The musical group Idlewild performs mainly Celtic music from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, and the Isle of Man. You can hear them play early and traditional music from various cultures mixed into their program, such as English and French music. David and Carol Sharp formed Idlewild more than ten years ago. Dave plays flute, whistle, recorders, mountain dulcimer, tenor banjo, mandolin/mandola, guitar, fiddle bodhran and sings tenor vocals. Dave has played music with many ethnic groups from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. He enjoys researching and playing all kinds of ethnic and traditional tunes. He is also an animator (network television for 16 years), and a woodcarver. Dave is also the Business Agent for the American Federation of Musicians, Local 104. Carol plays mainly the Celtic harp, hammered dulcimer, and bowed psaltery for performances. She specializes in the smaller lap harps and is a certified practitioner of harp therapy by the International Harp Therapy Program. Carol plays and works with children at Primary Children's Medical Center. Carol has received a BS degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Utah in 2002. Carol specializes in musical activities and therapy with children. Dave and Carol are joined by their five friends Jody Duffy-Brings, Teresa Welch, and Aaron Rashaw. With Steve Keen and Brian Dobson as additional members. Jody Duffy-Brings sings traditional Irish songs and ballads in a delightful natural style. She is a teacher and has a background in theater and drama. Her singing is the exact style of the female Celtic ballad singers. Teresa Welch plays fiddle for the group and is a full time member of the Ballet West Orchestra and substitutes in the Utah Symphony regularly. Like Dave and Carol, she is a member of the AFM, Local 104. She also holds the most number of upper level degrees in the group. Aaron Rashaw plays guitar for the group, and like Teresa holds a music degree as one of his degrees. His versatility makes him a valuable asset from all kinds of traditional to jazz and classical. Steve Keen plays the button accordion, Steve is a well known jazz keyboard player in the area for many years with a special interest in traditional music for the accordion. Idlewild has several friends that are accomplished musicians to help us with our work, when band members are not available. Mark Jardine, Krista Baker play fiddle, Marion Carter plays the Tenor Recorder, Paul Rasmussen, and Joe Farmer play guitar. These people can be seen playing in their own groups when not helping Idlewild. Idlewild has performed for the following local and regional events and festivals. The Utah Arts Festival - 1999, 2000, 2001. The Park City Arts Festival - 1999. Music in the Mountains (Park City) - 1993, 94, 95, 96. The Festival of the American West - 1993, 94. Summerfest (Logan, Ut.) - 1994, 95. The Southern Utah Folk Life Festival (Springville, Ut.) - 1993, 94, 95, 96, 97. The Southern Utah Renaissance Faire (Cedar City) - 1993. Mayfest (Univ. of Ut.) - 1993, 94, 95. International Multicultural Week & Tunes at Noon (Univ. of Ut.) 1993, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01. World Folk Fest (Ut. Arts Council) 1995. Brown Bag Concert Series (Salt Lake Arts Council) 1995 & 2001. Utah Living Traditions 1998, 99. Saint Patrick's Day Siamsa (Gallivan Ctr. & Hibernian Order) 1993, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 02. Chase Home Concert Series (Ut. Folk Arts Council) 1993, (with whom we had a masters/apprentice grant from the State of Utah with Patty Richards). The Old English Festival (SLC, Ut.) 1996, 98, 99, 00. Brigham City Concert Series 1998. Celtic Seasons Concert Series (SLC, Logan, Orem, Ut.) 1999. The Timpanogoes Storytelling Festival (Orem, Ut.) 1998. Educational programs for the Salt Lake County Library System, The Recording Industries Music Performance Trust Funds for various venues, and the Davis, Granite and Salt Lake School Districts. Magna Copperdays 2000, Tooele County Fair 2000. Gardner Village's Archibald's birthday Labor day Weekend 2000. Anderson Foothill Library Concerts 1999,2000, and 2001. Utah Board of Education's State School District Tour (Arts in the schools) for 2000 and 2001. Festival of August at the Gallivan Center 2001. South Salt Lake Concert series, 2001. Monthly Irish Dance or Ceili for 2000, thru 2002. Old Time Pioneer Dances funded in part by the Utah Folk Arts Council 2001. Red Butte Gardens Winter Solstice and Saturnalia nights, 2001. Benefit concert at the Capitol Theater for the Afghan children's relief, 2001. The Downtown Festival during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Main stage and cultural areas at Washington Square. We have also held and been successful with a number of our own concerts we have produced. Idlewild opened for the following performers on tour. L. Shankar and Zakhir Hussien (Kingsbury Hall, U. of U.) Norman Kennedy (Concert Hall, Utah State Univ.) The Wind Machine (Logan Summerfest) The Black Family (Galivan Ctr. SLC, Ut) The Costello Family (Galivan Ctr. SLC, Ut) all Ireland celdhi champions. Idlewild makes the majority of its income from weddings and corporate parties. Idlewild has had three live performances on KRCL Radio in Utah and performs on regular basis at public and private events in the intermountain area. We also have a monthly dance or ceili (kay-lee) through the Hibernians Society of Utah. Idlewild has received reviews for their performances and albums in the Tribune, Catalyst and City Weekly, as well as National Publications like The Dulcimer Player News and Irish Music Magazine. (see summer 2000 and March issues respectively) Idlewild also sells its music for audio books through Deseret Books. Idlewild plays music for Irish storytellers Mark Gollagher and M'lisa Hansen in a "Bit O Blarney" Our current CD's are "Idlewild" "The Song of Fionula" "Blarney Pilgrim" "The Wild Geese" "Black Oak" "The Birds of Rhiannon" "The Grand Ceidhli" (Kay-lee) "The Chalice Well" Idlewild is currently working on three new CD projects a harp and flute album (called the River Roe), an album of French and Breton instrumental music and last but not least an album of Welsh music. Sometime this year we will update our website as they become available. Idlewild has appeared playing their own music, on an episode of the CBS show "Promised Land" and has eight CD's available through their own label Idlewild Recordings. For more information contact us, Dave and Carol Sharp at 801-268-4789 or email idlewild@ idlewildrecordings.com. Thank you, Sincerely, David S. Sharp