Clonmel Applefest is proud to be partnering with Ten42 Productions to present the launch of new European ensemble TarantaCeltica over three nights in Ireland from 27^th– 29^th April2023. This ground-breaking collaboration between Irish Trad and the traditional music of Southern Italian, known as the Tarantella, delivers a unique concert experience that entwines and unwinds these two vibrant cultures.

Master percussionists Andrea Piccioni and Dave Boyd have gathered a world-class ensemble of multi-instrumentalists with the goal of bridging cultural borders and bringing a thrilling contemporary insight into deep and ancient music.

Celebrated Calabrese instrumentalist and singer Mico Corapi will be joined by Francesco Loccisano, recognised in his homeland for his virtuoso reinvention of the chitarre battante, a strumming guitar distinct to Southern Italy. The Irish tradition will be represented byhugely talented Wicklow sisters, Lottie and Courtney Cullen on uileann pipes, flutes, concertina, and fiddle, and renowned Tipperary musician Brian Morrissey on banjo, mandolin, whistles and bodhrán.

TarantaCeltica is one of the first successful beneficiaries of the new European Union 'Culture Moves Europe' programme. The awards funding of travel and accommodation has enabled the development of this ground-breaking project, providing the opportunity for the artists with time living and working together in Tipperary for a period of composition and rehearsal prior to their debut.

TarantaCeltica is also indebted to all the partners who have supported the development phase and the presentation of the world premiere performances of this new musical collaboration in Ireland and Calabria in Southern Italy in August: Ballydehob Jazz Festival, Culture Ireland, Dublin’s Instituto Italiano di Cultura.