Irish Night: Sorcha at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts -- November 15.
Saturday, November 15, 7 p.m.
Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth Street, Coralville IA
Hailed by Ceolplay's Colum King as "three outstanding musicians at the top of their game," the Iowa-based talents of Sorcha return to the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts for the venue's November 15 Irish Night, Thunder on the Plains' Susan J.E. Ritta adding that the Celtic musicians are "like a clear and crisp drink of water under the wide Great Plains sky," and "bring an energetic and refreshing sound to the scene."
As stated at SorchaBand.com, "The goal of Sorcha is to introduce audiences to original material that has a focus on creating an exciting live sound. We believe we achieve this by pushing the boundaries of what a reel, jig, or a hornpipe can be. By combining fresh arrangements and technical mastery of our instruments, we put on an unique and thrilling show. Sorcha is composed of fiddler Nicole Philbrick, guitarist Joseph Carmichael, and Dan Vaughn on tin whistle and flute. We are masters of our craft and have been performing within the genre for over a decade in various groups including Blame Not the Bard and Flashpoint."
Vaughn, an Irish whistle and flute player based out of Iowa City, has been making a name for himself since the early 2000s. Playing with bands and artists such as Gaelic Storm, Flook, John Williams (Solas), and many more. Vaughn has established himself as one of the premiere musicians in Irish music. Along with gigging, he has competed in multiple Mid-West Fleadhs, winning titles for both whistle and flute. This led him to competing in the 2005 All-Ireland Cheoil in Letterkenny, Ireland. Vaughn went on to get a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, and he focused on playing guitar and developing his composition skills during this time, going on to collaborate with musicians from diverse genres.
Philbrick is a multi-genre fiddler who has made a name for herself in the heart of the U.S. for her unique style which skillfully blends her classical violin roots with the energy and groove of celtic fiddle. An in-demand fiddler, Philbrick regularly performs with her bands Blame Not the Bard and Sorcha and, with these groups, has been featured on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast, CeolPlay with Colum King, and a full-length Iowa PBS special, Greetings from Iowa. Philbrick’s dynamic and engaging performance style and infectious joy on stage has led to some of the largest stages in the Midwest, including appearances at the Iowa Irish Fest, Kansas City Irish Fest, and Levitt AMP Galva Concert Series along with orchestral appearances at Hancher Auditorium, Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, and the Paramount Theater.
Carmichael, originally from Dallas, Texas., is known for his unique approach to accompaniment within the traditional Celtic and folk genres. He was born into a musical family, and began his journey composing on his family's computer, before being drawn to Irish music as a teenager. Carmichael is mostly self-taught, and in summers of 2011 and 2013 attended the Burwell Bash, learning under Brian Finnegan (Flook). Through his free-thinking, sometimes considered “jazzy” chords, and ability to draw from multiple styles, Carmichael has established a strong reputation as an accompanist in the traditional music scene in the U.S. and abroad, his guitar work being featured on a track of Brian Finnegan's 2021 solo release Hunger of the Skin. The artist also released his debut solo album Desiderium last October.
The Coralville Center for the Performing Arts' Irish Night with musicians Sorcha and special guests Marita May and Zach Gignac will take place on November 15, admission to the 7 p.m. concert event is $23.30-26.80, and more information and tickets are available by calling (319)248-9370 and visiting CoralvilleArts.org.
