I have a busy St Patrick's Day in Atlanta weekend ahead of me. I'm gonna be in the St Patrick's Day parade with my daughter, Inara. Then in the evening, I'll be at Ironshield Brewing for a St Patrick's Day party to remember. Then you'll find me on Sunday at Three Taverns Brewery in Decatur.
Make sure you warm up your vocal chords singing some Irish song lyrics. Then listen to the St Patrick's Day edition of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.
Many times good things come in a package that you wouldn’t suspect, and this is certainly the case with Patrick Finley! When you hear this skilled fiddler play, unless you are in person—or watching him on the web—you’d never guess that the person playing isn’t someone with a lifetime of experience. Truth is, this young man would be able to hold his own with men twice his age.
A two-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, this Atlanta-area musician began playing at the tender age of four, and it shows! As you listen to him, there’s nary a bump or misstep in his play. He easily maneuvers his chosen instrument with a fluidity that cries out “natural talent”, but as many well know, mastering the Celtic fiddle requires much more than gifted abilities. Practice—and more practice—is something that you just can’t get by without. Finley certainly must have put in more than his share of that time, because the sounds he calls forth from his fiddle are nothing short of pure, and he also manages to infuse the strings with a signature personality that make whatever tune he’s playing all his own.
Finley has played with big names in Celtic music, including Altan and The Brock McGuire Band, among others. He also opened for Celtic Thunder. I’d guess it’s pretty safe to say that we’ll continue to see him grace the stage with many others in the coming years, based on what he has done thus far and the level of play that he has achieved.
The word virtuoso is often used to describe an incredible amount of skill, and it’s a term that shouldn’t be tossed about lightly. That said, it applies to Patrick Finley as sure as the grass is green. Celtic fiddle in his hands skips about merrily when it should and tugs at the heartstrings at his command. The notes are clean and true, and it’s a joy to listen to! If you’re a fan of this instrument, give this young man a listen and you’ll hear a musical “wisdom” that stretches far beyond his years. It will be so interesting to watch him through time, as he’s starting so far ahead for his age. This is one musician to keep an eye on!
Catherine L. Tully is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in the arts. She has written for American Style and Classical Singer, among other magazines, and for the Celtic Music Magazine for nearly 15 years.
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