ll not forget him!
Background: Noel Hill was born in 1958, in Caherea in West County Clare, Ireland, into a big family with 7 siblings. His parents and grandparents were all concertina players. He was particularly influenced by his uncle, Padraig A Chnoic, (Paddy Hill). He lived in a house which was the last house in the area to hold the traditional Irish House dance, where musicians were always welcomed; particularly towards the end of the year when farm work was done. It was at these events that he learned his early tunes, rather than from the radio, books or records. He started playing at 9 and was lucky to have heard endless hours of Willie Clancy, Paddy Canny, Peter O’Loughlin, Paddy Murphy, and Micky Hanrahan. Much of the music in his repertoire today comes from the music he learned as a child from these great players. Noel wanted to be a piper, but pipes were not readily available. He played the concertina which had been initially purchased for his older brother.
So, the roundup is that this year the Gradam goes to . . .
Gradam Saoil/Lifetime Achievement Award: Ben Lennon
Gradam na gCeoltóirí/ Musicians’ Award: Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin
Cumadóir Ceoil/Traditional Composer of the Year: Liz Carroll
Amhránaí/Traditional Singer of the Year: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
Ceoltóir Óg/Young Traditional Musician of the Year: Pádraig Keane
Gradam TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year: Noel Hill
The 2011 TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards ceremony and concert will take place at Wexford Opera House on Saturday, April 2 and will be broadcast on TG4 on Easter Sunday, April 24, at 9.30pm
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