Hire Michael McLernon | Ceilidh caller in Newcastle upon Tyne

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From£70

1 hour

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Drop Spindle Ceilidh Band - Virginia Reel (Calling) 30.03.24

Drop Spindle Ceilidh Band - Virginia Reel

Medley for Monsters (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt) Folk Music Cosplay Video

About Michael

BA(Hons) Newcastle Uni, Accordion & Drums/Percussion. Specialising in Irish, Scottish, English, French, Scandinavian & Bulkan folk music.

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Ceilidh caller

Newcastle upon Tyne

Public liability insurance of £10 million

Top #10 Most Booked Ceilidh Band in UK (Encore, 2023 - Drop Spindle Ceilidh Band). Live Performance & Workshop Facilitation for Live Music Now (North East England; specialist schools & care homes), Performer/Instrumentalist/Private Tutor (Piano Accordion, Cajon, Bodhran, Drums, Tin Whistle), Ceilidh Caller (Drop Spindle Ceilidh Band), Composer (Classical, Film/TV/Games, Folk & Traditional). As well as a soloist, I'm part of two amazing collectives - Drop Spindle Ceilidh Band (Scottish Ceilidh Dance) & Shillelagh Sessions (Video Game music cover band). Background: I grew up in Glasgow competing in the Irish Fleadh nationally with Piano Accordion, Whistle & Percussion with the St. Roch's Irish Music organisation for 10 years. I then joined an alt-rock collective for 6 years playing drums & piano. I then gained experience as a ceilidh caller in my early 20's and have since graduated from the Classical Music degree at Newcastle University in 2020 BA (Hons). I enjoy performing/composing/arranging traditional music from Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, Scandinavia, France & Ukraine. I'm also a huge nerd when it comes to scoring/arranging music & sound for film/TV/video games. LGBTQ+ friendly! If you have any specific requests/enquiries don't hesitate to get in touch :)

Michael's Reviews

Having listened to and played alongside Michael for the past year I cannot express how much of an accomplished, talented and professional performer he is, not to mention his incredible ability on the piano accordion. Michael resonates an appealing stage persona and has performed at venues such as the Sage Gateshead, supporting finalist musicians in their final recitals- a performance of paramount importance to the upcoming music scene.

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6th Anniversary

This act has been working with Encore for over 6 years

Member of the Encore community forum

Michael's Prices

Last updated: 2024

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Performance duration	Price
Short performance (up to 15 min)	£2.50
Up to 1 hour	£70
Up to 2 hours	£125
Up to 3 hours	£190

Ceilidh Caller - Corporate Event

Ceilidh Caller - 1hr

£200

Ceilidh Caller - Wedding

Ceilidh Caller - 1hr

£250

Customer questions

What do your clients love most about your performances?

I ensure to engage with my environment whilst performing, but also before & after the performance. I love meeting & speaking to new groups of people, as a HR assistant & workshop facilitator it's my comfort zone! I'm incredibly friendly & approachable and will cater for any type of event!

Which venues have you performed at in the past?

Glasgow: Royal Concert Hall, Old Fruit Market, Glasgow University, Royal Academy of Music & Drama Newcastle: Newcastle University, The Points Gateshead: Sage Gateshead

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

Yann Tiersen, Phil Cunningham, Damien Mullane, Dreamers Circus, Flook, Guilhem Desq, Adam Sutherland, Alastair Fraser, Sufjan Stevens, Ramin Djawadi, John Williams

What is the most high profile gig you've performed?

Sage Gateshead, Hall 1, June 2021 w/ Holly Clarke

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

This is not a problem at all, always happy to amend any changes post-booking!

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

I can provide a PA to play a playlist through if required - enquire for prices.

How much time do you need to set up?

15-20 mins

Can I pick the pieces you play from the set list?

if you have any requests please enquire!

Do you bring all the equipment you need to perform?

I provide everything that is required!

Can you learn specific pieces before the event?

open to learning new material, please enquire!

Musicianship

Genres:

Traditional Irish folk, Film / TV music, Medieval music, Folk, Ceillidh, Traditional English folk, Traditional Scottish folk, Light music, Marching, World music, Balkan, French music, Polka, Scottish music, Early music, Renaissance, Ceilidh, Welsh folk, Easy listening, Originals, Greek music, Italian music, Klezmer, Jewish music

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Instruments:

Ceilidh caller, Accordion, Drums, Composer, Tin whistle, Cajon, Percussion, Bodhran

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Event types:

Wedding, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Concert, Recording session, Theatre / Show, Burns night, Birthday party, New Year's Eve, Virtual event, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Cruise

See all event types

Other skills:

Arranger, Composer, Audio engineer, Lyricist, Songwriter, Sound technician, Drum technician, Transcription, Fluent improviser, Repetiteur, Perfect pitch, Instrumental teaching, Theory teaching, Singing teaching, Composition teaching, Music therapy, Community music worker, Musicologist, Orchestrator, Producer, Accompanist

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