EILEEN IVERS RETURNS WITH UNIVERSAL ROOTS: A ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION
(IRVINE, CA, FEBRUARY 17, 2026)—The Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents the return of Grammy-winning violinist, Eileen Ivers with UnIVERsal Roots on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 8pm, at Irvine Barclay Theatre. Dubbed "the Jimi Hendrix of the violin" by The New York Times, Ivers was last presented by the Philharmonic Society at Segerstrom Hall in 2006. The program, titled “Connecting the Roots,” weaves Americana, Bluegrass, Appalachian, Québécois, and Cajun traditions into one powerful musical celebration depicting scenes from the Irish American experience. This performance is part of the Eclectic Orange Series sponsored by Jelinek Family Trust and is also part of the Philharmonic Society’s America@250 Celebration.
As part of their visit, Ivers and UnIVERsal Roots will take part in the Philharmonic Society’s “Sounds Around the Globe” bus-in concert program—an educational performance series designed for students in grades 6-8 featuring instruments and musical traditions that may be less familiar to Western audiences. They will perform for approximately 650 middle school students. This educational engagement is closed to the public.
Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated, Eileen Ivers continues to push traditional fiddling boundaries from a folk music staple to a fiercely fresh, powerfully beautiful, intensely driving world stage experience. In a career that has spanned over 30 years, Ivers has performed and/or toured with such diverse artists as Sting, Patti Smith, Al Di Meola, Hall & Oates, and The Chieftains. She has guest starred with the London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, over 50 symphony orchestras to date, and was the groundbreaking musical star of Riverdance, a featured instrumentalist on Back to Titanic and film soundtracks including Gangs of New York. She is a 9-time All-Ireland Fiddle champion, and one of the most awarded All-Ireland Fiddle and Banjo champions ever. Ivers has been proclaimed “a national treasure” by NCTA Board Chairman George Holt as she celebrates her renowned career as a performer, composer, producer, songwriter, band leader, educator, multi-instrumentalist and revered pioneer in connecting her American, Irish traditional, jazz, blues, and world roots. She's been called a "sensation" by Billboard magazine, and The Irish Times raves, "She electrifies the crowd with a dazzling show of virtuoso playing.”
Ivers graduated magna cum laude in Mathematics from Iona University. Iona has since conferred upon Ivers the degree of Doctor of Arts, honoris causa for her “lifelong commitment to innovation, excellence and deep dedication to bringing people together through music.” Ivers has recently been appointed to Iona’s Board of Trustees and, as one of many projects, spearheaded the establishment of an Iona University campus in Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland.
Ivers continues to bring people together in performance with her five-piece, passionate, powerhouse band. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, "Ivers' presentation was music with the kind of life and spirit that come together when talented artists from different backgrounds find the linkages that connect all forms of music...no wonder the audience loved every minute."
Scatter the Light is Ivers’ most recent CD release of predominantly original music. It follows the previous release Beyond the Bog Road, which focused on the influences of the Celtic tradition on Roots music (bluegrass, French-Canadian, Cajun, Appalachian, Americana). In 2022, Ivers was awarded the Family Choice Award for her first children’s book, Will Someone Play Bluey?, a heartwarming, anti-bullying, stand-up-for-yourself story written in perfect rhyme and rhythm featuring talking instruments … and a blue violin.
Three-time All-Ireland accordion champion Buddy Connolly (accordion, whistles, keyboards) hails from Newark, New Jersey, with parents from Clare and Galway in Ireland. In 1995, he moved to Nashville and was introduced to bluegrass, Cajun and country music and toured/recorded with Tim O'Brien, Kathy Mattea, Rodney Crowell, Christian rockers Ceili Rain, Orleans, Matt Molloy (Chieftains), Joel Sonnier and many others.
Colin Forhan (guitar, banjo, concertina, vocals) grew up in Takoma Park, Maryland, and was primarily exposed to American folk music in his youth. A self-taught musician, after moving to New York City, Colin began attending trad sessions and voraciously learning traditional tunes. He recently transitioned from his position in actuarial sciences to a career as a professional musician.
Juilliard alumnus Lindsey Horner (upright bass, electric bass, baritone sax) has recorded and performed with diverse artists from Susan McKeown and Johnny Cunningham in the Celtic realm to Greg Osby, Bill Frisell, Bobby Previte, Dave Douglas, Don Byron and Muhal Richard Abrams in the jazz world. He has performed for dozens of Broadway shows from the Lion King to Tommy and has produced five albums, including his most recent Undiscovered Country, which features Irish legend, Andy Irvine, on two tracks.
Queens, New York City native Dave Barckow (percussion, guitar, vocals) has been playing music professionally since the age of 12 and has played with several national and international acts including Celtic Cross, The Diddley Idols and hard rockers White Trash. As a songwriter and performer, Dave’s music has been used on several prime-time network shows including Mercy (NBC), Nurse Jackie (SHO), and Flesh & Bone (SHO).
Irvine Barclay Theatre is located at 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine, CA 92612. Ticket prices start at $46 and are available at the Philharmonic Society box office at (949) 553-2422, or online at www.philharmonicsociety.org, and at the Barclay box office at (949) 854-4646.
All artists, dates, venues, programs, and prices are subject to change.
ABOUT THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY:
Founded in 1954 as Orange County’s first music organization, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents national and international performances of the highest quality and provides dynamic and innovative music education programs for individuals of all ages to enhance the lives of Orange County audiences through music.
Since its inception, the Philharmonic Society has evolved and grown with the county’s changing landscape, presenting artists and orchestras who set the standard for artistic achievement from Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Yo-Yo Ma, and Renée Fleming to the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many others. In addition, the Philharmonic Society celebrates multi-disciplinary performances under its Eclectic Orange brand and embraces music from a wide range of countries with its World Music performances. Its celebrated concerts introduce children to classical music with creative and inspiring performances, instilling music appreciation for future generations.
The Philharmonic Society’s nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, offered free of charge, engage more than 80,000 students annually through curriculum-based music education programs that aim to inspire, expand imaginations, and encourage learning at all levels. These programs are made possible by the Committees of the Philharmonic Society comprised of nearly 450 volunteer members who provide more than 50,000 hours of in-kind service each year. As a key youth program, the exceptional Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble provide top-tier training to the area’s most talented young musicians through multi-level ensemble instruction, leadership training, touring opportunities, challenging professional repertoire, and performances in world-class venues. The Philharmonic Society also promotes life-long learning, connecting with colleges and universities to conduct masterclasses and workshops and providing pre-concert lectures to introduce audiences to program selections.
CONTACT:
Marie Songco-Torres Rosiana Falzon
(949) 553-2422, ext. 230 (949) 553-2422, ext. 105
marie@philharmonicsociety.org rosiana@philharmonicsociety.org