The Fort Collins Symphony, under the direction of Maestro Wes Kenney, presents Celtic Fantasy, a virtual on-demand streaming concert from Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 14, 2021. From the emerald lands of mist and myth, comes the music of Celtic traditions. The performance, featuring a variety of traditional and contemporary Celtic music for strings, winds, piano, and percussion, highlights the wide-ranging symphonic traditions of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and Galicia. A wealth of Celtic folk songs, jigs, reels, hornpipes, and airs emigrated to Appalachia where this unique genre has influenced American music for more than 300 years.
The concert includes Joan Trimble’s Irish Suite for Strings, Jay Unger’s Ashokan Farewell (featured in Ken Burn’s award-winning documentary The Civil War), Gaelic Storm’s An Irish Party in Third Class (from the movie Titanic), Jennifer Barker’s Suilean a’Chloinne (Children’s Eyes), Arthur Duff’s Irish Suite for Strings, Victor Herbert’s Yesterthoughts, and Gwyneth Walker’s Light of Three Mornings. Finally, Herbert’s Punchinello, while not exactly Celtic, is a chipper and cheerful concert bonus (think mischief-making leprechauns!). Concert program notes are available online at www.FCSymphony.org.
The virtual webcast starts at 7:00 p.m. MST on Friday, March 12 and streams on YouTube. It is available for viewing until 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 14. Tickets are $25 for the 70-minute virtual concert, and are available through the Lincoln Center box office at LCTix.com or 970.221.6730 (Tuesday – Saturday, noon-6:00 p.m.). The event cannot be downloaded or saved. One ticket is required per household. Sales for the webcast end at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 14, 2021.
Celtic Fantasy is sponsored by the Friends of the Symphony and Kenneth and Myra Monfort Charitable Foundation (title sponsors), City of Fort Collins Fort Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, Colorado Creative Industries, Gary Hixon Designs, The Lincoln Center Support League, KRFC 88.9 FM Fort Collins Radio, KUNC 91.5 FM, Palmer Flowers, Dr. Ed Siegel, and Dr. Peter Springberg.