Celtic Spectacular
After being postponed for a month because of Covid, Celtic Spectacular was back in all its glory in a capacity concert at the Concert Hall. With 200 performers on stage – a fifty-piece orchestra, a 25-piece Pipe Band, a 93-voice choir, Scots and Irish dancers, and vocal and instrumental stars, it was as rousing and as noisy as the Edinburgh Tattoo.
Opening with the OzScot Highland Dancers and the BBC Pipes and Drums, the hall was filled with incredible sound as they played and danced a “Pipe Medley” of traditional tunes which included “The Geese in the Bog”, “Pin the Knot”, “Kelsey’s Reel” and “King of Cardonia”.
Vocalist Sarah Calderwood, accompanied by the Vocal Manouoeuvres Choir, sang two haunting songs – “The Sky and the Sun and the Dawn”, followed by “The Watchman” - whilst popular tenor Greg Moore had fun with Percy French’s traditional patter ode “Phil the Fluter’s Ball” and the patriotic “The Minstrel Boy”.
The Watkins Academy of Irish Dance were in their element with “Heartland”, a piece written for Riverdance, that displayed the talents of this group with standout performances from Tyler Watkins and Samuel Barnes, both champions of Irish dance.
Act II kept the Welsh supporters happy, opening with the Welsh National Anthem, followed by “We’ll Keep a Welcome in the Hills”, and a rousing “Men of Harlech”, sung thrillingly by Moore and the male voices of Vocal Manoeuvres.
Calderwood brought poignancy to “Orphan Girl”, a song by Brendan Graham about orphans of Ireland coming to Australia after the potato famine, and Kevin Higgins displayed his mastery of the flute and Uilleann pipes in the pretty “Trip to Nova Scotia”.
The concert ended with Calderwood and Moore, with orchestra, choir, dancers and pipe band in an emotional “You Raise Me Up”.
Conductor Patrick Pickett was in good form, dressed in a kilt and telling jokes. It was his penultimate appearance with the orchestra as he’s retiring after their New Year’s Eve Gala. His cheery and ebullient demeanor will be missed.
Kudos to Graham Lloyd and Jon Woodend’s arrangements, and to Eduarda Van Klinken, who did a sterling job with the Concert Hall’s majestic pipe organ.
Celtic Spectacular was a truly wonderful concert that showcased a mix of old and new Celtic tunes, some riveting displays of dance, and exemplary musicianship from all. It’s worth five bravos!
Peter Pinne
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