Concert Promises Captivating Celtic Music in Spiritual Setting

CitySingers Director Suzanne Gates knows that many think of Celtic music as "pub music," especially around St. Patrick's Day when the tunes become even more popular. But there is a another, more spiritual element to it as well.

"The folk songs came out of devotional music, with wonderful imagination and creativity," said Gates, a West Hartford resident.

She has collaborated with St. John's Episcopal Church Music Director Peter Berton to use the awe-inspiring sanctuary of the West Hartford as the ideal setting for Celtic Fire, a vocal concert of Celtic music with a "spiritual angle," which will be performed on Sunday, March 10.

Gates describes Celtic Fire as: "Captivating melodies and poetic expression from the Celtic soul explore these ancient roots in chant and folk airs."

Pieces by Turlough O'Carolan, Sean O'Riada, Michael McGlynn and other celebrated heraldors, will be featured. A variety of traditional Irish instruments, including Highland pipes, Irish harp, wooden flute, guitar, fiddle, concertina, bodhrán, pipe organ and double bass will add additional dimension to the program.

"I'm always trying to think of new ideas to work with," said Gates, who has been planning a program like this since 2004. She likes to create musical programs based on different themes, and loved the idea of focusing on a different angle with a Celtic theme. Past programs have featured international folk songs, Connecticut composers, antique instruments, river songs, and Hartford history.

Berton loved the idea of collaborating with Gates, and has admired her creativity for years. "Suzanne's signature is that there is no applause, the music segues and you are drawn into a journey that's continuous," he said.

Berton said that when he experienced the first CitySingers concert, he thought, "This is clever."

"Then, you get absorbed. It's a very powerful way of communicating music, not breaking it into applause chunks," he said.

Celtic Fire will be performed as one continuous flow of music, with segues that Gates has prepared, and the only break will be an intermission. "I try to imagine I'm listening, I contrast textures and styles," said Gates. "The process is really fun."

The performers will move around the sanctuary as the program progresses, using the space, and the beauty of the building in different configurations for different pieces, she said. It will be "visual, and full of musical color," said Gates.

Celtic Fire is part of St. John's "Sacred Music at the Red Door" series, a program Berton began two years ago when he became music director. The series focuses on presenting perfomers from the community in the church's beautiful space. The next performance in the series will be a joint concert with Congregation Beth Israel entitled "Celebration of Psalms." It will be a progressive concert, moving from St. John's to the Beth Israel, just one block west on Farmington Ave.

Celtic Fire will be performed on Sunday March 10, at 4 p.m., at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 679 Farmington Ave. West Hartford (860) 523-5201. A reception will follow. Tickets are $10, $7 seniors/students. Fore more information visit www.sjparish.net.

Celtic Fire performers are from West Hartford as well as other area towns including Farmington, Windsor, Enfield, Simsbury, and Manchester.

The program is a Let's Go Arts event, offering half price admission with a Greater Hartford Arts Council Let's Go Arts card.