One word from audience reviews stood out… electrifying!

Well, we are thrilled at the responses, and thoroughly enjoyed the three concerts on our last run for 2025. (Ian has more in Sydney in December, catch him there!)

Playing in Yackandandah Courthouse was a joy, and the Arts Yackandanda organisers were so kind. We fell in love with the area, especially around where we stayed in Harrietville with our wonderful friend Danny, and in Beechworth with brother Nigel Date.

Canberra Irish Club was wonderful, getting a little bit of back home in Ireland vibes, along with the divine sound from sound engineer Dene Burton.

Our third concert, in Byron Bay at Byron Theatre was fabulous, with a magnificent and appreciative audience.

We also had a lovely interview with the brilliant artist and broadcaster Karena Wynn Moylan of BayFM https://www.bayfm.org/shows/arts-canvass/ on Thursday, 13th Nov before the concert.

Here are excerpts from messages texted after our Byron Theatre concert last night! 

…an absolute delight to see you both perform, the sheer joy of creating and playing together was tangible at every moment. The film was very beautiful and informative.  Everyone around me loved it.  Thank you for a splendid night at the theatre. 👏👏👏👏👏 

…so many rave reviews about your concert. Everyone I invited just loved it & are so grateful for the invitation. 
 

…Your cello - the way you caressed & played it & all were in awe of your skill & mastery as musician & composer. 
 

…found the whole evening electrifying. 
 

…long cherish & remember the event.

…you are both consummate artists & exceptional communicators - the whole package making you perfect for various festivals & events you’ve applied to. Don’t lose heart or that uniquely wonderful fire in the belly that makes you shine. 
 

…You have a magical recipe the way you make love on stage through your humour, wit & genius & your love of your music & instruments reaches out in the dark & touched us all so profoundly.

Thank you to everyone who came to our last three concerts and who helped us along the way for the epic journey!

Ilse & Ian

Listen 
Ian had a wonderful chat with Ross Fear on Spectrum FM Alive 90.FM. Playing tracks from his discography and talking about past and future. 

Special mention to the upcoming Ozmanouche festival in September 2025. This being the 20th year. It's Australia's only  dedicated Gypsy Jazz Festival

A wonderful full house yesterday for our concert in Woy Woy at the Everglades Country Club for the Troubadour Folk Club. Thank you to everyone who came and supported us and the Troubadour team who made it such a success. 
On Facebook 

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De Ziah and Date, 29 June 2025.

Music and pictures communicate where words fall short.  Sunday's program of both film and concert from two of the very best performers you're ever likely to see, leaves me flailing as I search for the right words to express my response.  

What masters this duo are of their craft.  Exquisite cello from Ilse De Ziah along with the extraordinary guitar of Ian Date.  These are, without doubt, one of the finest and most completely developed live music acts ever to come out of this country.  

Setting out to learn about the origins of a number of the powerful, emotionally charged Irish airs, Ilse took the audience with her across Ireland as she followed the historic musical trails back as far as documents and human memory was able.  The remarkable film was far more than a historical or academic documentary as we were introduced to multi-generational musical families, heritage musicians of a few musicological experts.   At the same time the inspiring old houses and places of beauty across the emerald isle inspired the entire audience.  

The film was also great introduction to their performance as a duo.  Wow.  Can they play!  The full range from deep sorrow and action of profound loss to fast and furious, and everything in between.  

No wonder they are so beloved in Ireland, Europe and internationally.  If you missed them at the Troubadour, kick yourself.  But make sure you find out where they are playing next and make sure you get there.  

And don't forget to book for the next concert at the Troubadour!

In the meantime, I hope you will enjoy a few snippets from their premier performance in Woy Woy.

Michael Fine
 

Great to have the support of local papers; it is sad when they disappear. I love having a local rag to peruse at brekky! https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/tweedcoasttimes/living/de-ziah-and-date-the-eternal-tradition/

De Ziah and Date – the eternal tradition

Ian Date and Ilse de Ziah explore ancient and living traditions in a stunning concert for cello and guitar. Photo: SUPPLIED

 

THE De Ziah and Date duo will return to the Tweed with a double event in Murwillumbah on June 22, featuring a documentary screening and a live concert.

Their feature-length film Living the Tradition explores the origins of Irish airs, delving into the country’s musical heritage through stories, melodies, and traditions passed down through generations.

Following the screening, Ilse de Ziah (cello) and Ian Date (guitar) will perform live, blending Celtic, jazz, and world music influences with a classical sensibility.

Speaking from Sydney during a short tour, Ballina-based Date said the combined film and concert format had been exceptionally well received.

“The tradition we explore in the film isn’t the trad Irish music that people think,” he said.

“It’s over 300 years old and has its roots in an old Baroque tradition, and there’s more of that ancient music in Ireland than the trad Irish if you want to dig deep enough.

“We continue living the tradition with music that we’ve composed ourselves that is inspired by the same kind of things as those ancient compositions.”

One of the airs featured in the film is a lament called Song of the Books, which tells the story of a schoolteacher travelling to take up a post on an island off the coast of Ireland.

“He had a library of books in a boat, and he was travelling separately,” Date said.

We were recently in Toowoomba at The Empire for the QPac conference and it reminded me of a review writer Kathie Hendon sent to The Chronicle in Toowoomba after our performance there, which we didn't share! Here it is.

Last Saturday night saw Toowoomba music lovers treated to an exhilarating concert of evocative music on cello and guitar in the Empire Church Theatre.  The duo Ilse de Ziah and Ian Date brought to life an eclectic fusion of folk and Irish music that had their audience enraptured.

