Join our Jolly Pirate Crew! TTU Celtic Ensemble & Elegant Savages Orchestra
The TTU Celtic Ensemble is recruiting for Fall-Spring 2015-16!
Seeking singers, players, and dancers; open to participants from across the TTU campus
The TTU Celtic Ensemble (http://ttucelticensemble.com; http://youtube.com/ttucelticensemble; Facebook:http://tinyurl.com/2ft5myw) is a medium ensemble of singers, players, and dancers dedicated to exploring the dance music & song of the Seven Celtic Nations (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, Galicia, and the Isle of Man) and related traditions. All instruments and voice-types welcome.
The Celtic Ensemble concertizes, tours, and participates in collaborative events throughout the academic year (Caprock Celtic Christmas, Dancing with Dr Who, Dancing at the Crossroads, etc). Members are encouraged to explore both primary and secondary skills (other instruments, song, dance, etc) and some traditional instruments are available for loan and learning. The CE also works closely with other Vernacular Music Center Ensembles, with the TTU Irish Set-Dancers student organization, and other performance and arts organizations throughout the region.
Director: Dr Christopher J Smith (http://tinyurl.com/389zgkx)
Rehearsals: at TTU School of Music; Sundays 7-9pm (tutti) & Wednesday 9-11pm (reserved as sectional rehearsal time)
Annual CE retreat: Sunday August 23 2015
Performances 2015-16 (including but not limited to):
· October 11 Fall concert
· December 12 Celtic Xmas
· February 21 Winter concert
· April 10 Spring concert
Also see “The Elegant Savages Orchestra” http://elegantsavagesorchestra.com;
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Elegant-Savages-Orchestra/359738340792720)
The Elegant Savages Orchestra: Symphonic folk from a lost world
The ESO is a unique ensemble of winds, strings, and rhythm instruments, voices, and dancers, providing classical and sight-reading musicians the opportunity to explore various traditional and vernacular music “by ear” genres in a chamber orchestral format: strings (violin, viola, ‘cello, double bass), winds, and percussion. Section leaders are recruited from the TTU Celtic Ensemble and Baltic Ensemble, but participation is open to musicians from across the TTU campus. Repertoire is drawn from Celtic, English, Appalachian, Balkan, Caribbean, and Scandinavian music & dance traditions, and the Orchestra collaborates extensively with composers, songwriters, choreographers, and virtuoso soloists to create unique symphonic realizations of their creative visions.
Galleries at
http://galleries.tifholmes.com/TTUVernacularMusicCenter/A-Celtic-Chamber-Orchestra
http://galleries.tifholmes.com/TTUVernacularMusicCenter/Echoes-of-Bassanda/
recent concert video at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxFjLC2CXuY
Past programs have included: “A Celtic Chamber Orchestra” (symphonic folk), “An Irish country Christmas” (seasonal), "The Borders Imagined" ("big ballads" of England and Scotland), "Across the Western Sea" (Anglo-Appalachian transports), "Atlantic Celts" (music of Galicia), "Dancing at the Turning of the Year" (pan-Celtic dances), "Across the Western Marches" (music of Wales & Cornwall), "Fest Noz" (music of Brittany), "Crooked Tunes" (Irish/Balkan exchanges), "Pirates, Freebooters, and Jolly Jack Tars" (the Celts at sea), and more.
Admission by interview/audition.
Contact Dr Smith (christopher.smith@ttu.edu) for more information.
