The Celtic Force » celtic christmas

CD Review: “Sing We Now of Christmas”

Celtic Force — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:31:07 +0000

Imagine a wintry day in the Christmas season. Inside a pub, Irish and Scottish traditional musicians regale locals and travelers alike with their playing. In wander carolers, seeking shelter from the snow, but hardly in the mood to stop their evening s music-making. Soon, caroling from the choir mixes with the instrumental riffs of the traditional musicians, and the warmth from their collaboration literally chases the cold winter away. This scene is created annually in Charleston, SC in the Taylor Music Group s Celtic Christmas presentations and it is brought into the listener s living room with this recording.

The making of this CD represents years of dreaming with my wife Mary of a Christmas recording that reflects the musical universe we are lucky enough to inhabit every Holiday season. It brings together the worlds of classical and Celtic music in a fashion that may seem to be a dichotomy to some, but is perfectly natural to those of us that live with both art music and folk music on a daily basis. We have drawn inspiration from so many including composer/song collectors Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst; the Baltimore Consort, Ensemble Galilei, and Yo Yo Ma; our friend Steve Rosenberg, and above all, my deceased father Bob Taylor, the namesake for the Taylor Festival Choir. Of course, the instrumentalists on this CD have been heroes for years, many of whom we met originally at the Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, NC, and subsequently brought to Charleston to teach in our annual summer festival. It s hard to express the high that was generated in the recording sessions and even the rehearsals.

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Donegal News: “Mickey Harte pens Christmas Song”

Celtic Force — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:38:25 +0000

Source: Donegal News

BY SEÁN P. FEENY – For years we have had to endure the same songs every Christmas season. That was until one of Donegal’s very own pop stars decided to release his first Christmas song.

Today (Friday) Mickey Harte’s Home On Christmas Day is available to download and will hit radio stations nationwide.

Mickey said that while it’s hard to compete with the ‘X Factor’ for a Christmas Number One these days, he had always wanted to release a Christmas song and with the help of Terry McGinty on the music, this season was the right time to do it.

“The song is based on a story someone told me about their father coming home for Christmas after dealing with alcoholism and it being the best gift they could ask for.”

Besides working on his own music, Mickey continues to be an ‘in demand’ songwriter with songs co-written by the Lifford native appearing on Dublin singer Rob Burke’s new album and on the latest release by Jack Tempchin, writer of The Eagles hit ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’.

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For further info: www.myspace.com/mickeyharte
Email: handonharte@gmail.com

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Mickey Harte’s Video For “On Christmas Day”

Celtic Force — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:40:17 +0000

Mickey Joe Hartes Christmas song called on Christmas day music video made by Ciaran and Dhamodar Productions from Strabane!

For further info: www.myspace.com/mickeyharte
Email: handonharte@gmail.com

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Coyote Run – “Kilts at Christmas”

Celtic Force — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:36:33 +0000

Coyote Run kicked of the Christmas season this weekend with their vibrant holiday show “A Kilted Christmas”. Here’s a description from their web site of this fabulous show.

Kilts at Christmas!
Our very popular holiday concert featuring an entirely separate repertoire from our regular concert series. This family-oriented show features music that ranges from sacred to silly, poignant to peppy jigs and reels. The concert features guest artists and dancers and a dramatic narrator who guides the audience through the streets and houses of the imagined seaside town of Inis Veil. This heartwarming program is highly theatrical, dramatic, and moving. Perfect family fare.

For more information, please visit www.CoyoteRun.com!

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