The uilleann pipes are the national bagpipes of Ireland, and tionól is the Irish word for a gathering. A multitude of uilleann pipers and folks who love to hear uilleann pipes are gathering together for a tionól tonight at the Freight. This extravaganza of Irish music features some of the best Irish pipers in the West.

Joey Abarta has spent the last ten years touring North America, Europe, and Asia, teaching and performing music on the uilleann pipes. A Los Angeles native, his first teacher was Dubliner Pat D’Arcy, a founding member of the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club.

His musical skills have been further honed by several visits to Ireland, a year-long stint working in Japan, and continuing relationships with master pipers. In August of 2009, Joey’s accomplished playing won him an All-Ireland championship, placing second worldwide at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. This year Joey became the first American uilleann piper to win first prize at the An tOireachas, one of Ireland’s biggest music competitions. 

Currently based in Boston, Joey divides his attention between performance, teaching, and recording. In addition to performing solo, he tours with Mick Moloney and the group The GreenFields of America; while at home, he organizes the meetings of the Boston Pipers Club, teaches for Comhaltas’ Boston Music School, and organizes various traditional music concerts and events.

Preston Howard grew up in Northern California where he first heard Irish traditional music in the form of a Finbar Furey recording belonging to his father. This recording sparked Preston’s deep interest in the uilleann pipes. After several years playing whistle, flute and Scottish bagpipes as a child, Preston began learning the uilleann pipes at age 17 with the help of many kind traveling pipers as well as the Pub Scouts, the local Irish music collective in Chico, CA. Preston now resides in Portland, Oregon where he frequently plays at regional ceilis, Sean-nós Northwest workshops and events, local sessions, and performances.