Irish ensemble Danú to perform at Doudna

Andrew Paisley, Campus Reporter

Danú, an international musical group, will come from Ireland to Charleston to perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Dvorak Concert Hall of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

The group hails from the counties of Waterford, Cork, Donegal and Dublin, and it is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today, according to a press release.

“I expect people to not only be entertained, but to experience superb musicianship,” said Dan Crews, interim director of programming, publicity and promotions of Doudna. “Since we are so close to St. Patrick’s Day, this group, being from Ireland, will truly get everyone in the mood who enjoys traditional Irish music and top-notch playing.”

Danú was chosen to perform at Eastern because of the group’s superior artistry, he added.

The group is currently on a five-week tour of the United States. The Dvorak Concert Hall is the only place in Illinois Danú will be performing at.

“They are arriving from Washington, D.C., heading back to the east coast after their performance at Eastern, and then they have several dates scheduled to perform in California,” Crews said.

Danú’s performances feature a mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire.

“If you enjoy great Irish music, you’ll want to see Danú,” Crews said. “The concert hall is an intimate venue to see the musicianship of the band’s members.”

Conor Baltz, assistant technical director of Doudna, said he is excited to have Danú visit Eastern.

“I really think this will be a great way to get into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day a little early,” Baltz said. “I personally really enjoy the international groups that come to Doudna, and I think one of the best parts of my job is getting to meet so many different performers, and it is always interesting to get to learn about the music and culture of different countries.”

Dennis Malak, director of operations for Doudna, said this might be the only chance to see the group in such an intimate setting.

“I think it will be a fun night for St. Patrick’s Day music,” Malak said.

Tickets are $16 for general admission, $13 for seniors (62+) and $7 for students.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.doudnatix.com or at the Doudna Box Office.

Box Office hours are Tuesday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and one hour prior to the scheduled performance.

Andrew Paisley can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].