An introductory film, “Living the Tradition”, proved a wonderful way to explore how Irish music responds to political events and to natural settings.  The second half of the program saw the duo then introduce their own compositions with fascinating background detail as to why the song happened to be written and comments on its style.

“Sea Eagle” for example, was inspired by the re-introduction of Sea Eagles in Ireland.   “Here and There” was a reflection upon the wandering life of these top Australian musicians spending their years between Ireland and Australia.

Ian and Ilse alternated the identifying commentaries.  Ian’s larrikin Australian humour had the audience ready for anything, when he stated how “Ballykenefick” came about – as he pondered the sound of the wind through the web of electric wiring in the backyard of an Irish ham radio enthusiast.

Ilse related how she inserted a quirky zing to the song “Twisting of the Rope” based on an ancient Irish air.  The story describes the witty way in which an Irish mother despatches a prospective lover upon realizing he is there for her daughter, and not herself!

The two-and-a-half hour concert was a delight and the Church Theatre a perfect venue for this intimate, fun and thoughtful program.   Fingers crossed that Toowoomba music lovers will see and hear more of this dynamic duo in the future.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Conor Tallon on Elmarie Mawe’s Arts House radio program on 96FM in Cork, Ireland. We had a great conversation about our new album, as well as some exciting upcoming shows.

It was a fun and insightful chat, and I’m thrilled to share it with you! Have a listen to the interview and hear more about what’s coming up next.

We had the incredible opportunity to perform at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra recently, and what a fantastic venue it is! The atmosphere was perfect for sharing our music and stories, and we were thrilled to connect with such an engaged audience.

A big thanks to everyone who attended! If you missed the show or want to relive the experience, here’s a wonderful review of our performance from Len Power in City News:

Read the full review here. (also included below)

The performance featured Living The Tradition with Ilse De Ziah on cello and Ian Date on guitar. It was a truly special night, and we’re so grateful for the warm reception.

We hope to see you at our next show!

For an emotional journey through traditional Irish music, cellist Ilse De Ziah first presented a screening of the film she made with Maarten Roose called Living The Tradition: An Enchanting Journey Through Old Irish Airs. 

The film, a documentary, shows Ilse’s search around Ireland for the background and locations of many traditional Irish tunes and their composers. 

Along the way, she meets with composers, scholars and local characters who help to provide a deeper understanding of the roots of this emotionally charged music.

Dynamic, colourful, lush and romantic, the country’s history and politics are never far away in these tunes. Beautifully filmed, the atmospheric and unique scenery of Ireland, coupled with the country’s traditional music, make this a memorable journey.

Taking the stage after the film, De Ziah with her cello and Ian Date, guitarist, entertained with a selection of music from their debut album, Here & There.

De Ziah is a cellist and composer famous for her cross-genre style. She has worked across contemporary, classical, rock ‘n’ roll, traditional Irish, jazz and experimental music. As a cellist, De Ziah is known for her daring and emotionally charged performances which connect at a deep level with people from all walks of life.

Date is regarded as one of Australia’s great guitarists. Known for his lyrical, inventive style and virtuosity, he has performed extensively as a jazz musician since the 1990s.

Presenting nine of the songs from their album, the pair displayed their virtuosity, individually and together. They began with The Ambush, a work inspired by the history of a place where they had lived in Ireland. It was a dynamic piece that combined chaos, emotion and melody and displayed their skill at working harmoniously together. 

Other works were inspired by music from Mexico and Argentina as well as other Irish stories and melodies.

Their performance made an immediate connection with the audience. De Ziah clearly loves performing and sharing her music. Constantly smiling, her relaxed rapport with Date and the audience was very appealing.

Both performers presented the audience with fascinating detail of the origins of each tune. Date’s personal interaction with the audience was also very down-to-earth, easily showing his enjoyment in playing this music.

We had an exciting concert at The Majestic Theatre in Pomona, Queensland. The evening featured a special screening of Living the Tradition, followed by a live performance of tracks from Here & There.

We were truly grateful for the warm and positive response to both the film and our performance. The venue itself was absolutely charming, providing the perfect atmosphere for the event.

Check out the highlights of this memorable evening in our YouTube video!

The 2023 Ozmanouche Festival was an incredible gathering of local and international artists, celebrating the best of gypsy jazz music in Brisbane. Held annually in November, the festival brought together an impressive lineup of talent, including Hank Marvin and renowned multi-instrumentalist and educator Denis Chang. We had the privilege of jamming with these legends, as well as Charlie McCarthy and many other fantastic musicians. De Ziah & Date performed as a duo and had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the finest in the scene.

As the festival prepares for its 19th year in 2024, make sure to keep an eye on their program for next year’s exciting lineup!

I have released “Here and There” on Bandcamp today. You can head over and listen and or download the album for FREE. Check out Ilse's channel and please, like, comment and subscribe. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think. We will have physical product, CD's and vinyl available soon. Sign up to the mailing list and we will let you know when they are available. 

cheers, Ian

I’m thrilled to announce that our new album, Here and There, is officially available on Bandcamp today! You can stream or download the album for FREE, so head over and give it a listen!

A big shout-out to Ilse's channel with our De Ziah & Date Playlist—don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe while you're there! We’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to leave us a comment and let us know what you think of the music.

We’ll also be releasing physical copies as CDs. To be the first to know when they’re available, sign up for our mailing list, and we’ll send you all the details.

Thanks for your support, and I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Cheers,
Ian