Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill to Play Irish Arts Center This October

Fiddler Martin Hayes and guitarist Dennis Cahill, one of the world's great musical duos, return to Irish Arts Center for a two-week residency with a wide range of special guests, October 20-29.

Each of these eight exciting evenings, curated by Hayes, will feature special guests from within and beyond the world of Irish traditional music, breaking barriers and taking audiences on an unforgettable artistic journey. The residency will open with the North American debut of theMartin Hayes Quartet, a new musical project directed by Martin Hayes to expand the sonic possibilities of traditional Irish music while remaining grounded in the ancient melodies. No two evenings will be the same and - like previous Irish Arts Center residencies - are sure to inspire future collaborations.

The New York Times recently praised the legendary pair of artists: "In their long collaboration, the fiddler Martin Hayes and the guitarist Dennis Cahill have found intriguing possibilities within the traditional Irish repertory - glimmers of jazz, Minimalism and chamber music - without diluting the traditional spirit."

The first week of shows (October 20-23) will premiere the new Martin Hayes Quartet featuring Liz Knowles on viola and Doug Wieselman on bass clarinet, along with Hayes and Cahill. Special guests will include fiddlers Brian Conway, Rose Flanagan and Tony DeMarco, as well as musician and folklorist Mick Moloney, among others.

The second week of shows (October 26-29) will feature Hayes & Cahill in unique collaborations with a wider range of American musicians, a key aspect of the overall Irish Arts Center mission to strengthen the transatlantic bonds of Irish and Irish-American culture. Special guests will include jazz singerCassandra Wilson, folk band The Murphy Beds, pianist and composer Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), poet and songwriter Paul Muldoon, Dublin-based cellist and Crash Ensemble artistic director Kate Ellis, and more.

Tickets for the performances start at $44 and are available by visiting www.IrishArtsCenter.org or by calling 866-811-4111. Irish Arts Center is located at 553 West 51st Street.

Full Lineup:

Thursday, October 20

· The Martin Hayes Quartet (Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill & Liz Knowles & Doug Wieselman)

Friday, October 21

· The Martin Hayes Quartet (Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill & Liz Knowles & Doug Wieselman)
· Brian Conway, fiddle
· Brendan Dolan, piano

Saturday, October 22

· The Martin Hayes Quartet (Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill & Liz Knowles & Doug Wieselman)
· Kathleen Conneely, tin whistle
· Mick Moloney, banjo
· Rose Flanagan, fiddle

Sunday, October 23

· The Martin Hayes Quartet (Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill & Liz Knowles & Doug Wieselman)
· Tony DeMarco, fiddle

Wednesday, October 26

· Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
· The Murphy Beds, folk act
· Paul Muldoon, poet
· Kate Ellis, cello

Thursday, October 27

· Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
· Thomas Bartlett, piano
· Kate Ellis, cello

Friday, October 28

· Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
· Utsav Lal, piano

Saturday, October 29

· Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
· Thomas Bartlett, piano
· Kate Ellis, cello
· Cassandra Wilson, vocals

Founded in 1972, Irish Arts Center is a New York-based arts and cultural center dedicated to projecting a dynamic image of Ireland and Irish America for the 21st century, building community with artists and audiences of all backgrounds, forging and strengthening cross-cultural partnerships, and preserving the evolving stories and traditions of Irish culture for generations to come. Our multi-disciplinary programming is centered around three core areas:Performance - including live music, dance, theatre, film, literature, and the humanities; Exhibition - including visual arts presentations and cultural exhibitions that tell the evolving Irish story; and Education - with dozens of classes per week in Irish language, history, music, and dance.

Located in New York City, a global capital of arts and culture, Irish Arts Center serves as a dynamic platform for top emerging and established artists. Irish Arts Center is currently developing plans to construct a new facility to serve our multi-disciplinary program and will be the strongest possible gateway for artists to reach into our cultural community and nourish their work, to connect with our partner institutions who help them innovate, and to become visible in the New York City media market which enhances their ability to achieve U.S and further international success.

The New Irish Arts Center will contain a purpose-built, state-of-the-art contemporary performance space for music, dance and theatre seating up to 160; industry-standard back of house and support facilities to allow artists to achieve their vision; a second, intimate performance space - the renovated historic Irish Arts Center theatre - optimized for live music, literature, film, talks, large classes and special events; classrooms and studio space for community education programs in Irish music, dance, language, history, and the humanities, and for master classes and workshops by visiting and resident artists; technology capability to project the Irish Arts Center experience on the digital platform; an avenue-facing café lobby to engage with the neighborhood and provide a social setting for conversation and interaction between artists and audiences; a beautiful new courtyard entrance on 51st Street where the historic Irish Arts Center building and the new facility meet.