THESIS - Reimagining Michael Coleman: Tradition, Technology, and the Soul of Irish Music

In this debut episode of Honors Spotlight, host Robin Lee sits down with Colman Connolly—an MTSU Honors student, world champion accompanist, and passionate steward of Irish musical heritage. Colman takes us on a journey through his creative thesis project, which brings new life to the legendary recordings of Michael Coleman, a master fiddler who transformed traditional Irish music in the early 20th century.

Blending his deep cultural roots with cutting-edge AI technology, Colman remasters Coleman’s historic recordings, removing harsh accompaniments and restoring their original brilliance. Hear about his process, his personal connection to the music, and how this work preserves not only sound, but spirit.

🎧 In this episode: 

• The legacy of Michael Coleman and the Sligo fiddle style 
• How AI stem separation is revolutionizing music restoration 
• Colman’s upbringing in the Irish-American trad scene 
• A before-and-after audio comparison of remastered tracks 
• Why preserving cultural authenticity matters more than ever

(Intro music by MTSU Music major Elloise Layus.)

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