Johnny Fean and Bill Whelan for Music Show

Legendary Celtic rock guitarist Johnny Fean will give a master class at the Music Show in the RDS, while Bill Whelan will also be on hand to provide his expertise, when he contributes to a panel discussion on Music Piracy.

Johnny Fean
Fean grew up in the sixties with an interest in trad and rock: he began playing guitar at the age of ten, later learning tenor banjo, mandolin and harmonica. In 1972 he joined Horslips, playing guitar on the band's first album later that year, Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part. By 1980, the band had released a further 12 albums and brought their unique musical package to just about every club, dancehall and ballroom in Ireland. They were one of the most influential, critically acclaimed and successful Irish bands of all time.

Horslips re-grouped in March 2004 to open an exhibition of Horslips memorabilia in the Orchard Gallery Derry. September 2004 saw them record a new album 'Roll Back' which was released in December 2004. Fean currently gigs with ex-Miami Showband bassist Steve Travers and drummer Blendi Krasniq as the Johnny Fean Band.

Bill Whelan
Bill Whelan is a hugely successful and experienced composer and producer, both for the stage and for film. He is a member of the boards of Berklee School of Music in Boston, The University of Limerick and the Irish contemporary music Crash Ensemble.

Whelan's production and arranging credits include U2, Van Morrison, Kate Bush, Richard Harris, Planxty and The Dubliners. He won the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album for his Riverdance record and a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for his adaptation of HMS Pinafore.

His compositional work in film includes Dancing At Lughnasa, Some Mother's Son and Lamb. Other compositions include 'The Seville Suite', commissioned for Ireland's National Day at Expo '92 in Seville. 'The Spirit Of Mayo' followed in 1993 and was performed by an 85-piece orchestra in the National Concert Hall. 'The Connemara Suite', a trilogy of pieces written for chamber orchestra, premiered in Carnegie Hall in March 2005.

Whelan is currently working on a new theatre work which has been commissioned by the New York Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Centre.

The Music Show, presented by Hot Press in association with RT? 2FM, The Irish Independent & The Sunday Independent, runs from October 3 - 4 in The RDS, Dublin. Times are: Saturday, October 3, 10am - 6.30pm, Sunday, October 4, 11am - 6pm.

Tickets available from Ticketmaster.