Global Irish Music : Tunes in the Lagoon by flute player Lucie Périer
Saturday, May 19th was the world day for Cultural Diversity, Dialogue and Development. For this particular occasion to raise awareness of the wealth of world cultures, the Museum Of New Caledonia held a series of concerts, among which Irish Music was represented by flute player Lucie Périer and her husband banjo and box player Nicolas Delatouche.
New Caledonia and the Irish Heritage
New Caledonia is an island located north west of Australia. It has been part of the French nation until now, although a referendum on independance is about to take place next November.
Irish travelers have sailed as far as the Pacific Ocean and some of them settled in New Caledonia back in the 1850s at a time of massive Irish emigration throughout the world. Irish descendants can therefore still be found in New Caledonia. The Caledonian are nowadays eager to reconnect all the cultures that have mingled on the island, from the Melanesian people, the Haiti, Vanuatu and Chinese communities to the "Caldoche" (European descendants born on the island), and of course, the "Zoreilles" (European immigrants).
"Tunes in the Lagoon" : Irish Music in New Caledonia
Strikingly enough, irish music is thriving in New Caledonia... and surprisingly, it is the French that have recently imported this beautiful music into the island over the past few years. Regular sessions have been taking place in Nouméa for the last 8 years, and since last November Irish music is getting more and more trendy as flute player Lucie Périer has settled in the country and has started to play on a regular basis in the local venues of the lengendary Lemon Bay.
"the same magic"
When playing jigs, reels, slides and polkas at the Museum of New Caledonia for the World Day for Cultural Diversity, Dialogue and Development, Lucie Périer and Nicolas Delatouche introduced Irish music to the local communities, a music which "shares the same magic as the music and rhythms from Caledonia", as Events and Cultural Manager for the Loyalty Islands Cédric Ixeko put it.
6/8 rhythms can indeed be found in both cultures : Kanak dance Pilou and jig tunes just perfectly fit together !
L'école Anémochore : a music school promoting traditional music from Europe (Ireland, France, Scandinavia).
"There is only a few players make the silver flute sound Irish and Lucie Périer is one of them." Brendan Mulholland
Renowned for her use of the boehm flute in traditional music, Lucie Périer has launched her own music school focusing on oral transmission and traditional music. Different styles and repertoires can be taught on flute from Irish Trad Music, to Jazz and Scandinavian music. Banjo and box lessons are also provided by Nicolas Delatouche.
more info : http://www.ecole-anemochore.com
