The Winter Harp Ensemble has captured the spirit of the season, along with people’s hearts, for almost two decades – and remains a popular draw on the holiday calendar. The Ensemble consists of a talented group of harpists, flutists, singers and percussionists. Now in its 18th season, the Winter Harp Ensemble will perform 15 Western Canadian dates, including a Saturday, December 17 evening concert in Vancouver’s beautiful Vancouver’s St. Andrews-Wesley United Church.
[Jeff Pelletier]
Winter Harp is a celebration of the Christmas and winter season with hauntingly beautiful carols combined with the glorious sound of harps. This year, Winter Harp is delighted to announce the addition of legendary harpist and storyteller Patrick Ball. Patrick is considered one of the premier wire-strung Celtic harpers and spoken word artists in the world today. He has recorded nine instrumental and three spoken word albums which have sold over half a million copies internationally, and have won national awards. Ball is in constant demand throughout North America, Ireland, and the UK.
”I first saw Patrick perform at the Rogue Folk Club in the 1990s,” says Winter Harp director Lori Pappajohn. ”He was absolutely mesmerizing. Since then I have always hoped to work with him, and am thrilled to be sharing Patrick with our audiences across Western Canada this year.”
[Joaquin Ayala]
Winter Harp’s outstanding musicians, dressed in medieval attire, will perform a collection of music from well known carols to Celtic, medieval, world and Spanish tunes. Dozens of candles light the stage, providing an atmospheric backdrop for the golden Celtic and classical harps, drums, tambourines, temple bells, flutes and an assortment of rare 12th century instruments.
Rare instruments include the ethereal-sounding bass psaltery (one of a kind in the world), the symphonie (a medieval ancestor of the hurdy-gurdy), and the Swedish nyckelharpa.
The Winter Harp Ensemble musicians:
Lori Pappajohn: Director, Celtic harp and voice
Janelle Nadeau: Celtic harp, voice
Esther Cannon: classical pedal harp, voice
Lauri Lyster: percussion, voice
Jeff Pelletier: flute, alto flute, bass flute, wooden piccolo, recorder
Joaquin Ayala: nyckelharpa, bass psaltery, symphonie, organistrum
Caroline Márkos: voice
Patrick Ball: narrator, wire-strung Irish harp
Winter Harp Ensemble
Date: Saturday, December 17, 7:30 pm
Venue: St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church, 1022 Nelson Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $37.25, available via Tickets Tonight (either by phone 604.684.2787 or online), Zulu Records, and Celtic Creations
Other Lower Mainland concerts: December 14 & 15 at the North Shore Credit Union Centre for the Performing Arts (Capilano University) and December 18 at The ACT in Maple Ridge.
