Featured Artists

Johnny Carroll

The year 2007 marks the beginning of Johnny Carroll’s 50th year in show business.  From his early beginnings in Castlerea, County Roscommon, Ireland, as a 12 year old boy, he began his musical career with the ‘Castlerea Brass Band’.  That was in 1958.  Johnny tells the story that “ before the brass band came to Castlerea there was little or no social scene except for one cinema.  It was a rural town with virtually nothing to do.  When the brass band started up everybody congregated around the room and was keen to be involved.  Even though he never played himself, my late father Joe Carroll had a great interest in brass music.  He encouraged me to go and used to bring me there and back.” Johnny had taken the first tentative steps of what was to be a lifetime career.  In the beginning he played on a coronet handed to him by the bands leader, but that December Johnny recalls one of his fondest memories, of going into Dublin on the back of his father’s bicycle to collect the trumpet which his father had ordered for him for Christmas. They carried it home from Walton’s Music Store. In a large cardboard box. “ It was the best Christmas ever!”

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Mah Jong featuring Karen Han

American composer George H. Russell has taken an ancient Chinese legend, the historic and wildly popular game of Mah Jong the undying spirit and power of love, and has combined all of this with today’s world.  In doing so he has created an unforgettable story in music and dance.

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