In Baltimore - One Night Only!
Who is Emma Langford?
Three years ago, I stopped in at a small tent at the outskirts of the Milwaukee Irish Fest grounds and heard a singer who changed everything I thought I knew about Irish music. Emma Langford wasn’t the traditional Irish folk singer that I was used to hearing – although rooted in the trad music of her country, her voice and her lyrics were fresh and contemporary. I learned later that this was called nu-folk, but all I knew in that moment was that everyone should hear her and I wanted to host her in a performance at my house.
During the pandemic, I hosted Emma virtually as part of World Voice Weekend. I’ve shared her music (both to listen to and to perform) with my students. But I still hoped for the day that I could bring her to Baltimore in person.
And now, it’s happening! On Friday, August 12, 2022, as part of her international Birdsong tour, Emma Langford and Alec Brown will be performing at my home in Baltimore at 7:30pm.
Weather permitting, we’ll be out in my backyard (weather not permitting, we’ll be inside the house). Doors will open at 6:30pm, and an Irish-themed buffet will be served.
While I still think everyone should hear Emma Langford, the logistics are that I only have room for 50 people. If you would like to be one of those people, please register here before August 1. Ticket sales begin July 1.
Please note that all attendees should be vaccinated and be prepared to present their vaccination cards upon request and that there is no smoking on the property.
Artist Bio
Emma Langford calls Limerick City in the West of Ireland home. Storytelling sits at the heart of everything this songwriter does; interweaving her live performances, and shining through her works. Hers is an inimitable, dreamy voice at the frontline of a new wave of Irish folk.
Langford received a Folk Award in 2018 from Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ, for Best Emerging Artist, and in following years was twice nominated for Best Folk Singer. She received the Music Network RESONATE residency, and Arts Council Agility Award in 2021 to support a continuing musical exploration of women in Irish history. Since 2017 Emma has written and independently released two highly acclaimed albums, Quiet Giant & Sowing Acorns, laying the groundwork for a bright, busy future.
In 2019 Emma Langford made her US debut at the world’s largest celebration of Irish music, Milwaukee Irish Fest. She traverses the Atlantic once again this August, accompanied by Dr. Alec Brown, a multi-instrumentalist who has formed an integral part of the Emma Langford ensemble from day 1, both in studio and on stage. While Alec hails from Arkansas, he has lived and worked in Ireland for over a decade, contributing generously to the country’s vibrant musical tapestry. A flautist and cellist with an Arts Practice Ph.D., he has developed a unique sound, which he uses to create folk, traditional and bluegrass music as well as ambient soundscapes to accompany live and recorded performances.
Emma made the bold choice to release her new album, Sowing Acorns, at the height of a global pandemic – the gamble paid dividends, and her sophomore record received huge international praise. The artist climbed the charts with her epic folk ballad Birdsong; collaborated with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra; was selected to perform at the prestigious Ireland Music Week international showcase and on RTÉ’s Ireland In Music which has been broadcast across the world to a huge global audience; and joined supergroup phenomenon Irish Women In Harmony.
In 2022 she is back on the road sharing work from her eclectic catalogue, and continuing her Arts Council supported research around Irish women in myth and history.
And listen to Emma HERE!
Plus this new collaboration with the RTE orchestra