Spotlight on Music
Date: Aug 10
2:00 pm
- 4:00 pm
Where: Level 3 Atrium
Enjoy performances by local outstanding musicians as they fill The Rooms with music and songs from our province’s rich musical history. Be prepared to sing along, tap your toes or just sit back and delight in the moment. Included in the cost of admission.
Featuring:
Fergus O’Byrne – July 13 and August 10
Fergus O'Byrne is widely acclaimed for his musical legacy, as a member of Ryan's Fancy, Tickle Harbour, working as a duo with Jim Payne, or performing with his son, Fergus Brown-O’Byrne, and as a solo artist. He proudly celebrates the songs of his adopted province, Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Ireland, England, Scotland and the Maritimes in his performances.
O’Byrne has received many awards acknowledging his contribution to folk music including an ECMA Lifetime Achievement Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Folk Arts Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and an NLAC Arts in Education award. Besides touring nationally and internationally, he works extensively mentoring young folk music enthusiasts and students throughout the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Jim Payne – July 27 and August 24
A native of Notre Dame Bay, Jim Payne is an award-winning performer, collector and producer of traditional Newfoundland music, as well one of the province’s most prolific songwriters, whose songs and stories reflect the folklore of the province as well as historic and contemporary issues faced by coastal peoples of the North West Atlantic.
Jim is a recipient of Arts NL’s Outstanding Cultural Achievement and Arts in Education Awards, and has been awarded a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. He has also received a Cultural Tourism Award from the NL Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, the federal Dept. of Canadian Heritage, and Hospitality NL. He was inducted into Arts NL’s Hall of Honour in 2016, presented with the ECMA’s Stompin’ Tom Connor’s Award in 2017, and received both the NL Folk Arts Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Music NL’s Industry Builder Award in 2021.
Today's Events & Programs
Newfoundland Folk Holiday Performance – Fergus O'Byrne & Jim Payne
Continue the festive spirit with a delightful holiday performance featuring Fergus O'Byrne and Jim Payne!
Immerse yourself in the warmth of Newfoundland folk culture, including traditional Christmas carols, rousing sea shanties and work songs, poignant ballads, comic ditties, folk tales and recitations, and toe-tapping jigs, reels, and polkas on a variety of instruments.
Cost: Free. A ticket is required. Reserve your free ticket online or by calling (709) 757-8090.
About the Performers:
Jim Payne – From Notre Dame Bay, Jim is a leading performer on accordion and a collector of Newfoundland traditional music. He is one of the province’s most prolific songwriters and has created soundtracks for theatre, plays, and documentaries. Jim also owns and operates SingSong Inc., Newfoundland’s largest traditional music label with fourteen available titles, dedicated to music, story, song, and dance reflecting the Newfoundland experience.
Fergus O'Byrne – Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Fergus became a familiar voice on radio and television from 1971 to 1983 as a member of the renowned folk group Ryan's Fancy. He now tours nationally and internationally with Jim Payne and A Crowd Of Bold Sharemen and is recognized for promoting Newfoundland and Celtic music while mentoring young folk music enthusiasts.
Beaumont-Hamel and the Trail of the Caribou
In this exhibition, find out about the impacts of the First World War on Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and how events overseas dramatically altered our lives at home.
Each tour is approximately 30 – 40 minutes and is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms members.