I am so excited to introduce you to today’s guest. Sean Heely is a world-class Scottish and Irish fiddler as well as a champion Gàidhlig singer, harpist, and composer. In our conversation, Seán shares his journey through music, exploring the deep connections between nature, culture, and the evolution of traditional music. He discusses his early influences, the importance of seasonal inspiration, and the role of community in preserving Celtic traditions. Seán also reflects on his experiences traveling and performing around the world, and his sources of inspiration.

Champion fiddler and singer Seán Heely is one of the most creatively versatile and captivating young artists of his generation. He is a U.S National Scottish Fiddle and U.S Gàidhlig singing Champion as well as an award-winning Irish Fiddler and harpist. Seán holds a degree from University of South Carolina in Violin Performance and was a 2019 Artist in Residence at Strathmore Music Center in Maryland. An educator in demand, Seán is has served as an Adjunct Instructor at American University, he has also been on the faculty at several summer camps such as Acadia Traditional School of Music and Arts, Boxwood Music Festival, Upper Potomac Fiddle Retreat, and Fiddle Hell Festival. He has performed in Scotland, Ireland, South America, Italy, Germany and at prestigious venues in the U.S such as the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C and Strathmore Music Center.

Irish fiddle legend Liz Carroll calls Seán: “One powerhouse of a fiddler”.

Seán has shared the stage with traditional music icons such as Bonnie Rideout, Liz

Carroll, Maeve Gilchrist, and along with his accolades in Traditional Music, Seán made his Classical solo debut with the Virginia Symphony in 2012 performing Mozart's 5th Violin Concerto.

In 2023, Seán was honored to win the prestigious Dan R. MacDonald Memorial

Prize from the Clan Donald Trust from the Gaelic Performing Arts as well as Male Musician of the year from Ireland Tonight Radio.

Seán has recorded four full length internationally acclaimed albums some of which have been featured on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta in Ireland, and NPR’s Thistle and Shamrock. Currently based in the Washington DC area, Seán performs nationally with the Seán Heely Celtic Band, Seán Heely's Celtic Christmas, The Glencoe Lads and Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra.

Links:

Sean Heely, https://www.seanheely.com/

Liz Carroll, https://www.lizcarroll.com/

Julie Fowlis, https://www.juliefowlis.com/

Bonnie Rideout, http://www.bonnierideout.com/

Sessions at MacMillan Spirit House, https://www.themacmillanspirithouse.com/

Alexander Carmichael, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Carmichael

Festival Interceltique de Lorient (Bretagne), https://www.festival-interceltique.bzh/

Fiddle Hell, https://www.fiddlehell.org/

Chapters

00:00 The Musical Journey Begins

07:28 Discovering Traditional Music and Community

11:16 The Gaelic Language and Its Influence

14:13 Exploring Instruments: Harp and Bouzouki

19:13 Tuning and Its Challenges in Performance

23:43 The Essence of Music Sessions

28:07 Global Experiences and Cultural Exchange

30:26 Teaching and Sharing Knowledge

40:32 Nature as Inspiration

47:49 Celtic Traditions and Seasonal Celebrations

53:26 Exploring Celtic Nations and Their Music

I have something a little different for you today, and I will be interested to know how you like it. My husband and I filmed a short review of James May’s James Gin, and I decided to edit the audio for the podcast in addition to posting the video on YouTube. I hope you can get a sense of the flavor profiles of these three new gins and decide whether you might like to try them, too. Please subscribe and leave a review. Let me know which is your favorite gin or which spirit you prefer.

In this episode, Shana and Ed McLean explore the unique flavors of James May's gin collection, tasting three distinct varieties: Asian Parsnip, California Dreamgin’, and London Drizzle. They share their personal preferences and insights on each gin's flavor profile, comparing them to the well-known Hendrick’s gin. The conversation highlights the creativity behind the gins and concludes with their overall impressions and recommendations.

Links

https://us.jamesgin.com

https://www.topgear.com/

https://www.amazon.com/The-Grand-Tour-Season-1/dp/B086VXCTGW

https://hendricksgin.com/

In this conversation, Eliz Phillips shares her journey as a Creative Services Director, discussing how creativity has shaped her career and personal life. She reflects on her experiences in advertising, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the evolving role of creativity in the workplace, especially in the context of AI. Eliz emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear in creative expression and applying creativity beyond professional boundaries. She advocates for the value of creativity in an increasingly automated world, encouraging others to embrace their unique perspectives and ideas.

Eliz Phillips is a Senior Director, Creative Services in Washington, D.C. She has worked in the creative field for nearly 30 years—as a copywriter, content strategist, consultant, and creative director. She’s launched her own agency, freelanced at top agencies in the area and worked at Arnold Worldwide. She is a graduate of VCU Brandcenter. When she’s not working, she meditates, lifts weights, jogs, walks, hikes, takes classes and volunteers as an escort for Chicago Honor Flights. She is a part time Uber driver and full time cheerleader for her three teenagers. She also has a rescue dog and a barn cat.

Links: https://brandcenter.vcu.edu/

Chapters

00:00 Creative Services and Career Journey

10:52 The Year of Yes: Embracing Opportunities

14:46 Building a Brand: Challenges and Triumphs

19:24 Identifying Good Ideas and Creative Processes

20:09 The Power of Idea Generation

21:16 Harnessing AI for Creativity

23:14 Overcoming Creative Blocks

25:03 Applying Creativity Beyond Work

30:02 Navigating a Creative Career