Celtic Woman Quartet Coming To Honeywell
November 30, 2016 at 8:22 p.m.
Celtic Woman Quartet Coming To Honeywell
By David [email protected]
“It’s been amazing. It’s been a whirlwind experience. I wanted to be a part of the group for a long time. It’s a dream come true. One of the best experiences of my life,” she said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon.
The multi-platinum international music group began its “Home for Christmas – The Symphony Tour” Wednesday in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Celtic Woman performs at the Honeywell Center, Wabash, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15. Tickets are $45, $65 and $110 and are available through the box office or online at honeywellcenter.org.
After joining the group in August as its newest member, McNeill recorded with Celtic Woman for the group’s new album, “Voices of Angels,” while learning the music for its final “Destiny World Tour” dates and the music for the Christmas tour. She traveled with the other three women in Celtic Woman to give performances in Shanghai, China, and Seoul, South Korea.
The voices of Celtic Woman include Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin and Éabha McMahon. McFadden joined Celtic Woman in 2012; Carlin made her debut in 2013; and McMahon joined in September 2015.
While McNeill is just playing the violin in this tour, in the future she hopes to play the harp and sing with the other three women. “Fingers crossed,” she said.
Born in Antrim, Ireland, McNeill said she started playing the violin when she was 8 years old. Since she knew others who started playing at 4, she said she felt as if she got a late start on the instrument. But she began playing the piano a year before taking up the violin and the harp a year before that.
“I think it’s a beautiful instrument,” McNeill said of the violin. She said she loves how she can make it sing and enjoys playing traditional Irish music with it. In the orchestra, the violin is an important instrument, she said.
Before joining Celtic Woman, McNeill said she’s toured with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra, led the Ulster Youth Orchestra and both the RIAM Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. She performed the Irish Premiere of Finzi’s “Violin Concerto” in the National Concert Hall, Dubl
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in, in April 2013. She graduated with honors from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
“Orchestra playing has been a big part of my life,” McNeill indicated.
Though she’s been to America a few times before, the Christmas tour with Celtic Woman will be the biggest one she’s done and it will keep her in America for an entire month. She said she’s really looking forward to the American fans of Celtic Woman who she described as “new and exciting.”
The Dec. 15 show at Honeywell will be a big Christmas show, McNeill said, with many great numbers in it. The group’s Christmas songs will be accompanied by the instruments of a full symphony orchestra. Fans will hear renditions of classics such as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Let It Snow” and “Joy to the World.”
McNeill said several numbers from “Voices of Angels” will be included, since the album was released in the U.S. Nov. 18.
Speaking of the group’s latest recording, McNeill said she has two solos on it. “Across the World” will be a part of the Christmas tour, and the other song, “For the Love of a Princess,” is from the film “Braveheart.”
For more information on Celtic Woman and the tour, visit Celticwoman.com.
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“It’s been amazing. It’s been a whirlwind experience. I wanted to be a part of the group for a long time. It’s a dream come true. One of the best experiences of my life,” she said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon.
The multi-platinum international music group began its “Home for Christmas – The Symphony Tour” Wednesday in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Celtic Woman performs at the Honeywell Center, Wabash, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15. Tickets are $45, $65 and $110 and are available through the box office or online at honeywellcenter.org.
After joining the group in August as its newest member, McNeill recorded with Celtic Woman for the group’s new album, “Voices of Angels,” while learning the music for its final “Destiny World Tour” dates and the music for the Christmas tour. She traveled with the other three women in Celtic Woman to give performances in Shanghai, China, and Seoul, South Korea.
The voices of Celtic Woman include Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin and Éabha McMahon. McFadden joined Celtic Woman in 2012; Carlin made her debut in 2013; and McMahon joined in September 2015.
While McNeill is just playing the violin in this tour, in the future she hopes to play the harp and sing with the other three women. “Fingers crossed,” she said.
Born in Antrim, Ireland, McNeill said she started playing the violin when she was 8 years old. Since she knew others who started playing at 4, she said she felt as if she got a late start on the instrument. But she began playing the piano a year before taking up the violin and the harp a year before that.
“I think it’s a beautiful instrument,” McNeill said of the violin. She said she loves how she can make it sing and enjoys playing traditional Irish music with it. In the orchestra, the violin is an important instrument, she said.
Before joining Celtic Woman, McNeill said she’s toured with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra, led the Ulster Youth Orchestra and both the RIAM Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. She performed the Irish Premiere of Finzi’s “Violin Concerto” in the National Concert Hall, Dubl
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in, in April 2013. She graduated with honors from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
“Orchestra playing has been a big part of my life,” McNeill indicated.
Though she’s been to America a few times before, the Christmas tour with Celtic Woman will be the biggest one she’s done and it will keep her in America for an entire month. She said she’s really looking forward to the American fans of Celtic Woman who she described as “new and exciting.”
The Dec. 15 show at Honeywell will be a big Christmas show, McNeill said, with many great numbers in it. The group’s Christmas songs will be accompanied by the instruments of a full symphony orchestra. Fans will hear renditions of classics such as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Let It Snow” and “Joy to the World.”
McNeill said several numbers from “Voices of Angels” will be included, since the album was released in the U.S. Nov. 18.
Speaking of the group’s latest recording, McNeill said she has two solos on it. “Across the World” will be a part of the Christmas tour, and the other song, “For the Love of a Princess,” is from the film “Braveheart.”
For more information on Celtic Woman and the tour, visit Celticwoman.com.
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