Schedule

Recordings

Sean Gavin (Flute, Uilleann Pipes)

Seán Gavin's ornate and driving style on the flute, whistle and uilleann pipes reflects his lifelong immersion in Irish traditional music. Despite his young age, he is already an accomplished performer having shared the stage with many legendary musicians including Cape Breton pianist Barbara MacDonald-Magone, Séamus Connolly, Liz Carroll, Brian Conway and Cathy Ryan.

Born in Detroit to Co. Clare fiddler Mick Gavin (recently inducted into the Irish Traditional Music Hall of Fame), Seán dappled with various instruments until at the age of ten Scariff flautist Leo MacNamara came to stay with the Gavins for six months. Under his tutelage Seán quickly grasped the whistle and shortly thereafter the flute, later leading him to studied pipes with the late uilleann piper Al Purcell, a student of Leo Rowsome himself.

Seán, along with his father’s fiddle student, Jeremy Kittle, attended the Midwest Regional Fleadh in Chicago, Illinois and took second-place in not only the duet competition but flute and whistle competitions as well. His love for this event hasn't seen him miss attending the All-Ireland Fleadh since.

In 1999 his Groupai Cheoil won second place in the All-Ireland competition in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Upon their return to the States they were featured on various NPR programs, at the Wheatland Folk Festival, Blissfest, the Frog Island Folk Festival, Detroit's Concert of Colors and at many other festivals.

Seán performs often with his father Mick and his multi-instrumentalist brother, Michael Gavin, in and around the Detroit area including the famous Ark club in Ann Arbor, Michigan.