York Symphony Orchestra Presents CELTIC CELEBRATION

The York Symphony Orchestra will present Celtic Celebration on Saturday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. The performance will feature special guest soloist, Jerry O'Sullivan, who is widely hailed as America's premier uilleann piper. Single tickets starting at $9 for adults and $5 for students are available online at www.YorkSymphony.org and by calling 717-846-1111.

Celtic Celebration is the sixth performance of the 2017-2018 season, World Tour: A Musical Voyage Around the Globe, and the fourth in the classical series.

"The music of this Celtic sojourn will take audience members on a journey through the lush green fields of Scotland and Ireland," said Lawrence Golan, the Jody & Louis Appell, Jr. Music Director and Conductor of the York Symphony Orchestra. "We look forward to getting our audience into the St. Patrick's Day spirit."

The York Symphony Orchestra will kick off Celtic Celebration with Symphony No. 3 in A minor by Felix Mendelssohn. Mendelssohn was a child prodigy on the violin and piano, and composed his first work for an orchestra at the age of 12. He began composing Symphony No. 3 in 1829 but it was not completed until 1842 - making it the last symphony Mendelssohn completed. The Symphony was inspired by a visit to Edinburgh during which Mendelssohn visited the ruins of Holyrood, the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland. The first half of the concert will feature the four movements of Symphony No. 3 and will delight audiences with the sense of growth and connection throughout each of the pieces.

The second half of Celtic Celebration will tell the story of a medieval leather board crossing the Atlantic. This performance, The Brendan Voyage by Shaun Davey, depicts the journey taken by explorer Tim Severin in 1978 from Ireland across the Atlantic to the Newfoundland in a leather currach - a type of Irish boat. The performance will use traditional uilleann pipes, or Irish bagpipes, to represent the small currach while the rest of the orchestra will represent the conditions, islands and wildlife encountered by the boat - resulting in a groundbreaking, crossover work of cultural significance.

Special guest performer, Jerry O'Sullivan, will join the York Symphony Orchestra for The Brendan Voyage. Widely hailed as America's premier uilleann piper, O'Sullivan's reputation for technical and melodic mastery of the uilleann pipes is unsurpassed in the U.S. and is demanding considerable attention overseas. He has appeared on more than 90 albums and has performed or recorded with artists such as The Boston Pops, Don Henley, Paul Winter, James Galway, Dolly Parton, The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Eileen Ivers and many others. He was a featured soloist on Paul Winter's Grammy-winning album, Celtic Solstice (Living Music, 1999). His first two solo albums, The Gift (Shanachie,1998) and The Invasion (Green Linnet, 1987) have both received critical acclaim, quickly finding their way to the top of a number of "best albums of the year" lists. O'Sullivan has also recorded a number of film soundtracks including "From Shore to Shore", "The Long Journey Home", "Far and Away", "Africans in America" and "Out of Ireland", and has appeared on numerous television commercials.

Guests of Celtic Celebration will also enjoy a free pre-concert performance from the Ni Riain School of Irish Dance beginning at 6:30 p.m. and a post-concert reception featuring authentic Celtic-themed desserts from Oxford Hall.

The York Symphony Orchestra will present Celtic Celebration on Saturday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. Single tickets starting at $9 for adults and $5 for students are available online at www.YorkSymphony.org and by calling 717-846-1111.

Made up of talented professional musicians from the greater York area and beyond, the York Symphony Orchestra has been engaging audiences with outstanding orchestral music for more than 80 years. Performing at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts, the York Symphony Orchestra presents an eclectic mix of classical pieces combined with contemporary arrangements. The 2017-2018 season is sponsored by M&T Bank; the Classical Series is sponsored by W. Dale Brougher Foundation; and the Pops Series is sponsored by PeoplesBank. The York Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to music education, offering programs to engage youth and adults. For more information on the York Symphony Orchestra, visit www.YorkSymphony.org or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YorkSymphony/.

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