Vancouver Symphony Presents A Celtic Celebration

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the VSO! In keeping with the spirit of St. Paddy, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents A Celtic Celebration - complete with hot Celtic fiddling, Irish songs, Irish dancing, and of course, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, on Friday & Saturday, March 16 & 17, 8pm, Orpheum Theatre!

Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik presents A Celtic Celebration with fiddler Jeremy Kittel, vocalist Cathie Ryan, and Eire Born Irish Dancers.

Celtic fiddler and Jazz violinist Jeremy Kittel is rapidly earning a reputation as one of the nations' top young traditional musicians. The 2000 US National Scottish Fiddle Champion and Junior National Champion of 1998 and 1999, Mr. Kittel also qualified for international competition in Irish fiddle four consecutive years. In 2003 he competed in the first American String Teacher Association/National Band and Orchestra Association Alternative Styles Competition, winning the Alfred Award for Best Improvisation, Mark O'Connor Award of Merit and International Association for Jazz Education Award for Best Jazz Performance.

Irish American Cathie Ryan, with her crystalline vocals and insightful songwriting, is an original and distinctive voice in Celtic music. Since her acclaimed seven year tenure as lead singer of Cherish the Ladies, the Detroit born Ryan has established herself as one of Celtic Music's most popular and enduring singer-songwriters. The Boston Globe recently wrote, "Cathie Ryan is a thrilling traditional vocalist whose honey-pure soprano is equally at home on probing original ballads about a woman's place in the modern world."

Eire Born Irish Dancers are comprised of top dancers from Nora Pickett Irish dance Academy, and range in age from seven to seventeen years of age. They are dynamically trained for local, national and international performances, and have achieved competitive and championship levels of Irish dance. -- www.vancouversymphony.ca