Carmel Gunning

Carmel Gunning TTCT is an Irish composer and musician, from Sligo, Ireland. Gunning is one of Ireland's most accomplished tin whistle players who is also known for her singing and flute playing. Gunning's rich stylised form of whistle playing and tradition steams from her homeland of Geevagh in South County Sligo, a region which produces fellow musicians such as James Morrison, Michael Coleman, Paddy Killoran and Josie McDermott and the McDonagh Brothers. This background and tradition aided Gunning's introduction to traditional Irish music which took place at an early age.Gregan]

Musical Beginnings

Gunning was introduced to traditional Irish music as a child when her father, Tom Nangle, would teach her old tunes by lilting or whistling them to her.Lindsay]

In 1969 she sang in her first band, "Carmel and the Chrystals", and played at local dances in Keadue, Geevagh, Boyle and surrounding areas. Playing in the band with Gunning was her brother, Tom Nangle Jnr., Tony Mullaney, Kevin Conlon and his brother.Cullen] Gunning won the All-Ireland tin whistle slow airs competition at the Fleadh Cheoil in 1976 and senior Scór title for "Music Instrument" section, which incorporates all musical instruments used in traditional Irish music including the fiddle, uileann pipes accordion and harp as well as the tin whistle.

Throughout the late 1970's and the 1980's Gunning could be regularly found with P.J. Hernon, Mick Shannon, Joe O'Dowd and others at the famous sessions which took place at the Trades Club in Sligo Town.

Musical Style

Gunning is noted for her fast-paced tin whistle style common of fiddle, flute and tin whistle player of the "South Sligo" tradition or style. Gunning's reputation in the wider world was expanded by the release of her first solo recording, "The Lakes of Sligo", which features four unaccompanied songs as well as 14 tracks of virtuosic tin whistle playing.Meade] .

One reviewer noted that "the music she plays is in a matured and confident manner" and singing is "rich voiced".Vallely] and that "it was quite common for musicians to attempt to play tunes beyond their style and capabilities, not so with Carmel, who, although a master, still plays within a comfortable range with music that suits her style and personality. This talented lady is an accomplished singer and composer, as well as a dynamic musician"." Conroy] .

Another reviewer of her music noted that "no modern tin whistler can escape comparison to Mary Bergin, and Carmel's playing does indeed remind some of the Dublin-born star. If anything, however, Gunning plays reels with a more insistent headlong drive. Her ornamentation is also more diverse, featuring many tongued triplets in imitation of the bowed embellishments popular among Sligo fiddlers".Meade] [cite web | author=Susan Lindsay | title="World Class Irish Whistler Tours Boston" | work=Boston Irish Reporter| url=http://www.bostonirish.com/BIR407web.pdf | accessdate=24 April | accessyear=2007]

Teaching and instructing

Gunning is the tin whistle and flute instructor for the MA and BA music students at the University of Limerick as well as frequently teaching at annual Scoil Éigse school organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in the week leading up to the Fleadh Cheoil Na hÉireann championships, where she passes on her music, songs, singing techniques and her love for those songs to hundreds of young singers. [cite web | author= | title="Yeats Festival, Sligo" | work=Yeats Society Sligo| url=http://www.yeats-sligo.com/html/sligofestival.html| accessdate=30 May| accessyear=2007] [cite web | author= | title="Queen Maeve" | work=Carmel Gunning| url=http://www.cygo.ie/tradmusic/| accessdate=30 May| accessyear=2007] [cite web | author=Irish music | title="Carmel Gunning : The Sligo Maid" | work=Irish abroad| url=http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishpost/ents/irishmusic050601.asp| accessdate=30 May| accessyear=2007]

Gunning has played Irish music around the world playing concerts from Norway to Australia and from America to Japan. In 2006, Gunning lead the St. Patrick's Day parade and played a number of concert in Perth, Australia and in March 2007 she undertook a tour of Massachusetts, USA where she played a various venues giving masterclasses to experienced student and playing contcerts.Lindsay] [ [http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/html/res11_.php?title=Lansdowne+Luncheon+-+St+Patrick%92s+Day+2006&date=2006-03-17 Lansdowne Luncheon - St Patrick’s Day 2006 - Events] ]

Queen Maeve International Summer School

In addition, Carmel is the organiser and director of music the Queen Maeve International Summer School, a Traditional Irish Music summer school of music and dance which is held annually in August at the Institute of Technology in Sligo Town. Gunning founded the festival in the 1990's and it attracts pupils from across Ireland, Britain, Europe and the United States.

She has also worked hard to pass on the Sligo musical tradition to younger players and recently celebrated her 25th anniversary as a music teacher. Alumni of her Queen Maeve School of Music include flute and whistle masters Liam Kelly of the group Dervish, Damian Stenson from Teada, Olivia McTiernan and June Ní Chormaic(McCormack).

Discography

Albums

*"The Lakes of Sligo" (1995)
*"Around St.James's Well" (1995)
*"Carmel Sings Country" (2002)
*"The Sligo Maid" (2004)
*"Lament For The Birds" Jack Harte Featured Appearance (2005)
*"The Sound of Coleman Country" Various Artists Featured Appearance (2006)

Albums and Tracklists

Books

###@@@KEY@@@###Succession box
before=W. Paton
title=All-Ireland Fleadh tin whistle (slow air) Champions
after=Kevin Whitty
years=1976

References

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ee also

*Celtic music
*Irish Recorded Music Association
*Irish topics
*Irish traditional music session

External links

* [http://www.cygo.ie/tradmusic/ Queen Maeve School of Music] Carmel Gunning Official Website
* [http://www.dervish.ie/ Dervish] The hard-touring Sligo based contemporary Irish music collective.
* [http://celticgrooves.homestead.com/CG_Gunning_Carmel_Maid.html/ Celtic Grooves]
* [http://www.irishtune.info/ The Irish Traditional Music Tune Index] A searchable database of traditional dance tunes which identifies sources for tunes on commercial recordings and in tune books.
* [http://www.thesession.org/ TheSession.org]
* [http://www.irishmusicreview.com/ The Irish Music Review]