Seán Heely Celtic Band
Award-winning Celtic band based in Washington D.C
Experience the magical music of Scotland and Ireland with the Seán Heely Celtic Band. The core group features U.S National Scottish Fiddle champion & Gaelic singer Seán Heely, acclaimed multi-instrumentalist & All-Ireland singing champion Kevin Elam, bouzouki & bass player Beth Patterson, acclaimed percussionist Lucas Ashby, piper Jesse Ofgang, champion fiddler Colin McGlynn and percussive dancer Agi Kovacs. The Seán Heely Celtic Band presents a groove and drive that gives audiences of all ages the irresistible urge to move! Performing ancient, soaring melodies from Scotland, Ireland, and beyond, while original compositions and modern tunes are fused in seamlessly. Powerful vocal harmonies exist in their ever-growing song repertoire that features Scots Gaelic (Gàidhlig) songs, ballads, sea shanties, pub songs and more from the rich Celtic folk tradition.
Other members have included Scottish border piper Tracy Jenkins, harpist Abbie Palmer, fiddler Colin McGlynn, dancer Marsha Searle and percussionists Matthew Bell & Alex Kuldell. Seán plays fiddle, cezouki, shruti box, harp and sings in English and Scots Gaelic. Kevin plays guitar, whistle, banjo, and is an All-Ireland champion vocalist. They have performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Music center, Hylton Performing Arts Center, 2023 headliners at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, Virginia Scottish games, and the Niel Gow Festival in Scotland.
Photo credit: Jordan Koepke Photography
Press Quotes & Testimonials
One powerhouse of a fiddler! ~ Liz Carroll, Irish fiddle legend and National Heritage Fellow
“Great music!!”
“Sean has steeped himself in the Gaelic language and music tradition. He has traveled extensively and studied with the best on both sides of the Atlantic. His performances are equally as enlightening as they are entertaining.” ~ Bonnie Rideout, 3x Grammy-nominated Scottish fiddler
"(On Edge of the Bow album) This is a hugely entertaining collection of music, and a great introduction to a fiddler who should make quite a name for himself in the next few years." ~ Alex Monaghan, Irish Music Magazine
“The Celtic soundscape created by Seán Heely and his fiddle is simply magical—the heartbreaking beauty of a ballad followed by the immense joy of a dance tune!”
~ Betty Scott (Director of Strathmore Artist in residence program)
Press Photos:
An example of the unique Scottish Mouth music tunes (Puirt à beul). Beautiful rhythms and melody entwined together with the voice and percussive dance!