Castle's Celtic Christmas Celebration Revels in the Music and Magic of the Season

Ring in the holidays with legendary violinist Geoffrey Castle's Celtic Christmas Celebration, a concert that heralds the joy and mystery of the season with ancient melodies and masterful musicianship. Castle will perform on at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 6, in the Central Washington University McIntyre Music building Concert Hall.

The concert will feature the Geoffrey Castle Band, with special guests Beth Quist, lead vocalist from the Cirque du Soleil, Highland Piper Don Scobie, and Mac MacDonald as Santa Claus.

The concert will highlight selections from Castle’s latest recording, Underhill’s Angel, with songs that predate the commercialization of Christmas.

“[These are] melodies that are 200, 300, 400, 800 years old,” said Castle, “ . . . with deep spiritual roots, and a sound that feels right now, full of inspiration and improvisation. [Pianist] Eric Robert and I went into the studio with Grammy award-winning bassist Gary Shelton and these ancient melodies—some of which will be familiar, and some that I am sure will become new favorites—and we followed our own path. The result really is magical.”

Geoffrey Castle is a pioneer on the electric six-string violin. From his beginnings as a street musician in New York City and Paris, he rose to play in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of M. Butterfly. A theme of Castle's career is to destroy people's pre-conceived notions of what is possible on a violin, which he does every time he takes the stage.

Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for seniors and CWU students w/ID, and $10 for children aged 12 and under.

For tickets, go to http://www.cwu.edu/tickets. Tickets may also be purchased at the Welcome Center on University Way or at the Wildcat Shop Customer Service in the Student Union and Recreation Center. You may purchase tickets by phone at 509-963-1429. Parking is free after 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, excepted in specially designated spaces (handicapped, loading) or lots assigned to residence halls. For more information, call the Music Department at 509-963-1216.

Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu