St. Michael’s Church presents Celtic holiday concert
St. Michael’s Church of Auburn will be filled with sparkling Yuletide music from the Celtic tradition when folk duo Castlebay, featuring Celtic harpist and vocalist Julia Lane, and members of the Maine Harp Circle perform on Sunday, November 30 at 3 p.m.
The lilting sound of Irish flute, Celtic harp, fiddle and guitar will mingle with vibrant songs of revelry and wonder in a program that will include joyous and mysterious seasonal songs and tunes from Ireland, Scotland and the British Isles, as well as more familiar holiday favorites.
Castlebay has performed their Celtic-inspired folk music at arts centers, festivals, museums, churches and libraries in the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the British Isles for 25 years. They have provided soundtracks for numerous videos and documentaries and have released 27 recordings. Maintaining an exchange with musicians and folklorists worldwide, the duo conducts archival research on the stories and myths behind the music they play, weaving this context into their personable presentations.
The Maine Harp Circle is a group of local Celtic harp enthusiasts led by Melanie Lee. Ancestor of the orchestral harp and a vehicle for musical celebration for over a thousand years, the Celtic harp is one of the most venerable instruments of the British Isles, used by bards and minstrels from at least the 4th century.
The admission fee is a suggested donation of $10 at the door for adults; children will enter for free. St. Michael’s Church is located at 78 Pleasant Street in Auburn. For more information, call 529-5438 or email castlebay@castlebay.net.