Magical Strings Celebrates 33 Years of Celtic Yuletide Concerts

This year’s Yuletide Performance Dates include:
More details and ticket information coming soon!

Dec 2 Friday, 7:30 pm	Whidbey Island (Coupeville) Camp Casey, 1276 S Engle Rd.	Tickets:  360-678-6821 Information
Dec 4 Sunday, 3:00 pm	Kent Kent-Meridian Performing Arts Center 10020 SE 256th St.	Tickets:  253-856-5050 or Tickets Online
Dec 11 Sunday, 3:00 pm	Spokane Bing Crosby Theater 901 W. Sprague Ave.	Tickets:  1-800-325-SEAT or Tickets Online
Dec 16 Friday, 7:30 pm	Tacoma Urban Grace Church, 902 Market St.	INFO: 253-857-3716 Tickets: 800-838-3006 or Tickets online Also at Harp & Shamrock: 253-752-5012
Dec 17 Saturday, 7:30 pm	Seattle Town Hall 1119 - 8th Ave	INFO: 253-857-3716 Tickets: 800-838-3006 or Tickets online Also at Dusty Strings: 3406 Fremont Ave N
TICKETS FOR 2011 TACOMA & SEATTLE In advance, $18 adults, $12 children (12 and under) for general seating; $26 all seats for reserved section. At the door, $20 adults, $14 children for general seating
Dec 18 Sunday, 3:00 pm	Mount Vernon The Lincoln Theater 712 S 1st St.	Information Tickets:  360-336-8955 Tickets Online
Dec 19 Monday, 7:00 pm	Bellevue Theater at Meydenbauer 11100 NE 6th St.	Tickets:  800-838-3006 or Tickets Online
Dec 22 Thursday, 7:30 pm	Portland Alberta Rose Theatre 3000 NE Alberta St.	Tickets Online
Celtic Music Cruise
June 3-10, 2012	Celtic Music Cruise to Alaska with Magical Strings!	Call Montrose Travel:  800-301-9673 www.celticmusiccruise.com

 

A Joyous Festival of Music and Dance

With Celtic harps, hammered dulcimers, whistles, concertina, strings and more, Philip and Pam Boulding and their five grown children along with granddaughters are joined by the lightning feet of the Raney Irish Dancers and Tara Academy Dancers. Soulful Irish songs sung by actress/singer Colleen Raney (another sibling of the Raney clan) will grace the hall, while her brother Mark Raney on vocals, guitar and cittern charms all with his warmth, humor, and poignant songs.  Also featured is a magical tale from the Celtic tradition, providing a glimpse of another world through story, verse and eurythmy.  The audience becomes a key part of the festivities, with members invited to don a costume and follow the processional through the aisles with the musicians, and join in the caroling near evening’s end.  The hall resounds in glorious harmony as we close singing “All Through the Night.”

About Magical Strings

Philip and Pam Boulding founded Magical Strings in 1978, the same year that they began the tradition of Celtic Yuletide Concerts with their family. They have performed throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland and Japan, toured and recorded with Dan Fogelberg, appeared on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” and recorded 18 albums on four labels.  Often referred to by local media as the "Von Trapps of the Northwest", their love of music is embraced by all five of their grown children, who each year return home from the east coast to join the band for the final weekend of Yuletide Concerts.  Their daughter Brittany, a virtuoso violinist, has recently moved from New York City back to the Northwest where she will be playing with the Seattle Symphony and Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra.  Philip and Pam also design and build Celtic harps, run the School of Magical Strings, and host the Magic Hill Summer Harp Camp, and Summer Fairy School on their beautiful 5-acre home overlooking the Puget Sound.

About Colleen Raney: 

Colleen Raney is among the best young Celtic singers of her generation, inspired by the Irish and Scottish songs and tunes that she grew up with as a member of the multi-talented Raney family and alongside the world renowned harp and dulcimer duo Magical Strings.  Through her gorgeous voice, at turns whisper soft or intensely powerful, her deft arrangements, and her sidemen – some of the best acoustic musicians in the Northwest – Colleen breathes new life into the old songs, bringing out new facets to the music that haven’t been heard before.

Raney, who is currently touring a new duo recording, Cuan, with Colm MacCárthaigh, makes her home in Portland, Oregon where she fronts a band of powerhouse Irish musicians that has included, in various combinations, Casey Neill, Hanz Araki, Zak Borden, Matt Jerrell, Cary Novotny, Johnny Connolly, and Colm MacCárthaigh.   www.colleenraney.com

Dale Russ is an American fiddle player who gets rave reviews from the best Irish fiddlers.
He started playing the fiddle in 1973 when first moving to Washington State from his native Connecticut. He performed for 15 years with the traditional Irish band "The Suffering Gaels", appearing at the Milwaukee Irish Festival in 1993 and '94. Following the demise of the Suffering Gaels, he played with Finn MacGinty and Tom Creegan in the trio “Crumac” until Finn drifted back to Ireland to reside.  More recently he toured the Midwest with Paddy O’Brien in the trio “Chulrua”. He is featured in the spring 1997 issue of Fiddler magazine.  "Dale Russ is one of the greatest fiddlers I know in Irish traditional music."  -- Martin Hayes

Comments from Yuletide attendees:
“It’s not Christmas till the Yuletide Celebration.”   NG, Kirkland
“What a joy and delight. My heart was stirred, and my feet were tapping. Enchanting!”  PD, Centralia
“A fantastically warm concert. This is the beginning of a new tradition for me and my family.”  BM, Gig Harbor
“Sets my feet a dancin’ and my hear soaring! I’m 67 now…you make me feel young again!” LJ
“We brought cousins visiting here from Limerick, Ireland who declared the program 'brilliant’”.    MP,
“You guys rock!”  CU, Tacoma
“I feel deep joy listening to the music – ancient stirrings of something warm and familiar. Thanks!”  DH
 “Wonderful!  This will be our annual tradition.”  FJC, Woodinville
“Absolutely beautiful!”  AH, Issaquah
“Fabulous!  We’ll be back next year!”  CF, Olympia
“This is our family tradition—wonderful!”  BB, Lynnwood
“I find myself transfixed and in awe of where the music takes me.”  EE, Seattle
“With no power for a week, you have warmed my heart for this holiday season and the year to come.”  SW, Bellevue
“There is no doubt that you already embody the joy and priceless recognition of this soul-inspired season.  Your concert last weekend was my most favorite ever experience.  The genuine love and inclusive outreach to the community was straight from the heart.  I love the spirited selections as well as the lullaby for your granddaughter.  To be a member of your family or even an extended member would be a real honor for anyone…Thank you for your outpouring of love and fabulous music.  The McKassons were amazing, as was the juggler and the woman with the angel’s voice.  My husband couldn’t get over the young dancer who clicked her heels midair. We’ll be back next year.  Thank you for the inspirational evening and for making these concerts a tradition.  In gratitude,”   SK, Portland, OR