The 2011 Southern California Tionól will take place over the weekend of November 11, 12 & 13, 2011.
We are delighted this year to welcome two exquisite pipers - Jimmy O'Brien-Moran and Michael Cooney. At the reedmaking table we're delighted to welcome back Benedict Koehler and our own local reed maestro Michael O'Donovan. Pipemaker David Quinn, I'm told, may even make an apearance!
This years event will be held in the McKeagney residence in the beautiful Spanish Mission town of San Juan Capistrano. Friday will be the usual meet and greet/session. Classes will be held during the day on Saturday and Sunday with a concert on the Saturday evening at a local community hall.
Pre-registration: (up to Oct. 15): $85
Late pre-registration: (Oct. 16 to Nov. 2): $100
On-site registration: $150
Concert Only: $15 in advance, $20 suggested donation at the door.
To pre-register please specify:
- Your skill level i.e. beginner, intermediate or advanced (please be modest).
- Send your check for $85 made payable to "So.Cal. Uilleann Pipers' Club" to this address:
So.Cal. Uilleann Pipers' Club
c/o Larry Dunn
7153 Knowlton Pl.
Los Angeles, CA 90045-2215
Workshop Location:
The McKeagney's, 29251 Country Hills Rd, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-1028
Concert Location:
7:30PM - Community Center: 30201 Outpost Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 (about a mile from Gaby's house)
Airport and Accommodation
Airport: The closest would be John Wayne Airport (Santa Ana) but Long Beach Airport [sometimes cheapest, check out Jet Blue Airways for pricing] or LAX will also work.
Hotels:
Guest Bios
 Michael Cooney
Michael was born into a family of Highland pipers from Co. Tipperary. At a young age he took up the tin whistle, and his father, Martin, eager to expose him to as much music as possible, began driving Michael all over the country for instruction.
These early lessons included instruction from Dan Cleary, who led the Ballinamere Ceili Band in the 1940s, and Sean Ryan, the fiddle player from Newtown, Co. Tipperary. In his early teens Michael took up the uilleann pipes.
Since pipers were scarce around his home in Gortnahoe in Tipperary, he learned his music instead from accordion players Paddy O'Brien (Nenagh) and Pat Lyons, and fiddler Niall Cleere. Michael refined his piping style by listening to his father's tapes of Johnny Doran, Willie Clancy, Felix Doran, Leo Rowsome, Patsy Touhey, and Seamus Ennis.
In the 1980s, Michael made a name for himself winning numerous All-Ireland championships on both pipes and whistle. He also spent time in the USA, where he played music with legends like Andy McGann, Paddy Reynolds, and Joe Burke. He was for many years the resident piper in the famous McGurk's in St. Louis, and also played in the band Chulrua with Paddy O'Brien (Offaly) and Pat Egan.
Link: http://www.michaelpipercooney.com/
YouTube videos of Michael:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHhjCygNL7g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZPPFTdvFVY
 Jimmy O'Brien-Moran
Jimmy O'Brien Moran was born in Waterford, in Ireland's Sunny South East. He began his interest in Irish music, and piping in particular, through the group Planxty and the playing of Liam O'Flynn. His piping exploration led to recordings of Séamus Ennis, Willie Clancy and others. Commercial recordings were few in those dark days and everything piping was gratefully embraced. Armed with a lovely chanter from Matt Kiernan, and a home-made bag and bellows, Jimmy was given a beautiful reed by Brian Gallagher on the 28th of May, 1975, and began the long journey that is piping. Local pipers Tommy Kearney and Donncha Ó Maidín were generous with their time and advice. Several stints at the Willie Clancy Summer School improved the technique a bit and in 1977 Jimmy was invited to record with several other young pipers on the PJ Curtis Album The Piper's Rock. Almost 20 years passed before he recorded his solo CD Seán Reid's Favourite, dedicated to the memory of piper and fiddler Seán Reid who had presented Jimmy with his Colgan set before Seán died in 1978. A devotee of flat piping he is constantly amazed at the music of Willie Clancy and has explored some of this through his friendship with that really great piper Seán McKiernan. Jimmy has enjoyed invites to tionóil around the world spreading the true faith and is very much looking forward to meeting all the pipers at the Southern California Tionól.
 Benedict Koehler - Pipemaker
Born in Boston, Benedict grew up listening to recordings of Irish traditional music sent over by his mother's family in Dublin. He took up the pipes in his twenties and has listened to and learned from a wide range of the older players, citing as particularly strong influences the stately musical tradition of East Galway and the complex and elegant piping style exemplified by the "gentlemen pipers" Seamus Ennis and Liam O'Flynn. These influences are evident in Benedict's graceful, lyrical style of playing.
Well known as an insightful and generous teacher, Benedict will be teaching beginning and intermediate piping workshops. He and his wife, harper/button accordionist Hilari Farrington. Benedict and Hilari live in East Montpelier, Vermont where Benedict, in association with David Quinn, makes and restores uilleann pipes and continues to enhance his reputation as a superb reed maker.
Benedict Koehler
70 Markham Road
East Montpelier, VT 05651 USA
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