WITH BRIAN O’DONOVAN
Basic Info for A Christmas Celtic Sojourn Concert, 2007

Official Title of Concert: WGBH presents, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan.

Venue: Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College,
219 Tremont Street, Downtown Boston
Dates: Thursday, December 13th, 8PM
Friday, December 14th, 8PM
Saturday, December 15th, 3PM and 8PM
Sunday, December 16th, 3PM
Friday, December 21, 8PM
Saturday, December 22, 3PM and 8PM

Tickets: $25 - $75, (WGBH member discounts apply)

Tickets on Sale Through: Telecharge, 1-800/233-3123 or www.telecharge.com
Cutler Emerson Majestic Theatre Box Office (in person)

Now in its third year in its permanent home (fifth year of existence), WGBH and the Cutler Majestic Theatre will once again present, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan for eight shows in December.

National broadcasts of the Christmas edition of O’Donovan’s radio program, A Celtic Sojourn over the past 18 years have proven extraordinarily popular. Celtic Pagan and Christian traditions have a very strong link to the music of this season. 2003 saw the
release of a second CD volume of A Christmas Celtic Sojourn a collaborative project with Rounder Records. Titled Comfort and Joy, this anthology struck a more celebratory tone than the first volume released in 2001. Its seventeen tracks celebrated the Celtic and English origins of some of the more popular Christmas songs today.

The third CD, live recordings of the first three years of the concert, was released in October. The Concert, called A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan, was first launched in 2003 and reflected the easy, relaxed and divers offerings of the yearly
national radio program. Artistically directed by Eliot Norton Award winner, Paula Plum, it blended the music of Cherish the Ladies, the Robbie O’Connell Band, Sean Keane, Sharon Shannon, and Aoife and Fionnuala O’Donovan, and introduced the vocal
harmonies of Navan to New England. Danu, Natalie Haas, Tony McManus, Kieran Jordan’s dance troupe Nua Nos, were added to the list in 2005.

In 2006, Robbie O’Connell was joined by fiddler George Keith and flute player Shannon Heaton; singer Karan Casey had her band on stage including Niall Valelly, Robbie Overson, and Chico Huff; Navan returned. Dance director Kieran Jordan once again gathered dancers who featured the old and the new sides of the thriving dance traditions of Ireland and beyond. Fionnuala O’Donovan and Lindsay O’Donovan joined host Brian O’Donovan.

An entire performance, was filmed in high definition, and will be broadcast on WGBH this year. A companion DVD and CD will also be distributed by Rounder/Universal and will be available for purchase.

This year’s version has expanded again to eight shows over a two week period. It will feature the singing of host Brian O’Donovan’s daughter Aoife O’Donovan who has a growing career with neo-trad American band Crooked Still and her trio Sometimes Why. This will bring three O’Donovan family members together as his younger daughter Fionnuala - who has performed in every show to date, and his wife, Lindsay
will also be on stage.

Irish super group Solas, led by Seamus Egan who has taken on the title of Music Director for Christmas Celtic Sojourn will be on stage. Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean will make a rare Boston appearance. Fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist, Natalie Haas, will be there, and Kieran Jordan will be joined by traditional dancers Darrah Carr, Niall O’Leary and Ben Power. Percussionist Paddy League, will also return.

Artistically directed again by Paula Plum, this promises to be one of the most exciting Christmas Celtic Sojourns yet.