Declan Masterson
Declan Masterson is an Irish uilleann piper, traditional musician, composer and arranger. In addition to pursuing a solo career and playing with Moving Hearts and Patrick Street, Masterson was one of the Riverdance musicians.
He has performed and recorded with many artists, including: Van Morrison, Dónal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Bill Whelan, Clannad, Jim McCann, Eleanor McEvoy, Townes Van Zandt, Michael Londra, Zoë Conway, Ronnie Drew, John Denver and Christy Moore, among others.
Early years
Born in Cabra, Dublin, Masterson grew up in a musical family, and learned to play the pipes and other instruments at an early age. He was encouraged by his parents Frances and Jim, who both played traditional music, and by his uncle Jimmy O'Reilly, a squeezebox player from Multyfarnham, County Westmeath. He took a keen interest in the uilleann pipes and was mentored by pipe maker Matt Kiernan, who lived nearby and made his first set. Masterson first played with the Pipers Club Céilí Band, and his first group was Tipsy Sailor, which included Gerry O'Connor and Fiách Ó Broin. Masterson gained a Leaving Certificate from O'Connell School, Dublin, in 1974.Music career
Moving Hearts
The group Moving Hearts was formed in 1981 when two members of Planxty, Dónal Lunny and Christy Moore, decided to explore the possibilities of linking contemporary music to Irish traditional music. They initially intended to form a trio with guitarist Declan Sinnott, but then expanded the group to include Irish musicians Keith Donald, Eoghan O'Neill, Brian Calnan, and Davy Spillane.After several changes of personnel and the recording of three albums, Moving Hearts, The Dark End Of The Street and Live Hearts, Moving Hearts performed as an instrumental group, recording the album The Storm with a new line-up consisting of: Spillane and Masterson, Lunny, Donald, Noel Eccles, Matt Kelleghan, O'Neill and Greg Boland. The group ceased touring in 1984, appearing only at occasional festivals like the Preseli Folk Festival—now the Fishguard Folk Festival—in 1986. They performed for a sold out, farewell concert at Dublin's Point Theatre in 1990, with Flo McSweeney on vocals.
Mosaic
In the winter of 1984, Andy Irvine gathered a collection of musicians from throughout Europe and formed Mosaic, with a final line-up including Irvine himself, Lunny, Masterson, Danish Lissa Ladefoged, Dutch Hans Theessink, and Hungarian singer Márta Sebestyén from Muzsikás.They performed in Budapest on 12 July 1985, followed by a further two gigs in Hungary and an appearance at the Dranouter festival in Belgium in early August, prior to their English tour. Their seventh gig was billed at the Southport Arts Center, which Chris Hardwick of Folk Roots reviewed with the words: "Every once in a while the folk scene throws up a new permutation in which exceptionally gifted individuals come together to produce something so innovative and exhilarating that it goes way beyond the sum of the parts". However, the band lasted only that one summer.
Patrick Street
Masterson, along with Bill Whelan, joined Patrick Street in time to record the album Irish Times.''Riverdance''
In 1994, Masterson teamed up with Whelan again and joined Riverdance. He remained with the show on and off for its entire duration, playing uilleann pipes, low whistle, tin whistle, kaval and bouzouki, also taking on the duties of musical director, until the Farewell show in May 2012. He returned for the 25th Anniversary series of concerts, beginning at the 3Arena in February 2020, playing guitar, bouzouki, kaval and pipes. The shows planned for the 2020 US and UK tours were cancelled, with the US dates rescheduled to take place from January to July 2021.Solo and other projects
He recorded six solo albums: End of the Harvest, Tropical Trad, Fairwater Fionnuisce, Drifting Through The Hazel Woods, Heartland, and The Piper's Stone.He wrote and arranged music scores for film, TV and theatre, and his piping is featured on the soundtrack of the films The Irish RM, Eat the Peach, The Secret of Roan Inish and Some Mother's Son. He also participated in many recordings, with a wide range of musicians. Along with Dónal Lunny and Máire Breathnach, Masterson was one of the founding members of Oircheilteach. He also toured as musical director for Makem and Clancy.
Selected discography
;Solo albumsEnd of the Harvest Tropical Trad Fairwater Fionnuisce Drifting Through The Hazel Woods Heartland The Piper's Stone;With Johnny McEvoy
- Long Before Your Time
;With Van MorrisonA Sense of Wonder
;With Danny DoyleTwenty Years A-Growing
;With Jim McCannFrom Tara To Here The Collection
;With Patrick StreetIrish Times
;With Eleanor McEvoyEleanor McEvoy
;With Geraldine & Danny DoyleEmigrant Eyes
;With Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia PipebandBy the Waters Edge
;With Maurice DicksonWhere Eagles Fly
;With Townes Van ZandtNo Deeper Blue
;With Bill WhelanRiverdance: Music from the Show Some Mother's Son Roots of Riverdance Seville Suite Live CD/DVD with Galecian Sinfonia Orchestra La CorûnaRiverdance 25th Anniversary: Music from the Show
;With Ronnie DrewDirty Rotten Shame
;With AnúnaInvocation
;With ClannadLore
;With Andy IrvineRain on the Roof Way Out Yonder
;With Metal Gear SolidMetal Gear Solid Original Game Soundtrack
;With Máirín FahyMáirín
;With Andrew WhiteGuitarra Celtica
;With Michael LondraChristopher Celt
;With Zoë ConwayZoë Conway
;With the Celtic Orchestra
- Celtic Reflections
;With Bryan AdamsRoom Service
;With Róisin Dempsey Spirit Of An Irish Christmas
;With Tommy FlemingA Life Like Mine The Best Is Yet to Come Song for a Winter's Night
;With Colin Farrell Make a Note
;With Patrick ManganThe Frost is All Over
;With other artists / CompilationsIrish Memories Heart of the Gaels Lament Celtic Heartbeat Collection Realta '96 Celtic Twilight, Vol.4: Celtic Planet Dance of the Celts Celtic Treasure, Vol.2 The Celtic Experience Celtic Solstice Celtica Dark Age of Camelot: A Musical Journey Island Blues Tranquility Gold Ireland: Essential Guide
;Film scoresThe Irish RM Eat the Peach The Secret of Roan Inish