February 18, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Eileen Ivers, the Celtic fiddle sensation and musical star of the original Dublin production of Riverdance, will perform Celtic-inspired world music with her band Immigrant Soul in a Pops concert presented by the Oregon Symphony on March 19, 20 and 21 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, with an added performance on March 22 at Smith Auditorium in Salem. The Oregon Symphony does not perform. Media support for these concerts is provided by KEX and Oregon Business Magazine.
A major presence on the Celtic and world music scene, Ivers has been called “the Jimi Hendrix of the violin” by The New York Times. Hailed as a “sensation” by Billboard Magazine, Ivers has made more than 80 recordings which span various genres including traditional Irish and contemporary world music, as well as a number of scores for films. Ivers is also a nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion and has appeared with such diverse talents as The Chieftains, Hall & Oates, Patti Smith, the London Symphony and the Boston Pops.
Ivers put together Immigrant Soul in 1999 and they have brought their unique style of traditional Irish music blended with the rhythms of African, Latin and American roots music to audiences around the world. This mix of African and Latin percussion and bass, Irish instrumentalists, and American soulful vocals is true to the soul of Irish music but also encompasses the rich multiculturalism of American life. Ivers and her band will announce their selections from the stage.
Performances are scheduled for Saturday, March 19 at 8 p.m., Sunday, March 20 at 3 p.m. and Monday, March 21 at 8 p.m. in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. An additional performance is scheduled for Tuesday, March 22 at 8 p.m. in Willamette University’s Smith Auditorium in Salem. Tickets range in price from $26 to $72 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.
Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul, Nine Time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, London Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony at The Kennedy Center, Boston Pops, musical star of Riverdance, The Chieftains, Hall and Oates, Afrocelts, Patti Smith, Paula Cole, founding member of Cherish the Ladies … this is a short list of accomplishments, headliners, tours and affiliations. Fiddler Eileen Ivers has established herself as the pre-eminent exponent of the Irish fiddle in the world today.
It is a rare and select grade of spectacular artists whose work is so boldly imaginative and clearly virtuosic that it alters the medium. The task of respectfully exploring the traditions and progression of the Celtic fiddle is quite literally on Eileen Ivers’ shoulders.
She’s been called a “sensation” by Billboard magazine and “the Jimi Hendrix of the violin” by The New York Times. “She electrifies the crowd with a dazzling show of virtuoso playing” says The Irish Times. Ivers’ recording credits include over 80 contemporary and traditional albums and numerous movie scores. Her latest CD, entitled “Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul,” was released in 2003 on Koch Records, continues to display why Ivers is hailed as one of the great innovators and pioneers in the Celtic and World music genres.
The daughter of Irish immigrants, Eileen Ivers grew up in the culturally diverse neighborhood of the Bronx, New York. Being deeply rooted in Irish traditional music since the age of eight, Eileen proceeded to represent the U.S. and win nine All-Ireland fiddle championships, a tenth on tenor banjo and over 30 championship medals, making her one of the most awarded persons ever to compete in these prestigious competitions.
Being an Irish-American, the intrigue of learning more about the multicultural sounds of her childhood took hold. After graduating magna cum laude in Mathematics from Iona College and while continuing her post-graduate work in mathematics, Eileen fully immersed herself in the different genres of music which she experienced growing up in the Bronx.
Perhaps it was the mathematical mind coupled with her passion for seeking parallels in certain traditional music styles which contributed to what has become Eileen’s signature sound. This sound is respectful of and grounded in traditional Irish music while it embraces the rhythms of African, Latin and American roots music in a natural way. The development of this sound on Eileen’s recordings and tours since the late 1980’s has received international critical acclaim.
In 1999 in New York City, Eileen established a touring production to present the music which now encompasses Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul. This mix of African and Latin percussion and bass, Irish instrumentalists, and American soulful vocals is privileged to appear at major performing arts centers, guest with numerous symphonies, perform at major festivals worldwide and appear on national and international television. This “united nations of Irish music” is true to the heart of Irish music while embracing the multiculturalism of American life. The live performances receive accolades from audiences of all ages and rave reviews coast to coast, from the Boston Globe, “the Eileen Ivers Band rocked the house everywhere it played” to the L.A. Times, “her program had a drive that triggered almost constant audience handclapping and cheers…the audience loved every minute.” The overwhelming response and reviews can be read at www.eileenivers.com.
