April 25, 2016
Whidbey’s Saratoga Orchestra, under music direction of Anna Edwards, joins with the award-winning Celtic-music trio, The Gothard Sisters, for a set of concerts presented at 2:30 p.m. on May 21 at Coupeville High School and 2:30 p.m. on May 22 at South Whidbey High School.
Hailing from Edmonds, Washington, The Gothard Sisters perform more than 120 shows per year, touring nationally and internationally. Their special brand of Celtic-inspired original music pays respect to the older traditions of folk and classical music. Although much of the sisters’ inspiration comes with a distinct Celtic flair, hints of their western American heritage can be heard in what Irish Central calls “an earthiness that gives the songs a lively, approachable, down-home sound.” In addition to their musical endeavors, each of the sisters is highly trained in competitive Irish dance, bringing the exciting rhythms of Ireland to their live shows through dance, music, song, and storytelling.
Over the last nine years the band has built a loyal following, independent of any music label, by connecting with audiences in a lively, entertaining, and touching way, and by insisting on a DIY approach in everything they do—self producing their award-winning albums, energetic live shows, and imaginative music videos. In 2013, the Irish Music Awards presented The Gothard Sisters with Best New Irish Artist, and they were awarded Album of the Year for Celtic Radio in 2011 for their album “Story Girl.” In March 2015, their music video covering the old English ballad” Scarborough Fair” reached over 1 million views on YouTube.
More recently, their music has been featured on NPR’s Thistle and Shamrock program and PBS’s Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour broadcast from Lexington, Kentucky. In addition to this, the sisters have become regular performers on the Walt Disney Cruise Line, sailing to destinations in Europe and South America. Immediately following the Whidbey Island shows, the sisters will be performing in Washington, D.C. at The Kennedy Center’s IRELAND: 100 Festival.
The program will also feature Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite, Op. 40. Originally a piano composition, Grieg orchestrated this neo-classical. five-movement work for string orchestra in 1885 as a tribute to the Danish-Norwegian humanist playwright Ludvig Holberg.
General Admission tickets are $25 Adult and $20 Senior/Military. Students under 18 are admitted free (under 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult). Tickets can be purchased with cash or check at Moonraker Books, Langley, bayleaf, Coupeville, and Click Music, Oak Harbor, or on-line at Brown Paper Tickets, and cash/check/CC are accepted at the door. For complete information and ticket orders, please visit our website www.sowhidbey.com or call 360-929-3045.