Irish-Dutch singer and guitarist Patrick Stefan Groenland will join forces with the excellent group Navá at Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny to create new songs with Irish, Persian & African folk influences.
With a shared a love of global music, the artists will build on recent, successful instrumental performances, adding vocals to complement their considerable multi-string sound palette.
Patrick Stefan Groenland
Patrick Stefan is an Irish-Dutch singer, guitarist and wayfarer; born in Co. Clare, he’s travelled & lived in different corners of the world from Scandinavia, Brazil to Africa. Inspiration for his songs come from a colourful background of experience: learning tribal songs in Mali, jazz guitar in Boston, folk singing in Helsinki and drumming in north Brazil. After much wayfare, Patrick Stefan is releasing his debut album of songs in September 2022.
Navá
Shahab Coohe
Born into a family of music lovers, Shahab started his music education aged eight, under the direction of Majid Kiani, one of the contemporary masters of the santoor (a trapezoid-shaped stringed instrument that pre-dates the duclimer and piano). He also plays violin and is currently studying performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Niall Hughes
Originally from County Mayo, Niall now lives in Dublin where he is widely known as one of the most versatile and creative bass players in Ireland. He currently plays with a whole host of bands across the musical spectrum including Afro-Soul band Fehdah, modern string band Pine Marten, Irish singer Eleanor Shanley, The Lisa Canny Band and The Blue Light Smugglers.
Paddy Kiernan
Paddy is one of Ireland’s most in-demand banjo players and teachers. He currently plays with Roots/Bluegrass band Lands End, the Niall Toner Band and modern string band Pine Marten. Constantly pushing boundaries on his instrument, Paddy was the first 5 string banjo player to graduate from the University of Limerick’s MA in Traditional Music Programme.
Shayan Coohe
Shayan started playing the Tombak under the direction of Master Arjang Kamkar at the age of seven and went on to study Tar (a plucked string instrument which pre-dates the lute and guitar). Shayan continued his studies at the Conservatoire of Music in Tehran aged 11. He also plays Daf, Setar and Tanbour and is currently studying Clarinet at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.