Meet the Artistes | K. McDermott, Tenor | R. Richey, Pianist

Two Talents

It began in 1978: a chance meeting of a pair of supremely gifted musicians working in Boston, Mass., which quickly evolved into a longstanding professional partnership. The creative collaboration between singer Kevin McDermott and pianist Ralph Richey has lasted over one quarter of a century, and in that time they have forged together not just a unique performance style but also an enduring friendship. They have participated as equal contributors in countless projects, most notably in researching, developing, and performing the concert program Music from the Works of James Joyce, an acclaimed presentation of period songs and instrumental pieces mentioned by Joyce in his works (along with some contemporary compositions inspired by the writings of the famous author).

Messrs. McDermott and Richey have toured extensively with this program, performing it repeatedly at international Joycean events in the United States, Italy, and Ireland — most notably at the celebration of the centennial of Joyce's birth held in Dublin in 1982. It has also been broadcast on the Irish, Belgian, and German national radio systems, as well as on National Public Radio (NPR) and Voice of America.

The concert was studio-recorded and published as an LP in 1981 by Sunphone Records. That original recording has been completely remastered and digitized, and is now available in music-CD format — with the addition of four bonus tracks not previously included on the first album. The artistes continue to perform together, both in America and Europe, and are currently planning to record a second collection of "music from the works of James Joyce."

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~ More Consubstantial Duos ~ (Collect 'em all!)

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The pianist, Ralph Richey, on a recent trip to Dublin. The door in the background is the original door to the Eccles St. building where Joyce imagined Leopold and Molly were living in 1904.

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