It has been here that bands such as the Chieftains, the Furys, or Burke's own Bothy Band and Patrick Street have plied their trade. When he was a child, though, it was "unheard of" to hear these tunes performed in such a lofty way.

"The fiddle was played on its own," Burke says. "Or if there were other players, they would be playing the same melody. That's how this music was constructed in the beginning."

Contemplating the way the music had changed, Burke remembers wondering if modern audiences knew that this music was originally played unaccompanied. "I thought people would find it interesting to find out about that."

So he started to play solo fiddle shows, and tapped into that historical vein. And though 10 years ago it was hard for people to accept that he was doing it, today Burke is often requested to play solo shows, sometimes even without a PA.

"Initially it was a strange thing," Burke says of this unadorned style. However, after the wind caught his sails he was away, drawing attention to himself because of his alternative approach. He recalls one California music and arts publication running a feature on him, calling him the Naked Fiddler - a play on words he is quick to recant, stating he will most definitely be packing a pair of pants for his Canberra show.

In his role as a traditional Irish fiddle player, Burke, who has been awarded a United States National Heritage Fellowship, a top honour given to master folk and traditional artists (and one he shares with the likes of B.B. King, Bill Munroe and Doc Watson), is constantly on the lookout for new pieces of music.

In a world where the musicians are constantly researching and listening to each other's repertoire, often sharing among them, "over the years I've been to different places, picked up local music", he says. This means his shows are based on Irish music, but you'll often hear other styles find their way in, including Latin American, Middle Eastern or Scottish tunes.

And while the music he plays is almost exclusively a concert experience, Burke remembers fondly the period where playing and dancing to Irish fiddle tunes was something that happened on a regular basis. Recalling how his grandmother would leave her chair to show the younger girls how to perform the steps, showing a lightness of foot of which she would have been otherwise incapable, it's a throwback to those years where music and dance were the entertainment in the house, where people who lived in the house, next door, or just across the field would dance "until the wee hours", Burke says.

KEVIN BURKE
With: The Liz Gregory Irish Dance Academy
When: May 13
Where: The Abbey
Tickets: $45 adult, $35 concession. Dinner and show, $95/$85.
Visit: theabbey.com