The Chocolate Church Arts Center will present a special Christmas performance from the Grammy-awarded and Emmy-nominated fiddler Eileen Ivers and her ensemble of musicians on Sunday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m. The show, Eileen Ivers’ A Joyful Christmas, will mix traditional Irish songs, reinterpreted classical music and holiday tunes, and what Ivers affectionately calls “foot stomping and hollering roots music.”

Ivers, dubbed “the Jimi Hendrix of the violin” by The New York Times, is the daughter of Irish immigrants, and grew up in the Bronx, where at the age of eight, she became active in the Irish traditional music scene. She went on to win nine All-Ireland fiddle championships, and a tenth on tenor banjo. From there, Ivers hurtled to international stardom, performing as a founding member of the acclaimed Celtic group Cherish the Ladies, as well as with superstars like Sting, Hall and Oates, and Patti Smith. Her recording credits include over 80 contemporary and traditional albums, and numerous movie scores, including Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York.

For over twenty years, Eileen Ivers and her ensemble have been celebrating the holiday season with A Joyful Christmas. The voices and over twenty instruments of the ensemble weave together a Celtic tradition with a contemporary sensibility, as Ivers uses a loop pedal to create unique textures with sensational virtuosity. This will be a tuneful, soulful celebration capturing the Christmas spirit and rejoicing in the magic of the holiday season. 

Tickets for Eileen Ivers’ A Joyful Christmas range from $38-$42 in advance or $47 at the door and are available at www.chocolatechurcharts.org or by calling 207-442-8455. Tickets can also be purchased at the box office of the Chocolate Church Arts Center, located at 804 Washington Street in Bath.