Expert celtic multi-instrumentalist Rennie Pearson is taking his solo show of Celtic traditional music on the road around Aotearoa. Proudly bringing the beautiful music of Ireland, Scotland and Maritime Canada into the limelight to share with the people of New Zealand.
He is touring extensively this spring across the North Island, with twenty one shows throughout October and November 2022 and with a South Island tour to follow later in 2022/early 2023.
Rennie has been making a name for himself as an exceptionally talented musician with years of solid touring & teaching here and overseas, both as a solo artist and as a part of numerous successful Celtic acts. As in the past, his upcoming solo shows continue to break ground in New Zealand, taking the old traditional songs and tunes and breathing new life into them through stories, history, humor and musicianship.
Grounded in the Celtic musical traditions, Rennie takes the listener on a journey through history, weaving together tunes and songs and the tales that accompany them to create an intricate and varied show. His engaging stage presence and storytelling opens the door for audiences to connect with the music of old, reconnecting people with the tightly bound histories, traditions and ancestry of these nations.
Throughout the show, he treats the audience to a wide array of different instruments including the wooden flute, guitar, Irish tin whistles, bodhran (Irish drum), fiddle and his captivating voice
Rennie grew up in Wellington with Celtic music in his blood. Having heard the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland on his parents CDs as a baby, he grew up knowing he just had to learn to play like this. He picked up the flute at age 8, knowing it was his calling, learning by ear in Irish sessions under the guidance of Galway born flute player Pat Higgins. With Irish music as the cornerstone of his knowledge, he then went on to delve deep into the traditional music of Scotland and Maritime Canada, gaining proficiency in a wide range of different instruments along the way.
Rennie has made a name for himself in the traditional music scene of Australia and New Zealand as a stand-out solo performer, as well as touring his own duos, bands, and performing with large international stage productions. He has played and taught all over New Zealand, in Australia and in Canada, including music schools such as Ceol Aneas, ScotsStrings, CelticANZ, Gaeltached, Boxwood and folk festivals in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch and Port Fairy. He has worked closely with the New Zealand Irish ambassador, Peter Ryan, on numerous occasions including performing his show at the Dunedin Fringe Festival with the Irish embassy’s support and putting together two tours with his five piece Irish band Criu. He has also toured with Irish Dance troupes Celtica and Celtic Illusion in NZ and Australia as their flute and bodhran player, performing in large theaters such as the Melbourne Arts Center, the Wellington Opera House, the Christchurch Isaac Theatre and the Bruce Mason Center in Auckland.
In 2020 he released his first album with Oscar West as their kiwi folk duo Polytropos.
His new album ‘From Across The Seas’ is set to be released in early October 2022.
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Rennie Pearson is coming to Tauranga, The Jam Factory, on 15th October, 7pm.
