The uilleann pipes, tin whistle and flute all combine to make the melodic sound of Eliot Grasso’s traditional Irish music. Grasso, a doctoral student in musicology at the University, has been playing the Irish uilleann pipes since age 11. The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day means something unique to every American, and Grasso gave his input on the celebration of the holiday as a performer of traditional Irish music.
Q: When were you introduced to Irish music?
A: I grew up hearing my father play the fiddle in our house. I was also exposed to the music of other traditional players in the Irish music community of Baltimore, Md. I learned a lot about how Irish people interrelate and the social constructs that attend the music, and how traditional Irish music culture has its own character that would be different from mainstream Irish culture today.
Q: What do you usually do to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
A: I have done various things from performing with the Oregon Chorale, to performing at the Irish ambassador’s house, to playing at a retirement community for my grandparents.
Q: How has your involvement in Irish music affected your view of St. Patrick’s Day traditions?
A: Over the past ten years or so, St. Patrick’s Day has changed over from a religious holiday to an Americanized holiday celebrating Irish culture. Until recently, the Irish living in Ireland observed it as a religious holiday. I’m an American. I was born here and grew up here, but a lot of my cultural influences came from American-Irish people. While my Irish heritage is negligible, I really just think of myself as a musician who happens to play Irish music.
Q: What role does music play in a traditional Irish celebration?
A: Music plays a fairly important role, although you have to distinguish between mainstream Irish culture and the culture of musicians who still play traditional music. Among the people who do play it, traditional music would be a crucial part of celebrations like weddings and funerals.
Q: Do celebrations and traditions differ in Ireland than in the U.S.?
A: Yes. It seems to me that Americans find great importance in identifying with their ethnicity and making a big deal of it. The Irish just do what they’ve been doing for years and are happy enough for innovation to exist along with the tradition. Americans tend to be nostalgic for a motherland they’re not from and as a result, they tend to be a little more conservative culturally speaking.
According to Grasso’s website, traditional Irish music develops bonds and community among those who play this type of music. While ethnicity plays a superficial role in cultural inclusion, it does not inhibit those with diverse backgrounds from participating in traditional music. Not only does Grasso’s interpretation reveal the cultural differences in celebration of the same holiday, but his opinions of St. Patrick’s Day and Irish culture mark how music is incorporated into celebrations by different areas of society.
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