St. Patrick's Open Day

Brenda Dowling is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist from Woodlawn, the Bronx NY. She has won numerous titles including an All-Ireland Championship and was the recipient of an award for her promotion of Irish Culture. Brenda has played at venues and events such as Atlanta Irish Fest, Catskills Irish Arts Week, Joanie Maddens Folk’n Irish Cruise and many more. Currently, she is heavily involved in teaching and continuing to perform all over New York and the US.

Dan Foster is a musician originally from (Old!) York, North Yorkshire who specializes in Irish and Scottish fiddle music. After immigrating to New England in 2015, he made an appearance at Carnegie Hall in June 2018 with Irish dancer Niall O'Leary in the Weill Recital Room. Dan debuted at Collinsville Hot with Caravan of Thieves - a nationally recognized gypsy-folk-swing outfit based in Bridgeport, CT - and was quickly affirmed as a band member for Midwest and Southern tours as well as multiple shows and festivals around New England and beyond, which continue to this day. Dan has also recorded and toured nationally with Daymark, a traditional Irish music project with fellow musicians Will Woodson (uilleann pipes & flute) and Eric McDonald (guitar & vocals). 

Classically trained in violin study from a young age, Dan completed a bachelor of music (honours) at The International Centre for Music - Newcastle University as well as an Erasmus student exchange semester at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick. Dan currently works with multiple bands including Irish festival favorites The Narrowbacks as well as maintaining a busy schedule with private teaching, playing for feiseanna, and appearing at various events across the US.

Jake James is a two-time All-Ireland fiddle champion, bodhrán player, and dancer from Queens, NYC. He has toured throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan with groups such as the Green Fields of America, Cherish the Ladies, the McLean Avenue Band, Daniel O’Donnell, the Trinity Irish Dance Company, the Paul Brock Band, and Runa. He has performed at venues such as the Irish Arts Center, Symphony Space, BB King’s Blues Club, the Chicago Auditorium Theater, Gracie Mansion, and Carnegie Hall. His debut album, Firewood, was released in 2018, and he has a masters in composition from the Aaron Copland School of Music.

Tyler Schwartz has been Irish dancing for more than 20 years, competing, performing and spreading the art form. He is the 2013 Senior Men’s World Champion, and has also won championships all over the world, such as the All-Ireland, All-Scotland, Great Britain, and North American Championships. In 2017, Tyler was named “Man of the Year” by Irish Dancing Magazine. He was the first Irish dancer to become a sponsored athlete for Capezio Dancewear, and has been a featured dancer on Instagram, NowThis, and Buzzfeed. Tyler also holds multiple Irish Dance World Records! Over the years, Tyler has had the opportunity to perform around the world! He has been the lead dancer in many productions, including Rockin’ Road to Dublin, Fusion Fighters, Busch Gardens, Gaelforce Dance, and most recently Disney World! Tyler is currently excited to be launching his own production called ReelRhythm, which explores the many faceted relationship between Irish and tap dance!

Matt Stapleton,  is a predominantly self-taught guitarist from upstate New York, and a sought-after accompanist for the Irish traditional music scene in New York City where he operates two popular weekly sessions - Hartley’s in Brooklyn and Grace’s in Manhattan. He has backed up some of the great traditional musicians from the U.S. and Ireland and, has been an artist-in-residence at a number of venues around the country, from Washington DC, to Las Vegas, to St. Louis, to name a few.

Caitlin Warbelow hails from a family of entrepreneurs and bush pilots in Alaska and currently serves as the violinist/fiddler in the original Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated musical, Come From Away. She is on the faculty at Manhattan’s Irish Arts Center and is the artistic coordinator for the Fairback's Summer Arts Festival’s Celtic program. Caitlin is an instructor at the Swannanoa Gathering and the Far North Fiddle Festival, and maintains a large private teaching studio in Manhattan. When not on Broadway, Caitlin performs and tours as a solo artist, with numerous ensembles, and as a symphony soloist. She founded the new trad ensemble Warbelow Range with Kyle Sanna, Alan Murray, and Dan Lowery and co-produced their first self-titled album. Her live album of Irish trad in Manhattan pubs, Manhattan Island Sessions, was nominated for an Independent Music Award. Cailtin is an All-Ireland winner and New England Fiddle Champion who additionally is the co-founder of Tune Supply.