Violinist Eileen Ivers and band coming to Irish Cultural Center in Utica on May 19

She’s been called the Jimi Hendrix of the violin.

She was the touring fiddle player with the world-wide phenomenon, Riverdance.

She’s a co-founder of the most celebrated female Celtic band of all-time, "Cherish The Ladies."

She’s one of the most awarded musicians ever to compete in the prestigious All-Ireland competitions, with nine All-Ireland fiddle championships and a tenth on tenor banjo.

She’s Eileen Ivers.

And she’s coming to Utica.

On Thursday, May 19, Eileen and her new band, "Universal Roots," bring their “Scatter The Light” tour to the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley for a 7 p.m. show.

Eileen has never been shy about pushing the boundaries of what might be expected from Irish music, and this tour continues that trend.

“I love to take the audience on a musical journey where they will certainly hear traditional Irish music, but also the Americana roots music which was heavily influenced by it: bluegrass, Cajun, old-timey,” Eileen explains. “It’s a very diverse concert of music, song, even poetry. There are so many emotions in Irish music – from heartfelt laments to joyously infectious reels and jigs.”

Listing all of her accolades would take up several columns, but here’s a condensed version: a Grammy winner and Emmy nominee, she has performed for presidents and royalty worldwide, she’s played and/or recorded with the "London Symphony Orchestra," the "Boston Pops" and over 50 orchestras, as well as with superstars like Sting, "Hall and Oates," "The Chieftains," Patti Smith, Al Di Meola and Steve Gadd and she was featured on the movie soundtrack for “Gangs of New York.”

For ICCMV Program and Events Committee Chair Mike Hoke, bringing such a gifted and charismatic performer to the center was a no-brainer.

“What I like about her show is the variety and energy she puts into her arrangements. She is not afraid to go beyond the constraints of traditional Irish by exploring its musical connections with all other forms of music ranging from bluegrass/old-time to Cajun/jazz and beyond,” says Hoke. “She does what all great performers do on the stage: you feel as though she is playing just for you.”

This will be Eileen’s first visit to a building that she, as a frequent performer at the "Great American Irish Festival," played a major role in funding, and she’s anxious to see the results of her efforts.

“I’m always in awe of communities around the country, indeed around the world, who cherish their Irish heritage and put their hearts and souls into creating cultural centers to celebrate their roots,” said Eileen. “Can’t wait to create sound waves in the center and to meet the good folks there.”

Advance sale tickets are $40 and are available at the "Five Points Pub" and through Eventbrite. Tickets will be $50 on the day of the show.

This show was made possible through a generous sponsorship from R. A. Wood Associates.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Violinist Eileen Ivers and band coming to Irish Cultural Center in Utica