Kilts and tartan abound as US National Scottish Fiddle Champion Seán Heely and a cast of nationally-acclaimed Celtic performers take you on a magical winter tour through the Scottish Highlands and across the rugged Irish coast. The fiddle and bagpipes will sweep you away to Christmastime and Winter Solstice celebrations that are sure to lift your holiday spirits and warm your heart. The festive journey follows ancient Gaelic carols and songs, tucked in perfectly with lively Irish tunes and familiar Christmas melodies with a Celtic twist.
Featuring a core cast of nine -- seven multi-instrumentalists, a percussive dancer and a Highlands dancer -- audiences will be tapping their toes to the sounds of the fiddle, highland pipes, harp, percussion, bouzouki, bass, guitar piano, harmonium, and more. Additionally, with opportunities to partner with local pipe bands and Highlands or Irish dance companies, this show has a little bit of everything for a wonderful holiday family outing!
"One powerhouse of a fiddler!"
Liz Carroll, Irish fiddle legend and National Heritage Fellow
About Seán Heely
Champion fiddler and singer Seán Heely is one of the most creatively versatile and captivating young artists of his generation. He is a U.S National Scottish Fiddle Champion as well as an award-winning Irish Fiddler, singer, and harpist in the folk and Gaelic traditions of Scotland and Ireland.
Irish fiddle legend Liz Carroll calls Seán: “One powerhouse of a fiddler”.
Seán holds a degree from University of South Carolina in Classical Violin Performance and was a 2019 Artist in Residence at Strathmore Music Center in Maryland. He has performed in Scotland, Ireland, South America, Germany and at prestigious venues in the U.S such as the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, Hylton Performing Arts Center, and Strathmore Music Center.
Seán has shared the stage with traditional music icons such as Bonnie Rideout, Liz Carroll, Natalie Haas, Cathy Jordan, Eamon O’Leary, Zan McLeod, Maeve Gilchrist.
Along with his accolades in Traditional Music, Seán made his Classical solo debut with the Virginia Symphony in 2012 performing Mozart's 5th Violin Concerto. In April 2023, Seán was honored to win the prestigious Dan R. MacDonald Memorial Prize from the Clan Donald Trust from the Gaelic Performing Arts. Seán has been a featured soloist with the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk, VA and the Washington Tattoo.
Seán has recorded three full length internationally acclaimed albums: the latest of which (“Dramagical”) has been featured on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta in Ireland, and NPR’s Thistle and Shamrock. Currently based in Washington DC, Seán performs locally and abroad with the Seán Heely Celtic Band, The Glencoe Lads and Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra. He is a musical ambassador for the British Embassy Scottish Affairs Office and the St. Andrew’s Society of Washington. He also frequently travels abroad as a solo artist and maintains a private teaching studio in Falls Church, VA.
Gallery
Acclaim
“Seán has steeped himself in the Gaelic language and music tradition. He has traveled extensively and studied with the best on both sides of the Atlantic. His performances are equally as enlightening as they are entertaining.” ~ Bonnie Rideout, 3x Grammy-nominated Scottish Fiddler
“The Celtic soundscape created by Seán Heely and his fiddle is simply magical—the heartbreaking beauty of a ballad followed by the immense joy of a dance tune!” ~ Betty Scott, Director of Strathmore Artist in Residence Program
"(On Edge of the Bow album) This is a hugely entertaining collection of music, and a great introduction to a fiddler who should make quite a name for himself in the next few years." ~ Alex Monaghan, Irish Music Magazine