On Saturday, Mar. 19, at 7:30 p.m. the Greenbrier Valley Chorale will present a concert of traditional Irish folksongs with local instrumentalist Patrick O’Flaherty, owner of the Irish Pub in Lewisburg, fiddler, Tim Pence and harpist, Leah Trent.
The concert combines a variety of contemporary choral arrangements of traditional Irish tunes with the authentic singing and playing of Gaelic music.
“When selecting our music, I was surprised to find how many Irish tunes are arranged for choir”, said Chorale director, Barbara Lutz. “Traditional favorites like “The Little Beggarman,’ ‘Tell My Ma’ and ‘Bandyrowe’ are fun and beautiful and sometimes quite intricate,” she said. In addition to arrangements of Irish folksongs, the Chorale will present two pieces by Irish composer Philip Stopford.
His music will showcase the style that our audiences have come to appreciate about GVC-classical, rich harmony with an emphasis on exquisite singing. A setting of Yeats’ poem Lake Isle of Innesfree by American composer David Brunner tops the traditional choral music of the program.
O’Flaherty, Pence and Trent will join pianist Teresa Bryant in accompanying the chorale on various pieces but they will also perform as soloists. Each has performed for many years to the delight of audiences both locally and abroad. They will be joined by Sarah Hann on Irish drum and Jay Frye on string bass.
This concert is presented with financial assistance through a grant from the WV Division of Culture and History, with approval from the WV Commission on the Arts. Generous support was also received from the Greenbrier County Commission of Arts and Recreation.
The GVC welcomes patrons with a disability wishing to attend a Chorale concert at Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg. Carnegie Hall is ADA compliant.
For questions and ticket information, visit greenbriervalleychorale.org.
