Join in the fun on Saturday, February 1 as we celebrate traditional folk music and Saint Brigid’s Day. There is no cost to attend this community event hosted by Headwaters Music & Arts.
Music! 2-3 pm: Dublin-native Danny Diamond and Bemidji-native Brian Miller offer a workshop on traditional folk music from their home areas. In this hour-long session, Danny will give a presentation on his family’s music and its roots in the north of Ireland and he will focus in on a particular fiddle tune from his family repertoire.
Brian will speak about his groundbreaking research into Irish-influenced folk music in logging era Minnesota and focus in on a particular song that was once sung here. Singers and instrumentalists are invited to come ready to sing or to bring instruments. Danny and Brian will briefly teach the tune and song by ear. Lyrics will be provided for the song. Participants are also welcome to just come and listen! (Danny and Brian are ALSO performing at Headwaters the evening of February 1, admission $15. Come back at 7 pm for the full, amazing music experience!)
Art! 3-4 pm: Celebrate the warmth and creativity of Saint Brigid of Ireland with your family! Known as a beloved figure of healing, hospitality, and inspiration, Saint Brigid’s story comes to life on her feast day, February 1—a special time marking the start of Imbolc, the Gaelic festival welcoming spring.
Join Headwaters’ Arts Program Manager Angela Marie for a fun, hands-on event where you’ll learn about Saint Brigid’s rich history and traditions while creating your very own St. Brigid’s Cross to bring blessings and protection to your home. It’s a perfect way to connect, create, and celebrate together!
Danny Diamond: Born in Belfast into a cross-community family with deep roots in traditional music, Danny Diamond spent his formative years learning, playing and performing at festivals and sessions around Ireland. Later he was heavily involved in the Dublin music scene as a performer (Slow Moving Clouds; Mórga), archivist (with ITMA, the Irish Traditional Music Archive) and sound engineer (Lankum; Mórga). Through this work he played a key supporting role at the inception of the ongoing folk music revival in Ireland.
In recent years Danny has toured internationally, creating and performing collaborative projects with writers, dancers and visual artists (notably the award-winning Swan Lake/Loch na hEala with contemporary dance company Teaċ Daṁsa). Current work includes: postgraduate research with The Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics at The Data Science Institute, NUI Galway, analysing European folk music collections as part of the EU Polifonia research project; and online teaching of Irish fiddle with The Center for Irish Music in Saint Paul, MN.
Brian Miller: A native of northern Minnesota, Brian Miller fell in love with Irish traditional music as a teenager in the crowd at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. His passion led him to spend a college semester abroad at University College Cork where he fell deeper in love with the music and the Rebel City–making many happy returns there since. Based in St. Paul since 1998, Brian is also the product of the rich Irish music scene of the Twin Cities that continues to strengthen each year.
Brian is active as a musician, researcher and librarian. He provides guitar and bouzouki accompaniment for the band Bua with whom he has travelled all over the United States. As a researcher, and with his duo The Lost Forty, Brian revives Irish-influenced songs collected in the Great Lakes region and the stories of the singers and fiddle players that carried them. He directs the Eoin McKiernan Library, writes the blog “Northwoods Songs” and teaches at the Center for Irish Music.
Headwaters Music & Arts announces a new initiative offering a free first music lesson for new students. The free lesson, combined with financial assistance for all ages including adults, ensures that music education is accessible to everyone, regardless of income or age. Increased access to the arts strengthens community connections and promotes lifelong learning and creativity. A free first lesson benefits families and individuals who may be hesitant to invest in lessons due to financial concerns, opening doors to people who might not otherwise have the chance to explore their musical talents. Headwaters music program has immediate openings in most instruments, including piano, guitar, voice, percussion, violin, cello, and band instruments. Details on how to sign up and take advantage of the free first lesson, financial assistance, and lesson scheduling are available at 
On Wednesday, June 5th, the Headwaters Handbell Choir performed “Christmas in June” at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Bemidji. The concert kicked off the 2024 Summer Recital Series presented by the Bemidji Area Church Musicians. While this performance took place in a church, the Handbell Choir is unique in that it is not affiliated with a specific church, rather they function as an independent music group with their home at Headwaters Music & Arts.