Salem Concert Band with Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire to celebrate St Patrick's Day

Tickets are $15, $20 reserved mezzanine, $5 for students.

Salem Concert Band

(SALEM) - The Salem Concert Band with guest soloists Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire will perform a Celtic Celebration on St Patrick’s Day, March 17, 3 pm, at the Historic Elsinore Theatre. Portland-based performers Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire, who have been working together since 2008 and have released four CDs on their label Celtic Conspiracy, will be the featured soloists in an all-celtic program.

Conductor John Skelton will lead the symphonic concert band in a selecion of Irish and Celtic suites and other works based on traditional celtic themes. This will be the third time the for the band to present an all-celtic program at the Historic Elsinore Theatre.

Kathryn Claire and Hanz Araki have toured extesively throughout the USA, Canada, and Japan and have received many enthusiastic reviews. They released four celtic themed albums in 2012: “As I Roved Out: Songs of Spring,” “Songs of Love and Murder,” “The Emigrant’s Song & the Laborer’s Lament,” “ and “A Winter Solstice Celebration.” Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire were named “Best Vocal/Instrumental Group of the Year” from LiveIreland.

Irish flute player Hanz Araki is the quintessential world music musician. After six generations, the name Araki is synonymous with the Japanese shakuhachi (an end-blown bamboo flute) which Hanz mastered making his professional debut in 1988. After four years of concert appearances and teaching at the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, Hanz returned to his hometown of Seattle, WA and found himself drawn to the world of Celtic music.

The penny-whistle and the Irish flute became his single-minded focus, and jigs and reels became a second language. His unique style and passion were soon recognized and met with high praise.

Hanz also discovered his voice was well-suited to the songs of Scotland, Ireland, and England and is highly regarded for his interpretation of folk songs in what is one of the most exciting living traditions.

After several tours across the US, Canada, and the UK (first with the Juno Award winning Paperboys, then Casey Neill) as well as a return to Japan, now as a well-respected Irish flute-player, Hanz moved to Portland, OR in 2006. This move proved to be most fortuitous as it led to the musical partnership with Oregon-native Kathryn Claire.

A self-taught guitarist and accomplished vocalist and fiddle-player, Kathryn has asserted herself in a new generation of traditionally-inspired musicians. Early classical training gave her a strong foundation, but naturally gave way to her own creative inclinations.

Her violin-playing exhibits a technical grace which is matched only by her truly captivating voice.

While she possesses the rare ability to move seamlessly across genres, her love and deep respect for traditional music has long been a driving influence, and those roots can be heard in her own original music, as well as her own distinctive take on folk-songs.

Kathryn and Hanz quickly discovered a shared love of harmony—and a well-matched work ethic—and a creative process began that has produced a tremendous body of work. Their shared passion for traditional music is magnetic and they have become a favorite at music festivals and venues in the US and abroad.

Tickets are $15, $20 reserved mezzanine, $5 for students. Tickets may be purchased on the Salem Concert Band website: www.scb.org, at the Historic Elsinore Theatre box office (170 High St. SE, 503-375-3574), and from Tickets West at their outlets and online (1-800-992-8499). Service charges may apply.

For more information, please contact John Skelton:
Phone: (503) 362-0485
email: skeltonjohn@comcast.net