ART CEILIDH was founded in 1998 by Mikhail Smirnov, a multi-instumentalist, a known composer - (he created musical tracks for around 20 popular films and TV serials), and Sergey Klevensky (ethnic wind instruments), nominated for BBC Music Awards, World Music ; both of them are participants of the famous Ivan Smirnov's Quartet (world music). The music of ART CEILIDH incorporates influences considered "Celtic" and unites in itself the folk traditions of the western and eastern Europe together with the author's compositions; it immediately drew attention of the admirers of the world music. The group name speaks by itself: the spirit of tradition - the Ceilidh.
In the beginning ART CEILIDH based their repertoire mainly on the Celtic tradition, but eventually moved apart from the musical framework in attempt to give their music new and interesting scent. The repertoire of ART CEILIDH combines the diverse folklore intonations from ethnic to jazz, thus forming the group's own recognizable style. Unlike many groups of a similar formation ART CEILIDH mainly has author's compositions in the repertoire, and that is certainly an advantage; these compositions belong to the constant participants of the project, Mikhail Smirnov and Sergei Klevensky.
For the first time abroad ART CEILIDH, together with Ivan Smirnov, the best acoustic Russian guitarist, have presented the program named "At the other end of the world" at the Edinburgh festival Fringe'99 in Scotland and it was a real success. As a result came the Collection of Celtic music, an album CELTOMANIA, produced by Mikhail Smirnov, label SKETIS, in the frame of a project "All Tribes".
Art Ceildh, finally having found the sounding, became the constant participant of ethnic and folk-rock festivals.
An album "Ceilidoscope. Being European" was released in 2006. Now the band is recording new album.
