Joanie Madden is an Irish-American flute and whistle player of Irish Traditional Music. She is best known as leader of the all-female group Cherish the Ladies, but has also recorded and performed with numerous other musicians, and as a solo artist.[1] She also teaches master classes and workshops.[2]
Contents |
Madden was born in the Bronx to Irish immigrants. Her father, Joe Madden, was a respected accordion player, having been inducted into the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Mid-Atlantic Region Hall of Fame in 1992. Madden began as a musician by learning the piano, but the instrument didn't hold her interest. She eventually became enamored with the tin whistle, and paid for her own lessons with neighbor Jack Coen. As a teenager and young adult, she gained experience playing with her father's band, and with classmate Eileen Ivers. In 1983, at the age of 25, she became the first American to win the Senior All-Ireland Championship for tin whistle. Shortly after, Mick Moloney contacted her about performing in a concert series called "Cherish the Ladies". This developed into the band by the same name, which Joanie has headed since its inception.[3] Since then, she has performed and recorded with numerous musicians. While the majority of her work is within the Irish tradition, she has also played on film scores and with artists of varied styles such as Sinéad O'Connor and Pete Seeger. Her solo albums Song of the Irish Whistle and its sequel are often categorized as "New Age" or "Space Music". On February 17, 2007, Madden was honored in the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Mid-Atlantic Region Hall of Fame.[4]
In 2011, Joanie Madden received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in recognition of her artistry and her support of Irish-American music and culture.
Madden plays a Boehme-system flute[5] (sometimes referred to as a "classical" or "silver" flute), in contrast to the majority of flute players within the Irish Traditional genre who play simple-system wooden flutes. The classical flute is widely considered an inferior choice of instrument for this style of music, since it is difficult or impossible to perform certain ornamentation (most notable slides) on it.[6]