In this groundbreaking concert, we bring together the best of the best in both the traditional and classical string worlds. This concert features new collaborations between the acclaimed and burgeoning 13 piece chamber orchestra Palaver Strings and some of the most exciting voices in the Irish and American folk scene. Witness a hearty handshake between two time-honored traditions in the form of new compositions, arrangements of traditional materials and impromptu collaborations. The concert will feature new compositions by Dana Lyn, Charlie Lennon, Seamus Egan and Maeve Gilchrist and arrangements of traditional material featuring Moira Smiley and Bruce Molsky.

Lineup
Hosted by Maeve Gilchrist and Brian O’Donovan with
Palaver Strings; Dana Lyn (fiddle, guitar) and Kyle Sanna (guitar);  Bruce Molsky (fiddle); The Seamus Egan Project with Moira Smiley;  Rakish (Maura Shawn Scanlin and Conor Hearne)

About the Rockport Celtic Festival

Exploring Celtic Roots & Branches

Brian O’Donovan & Maeve Gilchrist, artistic directors

For over three decades, Brian O’Donovan has been hosting A Celtic Sojourn on WGBH, a program exploring traditional and contemporary music from around the Celtic world. He’s also well known for his live concert series A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, as well as many other presentations around New England.  In partnership with Rockport Music and working in close collaboration with fellow Artistic Director, Edinburgh-born harpist/composer Maeve Gilchrist, Brian is proud to present the first annual Rockport Celtic Festival- Exploring Celtic Roots and Branches. Featuring a wide and quite extraordinary variety of new and familiar musicians, singers, dancers, and storytellers, the weekend will focus on the genre’s broad and vibrant range with a strong emphasis on crossover and collaborative work between musicians from different genres including classical, jazz, and American Traditional. This will be a dynamic and interactive weekend featuring mainstage concerts, workshops, intimate salon-style sessions in our third floor space, and much more.

In addition to Maeve and Brian, the Festival will feature: Mick McAuley and John Doyle (both early members of the groundbreaking band Solas), Oisin McAuley (Danú), Bruce Molsky & Allison de Groot (fiddle, banjo, voice and regarded as one of the top Appalachian duos playing today), Palaver Strings (full 13 piece chamber orchestra), composers Dana Lyn and Kyle Sanna, The Seamus Egan Project with Moira Smiley, fiddler Jenna Moynihan and harpist, Mairi Chaimbeul, singers Eamon O’Leary and Jefferson Hamer (The Murphy Beds), dancer Kevin Doyle, and more. 

This will be a gathering rarely, if ever, seen before.