Wednesday, Nov. 23 2011 9:59AM
Q&A with Kimberly Schneider
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ReprintDescribe the Celtic Soul Experience for those who are unfamiliar. What makes it so special to you?
The Celtic Soul Experience is a wonderful fusion of sounds, ranging from ancient, pre-Christian Irish tunes to Gregorian Chant to pop, traditional Celtic music and Christmas songs. I know that music can be healing and enlivening for people because I have experienced it myself. I think we could all use an infusion of “feel good” music that uplifts and inspires, and these performers deliver.
I’ve been following Noirin Ni Riain’s music for over a decade and she has always inspired me, but seeing her live and in person is truly transformational. When I met her in Ireland I also had the privilege of meeting her sons, Owen and Moley O’Suilleabhain. They are singer/songwriters with their own sound, mixing modern acoustic pop with Irish and hip-hop influences. Truly unique. The three musicians also perform together and their harmony is exquisite. For the Kansas City show we are also bringing in local Celtic legend Gerald Trimble and sacred music vocalist Margaret Waddell will join in for a song or two. Something for everyone.
How did you get involved with organizing the Celtic Soul Experience?
I met Noirin, Eoin and Moley two and a half years ago in Ireland. I had been following Noirin’s music for some time but was equally impressed with her sons. When I started bringing groups to western Ireland for weeklong workshops in Celtic Spirituality, I knew I wanted to include Noirin, Eoin and Moley in the experience. I saw how the people at my workshop reacted to them and I thought, ‘I want more people to know about them – people in the U.S. should know about these musicians.’ So I started brainstorming about how to make that happen.
When did you become attracted to Celtic music?
I’ve enjoyed folk music of all kinds for decades; when I started studying Celtic spirituality about 20 years ago I also became interested in the music. Music and the arts are one of the most significant ways that cultures are preserved and passed on through generations. It has been a great joy for me to explore my own heritage through music and poetry.
Where and when will Celtic Soul Experience perform across the state?
Nov. 28, Kansas City concert (at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Holmes)
Nov. 29, Columbia concert
Nov. 30 Irish Music workshop, Columbia
Dec. 1, St. Louis Concert
December 2-3, Celtic Spirituality mini retreat, St. Louis
Noirin Ni Riain, Owen O’Suilleabhain and Moley O’Suilleabhain will perform as Size2Shoes and A.M.E.N. What is their sound and approach to Celtic music like? How is their approach different as they go from Size2Shoes to A.M.E.N.? Noirin is world renowned as a vocalist in Sacred Music and Sean Nos (Irish for “old ways”). Sean Nos style focuses on a solo voice with very little accompaniment. She does sometimes play a shruti box, or harmonium, which is actually an Indian instrument.
Size2Shoes performs original “inspirational pop” music, as well as some traditional Irish music. They play semi-acoustic guitars and a bodhran (Irish drum). When the three musicians perform together as A.M.E.N., the focus is on bringing exquisite harmonies to ancient songs.
Is a spiritual element a traditional fixture of Celtic music? Why do you feel it works so well with the style of music?
Not all Celtic music is overtly spiritual; however, one could argue that even secular Celtic music has spiritual themes and influences. One tenet of Celtic spirituality is that the divine exists in the ordinary; another is that beauty is a way to access the divine. Music is one way that we experience beauty, and music, whether sung or played would also have been part of everyday life in pre-modern Celtic cultures. It is still very important and celebrated in Ireland.
What does Gerald Trimble bring to the performance?
Gerald is a founder of the Missouri Valley Folklife Society and helped launch the Celtic music scene in Kansas City. He is a musical innovator, playing new arrangements of tunes from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and other cultures on ancient instruments such as a one-of-a-kind 1708 viola da Gamba (a bowed stringed instrument originating in the 15th century). He will be a great addition to the show.
What is Celtic spirituality and how does it relate to the Celtic Soul Experience?
Celtic spirituality is an evolving, living spirituality rooted in an ancient way of relating to the world. The people we call the Celts are several different tribes from old Europe loosely connected by similar customs. Because the early tribes passed on their traditions orally, rather than in writing, our understanding of their spirituality is somewhat speculative. However, myths, songs, poems and stories from their descendants suggest that the Celts valued beauty, story, music, the spoken word, art, friendship, hospitality and nature. Their view of the divine was expansive and inclusive, and they experienced sacred in the ordinary. Therefore, they had blessings, prayers and rituals for all sorts of daily activities, including lighting the fire, planting and harvesting, traveling and sharing a meal.
How did Harvesters Community Food Network get involved with the Celtic Soul Experience?
We knew that we wanted this experience to do good – not only in the way it would make people feel leaving the show, but also in a tangible way that would live on. Harvester’s Community Food Network feeds a lot of people right here in Kansas City and we asked them to be involved. We were delighted that they said yes.
What do you hope attendees will gain from the performance?
A sense of hope and joy and a reminder that life is, indeed, good. And we are raising more money for Harvester’s Community Food Network by selling raffle tickets for a chance to win a spot at next year’s Celtic Soul Experience workshop with me in western Ireland. So, they might even win a workshop.
In Kansas City, tickets are available at the website www.CelticSoulExperience.com or at Stone Spirit Lodge in Westport.
