Guitarist

One of the world’s most celebrated Irish fiddlers, Martin Hayes has been a standout on the Irish trad scene for decades. A six-time All-Ireland fiddling champion from County Clare—the homeland of traditional Irish music—Hayes has a unique ability to transform and broaden listeners’ understanding. His music remains deeply rooted in Irish expression, yet it reaches across styles and cultures, creating a truly global conversation.

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Martin Hayes and the Common Ground Ensemble

Boston Symphony Hall

The essence of the Atlantic Ocean takes center stage for the Rockport Celtic Festival’s finale, complete with never-before-heard artist collaboration, narration by Ben Shattuck and some very special guests.

Where the Sea Meets the Land

Rockport Music-Shalin Liu Performance Center

Tonight, we hear music from Ireland, Quebec, Germany and New England with an interweaving thread of Baroque Music and techniques. At a time when Telemann and Bach were composing fugues in continental Europe, the Bardic harping tradition was alive and vibrant in Ireland resulting in a whole repertoire of Irish harp tunes that are now carried via pipes, fiddles and a host of different instruments. We have the stunning sounds of Montreal-based violist Alexis Chartrand, bringing his unique Gut-bow approach to traditional Quebec repertoire. In contrast, the GRAMMY-nominated violinist Christina Day, along with theorbist Michael Leopold, performs one of Heinrich Biber’s Mystery Sonatas. Artistic Director Maeve Gilchrist will also bring in longtime collaborator Kyle Sanna and bassist Logan Coale to premier some new music for harp and electric guitar inspired by a Seamus Heaney translation of a middle English Poem on the mysticism of Hares! Don’t miss this richly imaginative evening of 17th century inspired exploration in a completely contemporary fashion!

Celtic Baroque

"Playing a few notes together is like sharing a meal." What a sentence! It comes from the Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, who, due to the political situation in his home country, strives to promote intensive exchange between musicians of all cultures.

Kinan Azmeh CityBand

Museum Ludwig

Features the stunning voice of Irish singer Eilis Kennedy from Dingle, Ireland. In 2020, Kennedy, inspired by a series of letters written by Whaling fisherman that she found in the New Bedford Whaling Museum, wrote an album of songs inspired by the sea and the men and women who make their lives around it.

 ‘A wife left behind , a wife on board, an adventurous young man , a brave and wise captain , an ill- fated voyage, a drowning , a rescue, an elegy , and a song of hope in times of despair’

Guitarist

Kyle Sanna

Events

Past events

Mar 18, 2026

Martin Hayes and the Common Ground Ensemble · Celebrity Series of Boston

Sep 14, 2025

Where the Sea Meets the Land · Rockport Music

About

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