Leahy at Bangor Auditorium with Maine Center for the Arts Performance “A Celtic Christmas” on Dec. 18

Contact: Adele Adkins at (207) 581-1803; Joe Carr <a class=”darkblueones” href=”mailto:joecarr@maine.edu “>joecarr@maine.edu or at (207) 581-3571

 

Note: a photo is available upon request.

 

BANGOR, Me. — When Leahy last appeared on the Maine Center for the Arts stage in 2004, they brought down the house with their compelling fiddle-driven music, meticulous step dancing and captivatingv ocals.  This year, this spellbinding Canadian octet of brothers and sisters returns with a program that is sure to get audiences into the Christmas spirit.  Leahy performs A Celtic Christmas, a mix of Celtic medleys and traditional Christmas carols, as part of the Maine Centerfor the Arts season on the road at the Bangor Auditorium on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. With a style planted squarely in their Irish and Scottish roots, these talented siblings explore a broad range of musical genres and cultures with a formidable instrumental prowess. “Leahy makes Christmas a true family affair!,” the Calgary Herald said in reviewing the group’s performance.

The Leahys (Donnell, Siobheann, Frank, Denise, Doug, Erin, Angus and Maria) were raised on a farm near Lakefield, Ontario. Each of the Leahy children (11 total) learned to play the Celtic fiddle from their father, while their mother taught them to sing, dance and play the piano.  The siblings also learned a variety of instruments including guitar, banjo, mandolin, drums and bass, and during performances they often switch instruments, each demonstrating remarkable skills. The ensemble first gained attention as the subject of a documentary, The Leahys: Music Most of All, which won an Academy Award for “Best Student Foreign Film” in1985. In 1998, Leahy gained international attention when fellow Canadian ShaniaTwain invited the ensemble to open her debut world tour. Since then, Leahy has toured actively, introducing audiences across the globe to their high-energy, thrilling and spellbinding performances. Time Out New York raved that the group makes “Riverdance look like Lawrence Welk re-runs.” In addition, Leahy has released four acclaimed CDs, Leahy, Lakefield, In All Things and Live, which have sold more than half a million copies worldwide.

Embarking on their first-ever solo Christmas tour gives the members of Leahy the chance to share a bit of the magic of the Christmas season that began when they were children and continues today.T hese Christmas traditions included not only honoring the sacredness of the season, but also partaking of good food, the company of family and friends, and copious amounts of music. A Celtic Christmas will offer audiences a peek in the window of the Leahy home to experience a bit of this holiday cheer themselves.

Charge by phone at 207-990-4444.