CRAICMORE ENLIVENS SYMPHONY AND POPS REPERTOIRE
Renowned Celtic quartet bring their unique music to new audiences

Los Angeles, CA  -- Long respected for their intriguing instrumentation and contemporary approach to traditional Celtic music, Craicmore’s newly commissioned orchestral arrangements transcend cultural boundaries.

Presenters have called Craicmore “the most outstanding and memorable” performance at their venue and raved that they “sold the most individual tickets we've ever sold for any series concert.”

The global explosion of enthusiasm to see and hear Celtic entertainment is truly a cultural phenomenon as evidenced by the popularity of Irish music and dance companies who have in excess of $500 million in tickets sales globally and have sold out shows in over 45 countries on all continents.

Celtic music, primarily an oral and auditory tradition, is now poised to interlace classical music idioms with roots music in a fresh way. Craicmore engaged Luke Hannington, whose mentors include Dick Grove, Henry Mancini, and David Raksin, to create orchestrations for the haunting, memorable Celtic tunes that have been handed down for centuries. 

 “These orchestrations are lean and muscular. I've shied away from overly lush arrangements and chosen to compliment the more aggressive, up-tempo aspects of Craicmore's energetic repertoire choices”, says Hannington.

Craicmore has toured nationally and internationally for more than 12 years, and has been featured on television shows "Without A Trace", "Days of Our Lives" and "How I Met Your Mother.” While maintaining the roots of Celtic musical traditions, Craicmore also integrates instruments, tonal sounds, and textures from the Indian Continent, Australia, Latin America and Europe. In 2006, Craicmore performed 14 concerts at the Shanghai World Music Festival in People’s Park. For that event, they prepared their own arrangement of a classic Chinese Love song, “KangDingQingge”.  These multicultural influences weave seamlessly into the fabric of Craicmore’s music.

Craicmore performances feature the critically acclaimed vocalist Nancy Johnston. Her deep, rich, contralto voice is rare in the genre. In addition to time-honored flutes, whistles, Irish and Scottish bagpipes, guitar, bass and bodhran, the quartet also plays unexpected instruments including didgeridoo, an East Indian Shruti box, drums and percussion from multiple ethnic regions. 

Along with these brisk and dramatic orchestrations Craicmore brings a wealth of resources to the communities served by symphony and pops orchestras. Celtic Connections, Craicmore’s Arts in Education outreach program, promotes the positive aspects of cultural diversity. Experienced by over 50,000 public school students in the United States, Craicmore also offers college level master classes. In addition, the Craicmore quartet ensemble performs concert and festival appearances of traditional Scottish and Irish music and frequently works with Irish dance companies.

Presenters' Reviews

“Though it has been over 2 weeks, your excellent show had left us deep impression. We still remember your performance, which was so perfect and brilliant that we couldn't help missing them in our dream! It seems to happen just yesterday!”, says Yongping Du - Manager of International Items, Shanghai Pudong Cultural Development Co. LTD
Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China

Connie O’Henley, Executive Director of the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande, California touts Craicmore’s saying, “Craicmore was great to work with.  Band members were fun, easy-going and true professionals.  After two standing ovations, folks left thanking us and wanting to know when Craicmore was returning to the Clark Center.”

Adding praise is Mary Tanner, Performing Arts Manager, Lancaster Performing Arts Center, Lancaster, California, "I want to express my appreciation for your wonderful concert. The superb musicianship of Craicmore was thoroughly appreciated by our audience, all of the feedback was positive. From a presenters point of view I appreciate the ease of booking Craicmore, your willingness to work with me to make the concert happen was really a joy. Craicmore was a huge financial as well as artistic success. I hope that you will consider a return engagement."