Irish musicians to perform in Lebanon

On Saturday, April 25, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church will hold a celebration of traditional Irish music, free and open to the public.

At 7:00 p.m., musicians from across the region will hold a traditional Irish “session,” or informal concert, led by professional Irish fiddler Charles Kadyk.

Kadyk has been an active performer and music teacher for over 40 years, getting into fiddling in the mid ‘90s. Over the years he was a student of Leonard Mogill of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Brian Conway, world-renowned Sligo-style fiddler. He has performed in various ensembles and styles throughout the area including the Harrisburg Symphony, the Belfast Connection, and the Fair Trade Celtic Band, as well as being an active freelance performer and session musician on both fiddle and viola. He has had the honor to share the stage with such diverse artists as Brian Conway, Mark O’Connor, Rosemary Clooney, Anne Murray, Collin Ray, Helen Reddy, Shirley Jones, and Casting Crowns.  He is a frequent fiddle player with Across the Pond, a Pennsylvania band that describes itself as “”Celtic Trad on high octane,” performing across the U.S. and Canada.

“If you’ve never experienced a real Irish music session, you’re in for a treat,” says St. Luke’s parish musician Sean Hackett. ”Sessions are as much social gatherings as performances, as musicians gather in a circle and take turns starting tunes, which are then played as a group. We’re so excited to bring this event to Lebanon for the second year in a row. We’re very fortunate to have Charles leading this session, as well.”

This event is part of the St. Luke’s Friends of Music series, a program focused on bringing free live music to downtown Lebanon, PA. Past Friends of Music events have included world-class organists, jazz ensembles, choirs, and brass ensembles from across the East Coast. A freewill offering will be taken to support this initiative.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is located at 22 S. 6th Street, Lebanon, PA. Please visit www.stlukeslebanon.org/parking/ for parking and accessibility information.