{{Short description|Irish composer, arranger and pianist}} {{Notability|1=Biographies|date=July 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=October 2019}} '''Carl Hession''' is an Irish composer, arranger and pianist. His background includes many elements of his education in both traditional and modern (including jazz) and classical music.<ref name="rhythm">{{cite web | url=http://www.rhythmofthedance.com/team.php | title=Rhythm of the Dance | publisher=The National Dance Company of Ireland | date=2011 | access-date=17 May 2014 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214144048/http://www.rhythmofthedance.com/team.php | archive-date=14 February 2014 }}</ref>

Originally from Galway, Ireland, he participated in competitions at various Fleadhs throughout the country. He has All Ireland titles to his credit as a soloist and as a member of duets and trios with flute player Matt Molloy and accordion player Joe Burke.<ref name="rhythm"/> He studied classical piano at University College Cork, where he completed a B. A. in music, specialising in keyboard improvisation. He then performed with violin virtuoso Stéphane Grappelli.

Hession played with the ceili band Shaskeen, with whom he recorded several albums, and with Paul Brock's band Moving Cloud. He also worked with traditional musician friends Frankie Gavin and Joe Derrane and jazz/blues singer Mary Coughlan. With Gavin he recorded ''The Full Score'' (TARA 4020). Gavin also played on Hession's album ''Ceol Inne Ceol Inniu - Old Time New Time'', along with Jackie Daly, Steve Cooney, Kevin Crawford and others. He also made recordings with jazz guitarist Louis Stewart.<ref name="rhythm"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.musiclee.ie/iartists.php?id=carlhession|title=MusicLee.ie|website=Musiclee.ie|access-date=2 November 2021}}</ref>

For several years he was part of the Rhythm of the Dance team with the National Dance Company of Ireland.<ref name="rhythm"/>

Hession has written and arranged compositions for a number of orchestras and ensembles and collaborated with Aidan O'Carroll on the album ''Songs My Mother Taught Me''.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

Hession was a music teacher at various schools in Galway County, including Coláiste Iognáid, Galway,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://colaisteiognaid.ie/about-us/staff/|title=Staff|website=Colaisteiognaid.ie|access-date=2 November 2021}}</ref> and most recently at Yeats College Galway, after which he commenced his retirement.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

==Select discography == ;With Shaskeen

*''The Shaskeen'', Release Records BRL 4053.<ref name="selfdiscog">{{Cite web|url=https://www.shaskeen.net/band/Shaskeen-Recordings-since-first-recording-1973-4_4|title=Shaskeen.net &#124; Shaskeen Recordings since first recording 1973/4|website=Shaskeen.net|access-date=2 November 2021}}</ref> *''Green Groves of Erin. Traditional Irish Music and Song'', Release Records XRL5001 *''The Ash Plant'', Release Records XRL5005 *''Traditional Irish Music'', Release Records. Audiocassette, 12 tracks.

;Others

* ''Celtic Aura - Irish Traditional Music'' - compilation - 1990 * ''Mo Chairdin'' - with Paul Brock and Manus McGuire * ''Old Time, New Time'' - 1995 * ''Moving Cloud'' - 1995 * ''Return to Inis Mór'' - 1996 * ''Tra Water's Edge'' - 1997 * ''Fox Glove'' - with Moving Cloud - 1998 * ''Mega Celtique'' * ''Joe Derrane with Carl Hession'' * ''Songs my Mother Taught Me'' - by Aidan O'Carroll * ''Heart of Ireland'' - Collection of Celtic Songs - Compilation - 1998 * ''Shamrocks & Holy - An Irish Christmas Celebration'' - compilation - 2000

==References== {{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hession, Carl}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:21st-century Irish composers Category:21st-century Irish male composers Category:Irish male pianists Category:Irish educators Category:Irish male songwriters Category:Musicians from County Galway Category:21st-century Irish pianists Category:Alumni of University College Cork Category:21st-century Irish songwriters Category:Irish traditional music composers