Peter Brice plays Irish Traditional music on the button accordion and sings old songs in a traditional style.  A protégé of legendary accordionist Billy McComiskey, Peter has pursued the traditional style with special regard for the playing of the old Galway button accordionists, particularly Joe Cooley, Kevin Keegan, and Raymond Roland. 

Peter’s interest in obscure music and songs from printed collections has earned him a reputation in the United States and in Ireland as an enduring source of little known repertoire.  Peter is the founder of the Baltimore Singers Club and a charter member of the Old Bay Ceili Band. He holds a B.A. in Irish Traditional Music and Dance from the University of Limerick.

Peter performed in “A Celtic New Year”, celebrated at Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage on Saturday night, December 31st, with Irish music and dance in the form of jigs and reels. He performed with the New Century Ensemble and its leader, accompanist and producer, Zan McLeod.

“Technically, I’m more Scottish than I am Irish,” said McLeod, a multitalented accompanist and producer. “But the word ‘Celtic’ has become a popular [term] in the last 15 years. As people get more familiar with the music, they realize a lot of it came from England and Scotland, as well as Ireland.”

Having performed in many musical styles and genres, this native of North Carolina co-founded the Irish-American group Touchstone. In 1988, McLeod migrated north to D.C., where he met up with his Irish musician buddies and began touring and recording.

Now, guitarist McLeod (who has performed and recorded with such Irish notables as the Chieftains and Seamus Egan) works with his New Century Ensemble, and its Celtic cast of performers that include Peter Brice on the accordion, Rosie Shipley on the fiddle and the professional New Century Dancers under the direction of Kate Bole.

At the Millennium concert, Peter performed the dance music that you hear from Ireland and Scotland; the traditional jigs and reels and Caeli [dance] repertoire along with some holiday songs and a Celtic version of “Auld Lang Syne,” a traditional Scottish tune by Robert Burns.