Christmas Celtic Sojourn shows Dec. 15-22

BOSTON – Launching its 11th year, ?A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan,’ returns for an 11-show run on Dec. 14. Based on the popular 89.7 WGBH’s weekly radio program, this seasonal gathering of storytellers, singers, musicians and dancers is steeped in Celtic holiday traditions.”We’ve had such a wonderful time the past 10 years bringing ?A Christmas Celtic Sojourn’ to audiences all around New England,” said O’Donovan. “Each year we bring in new musicians, singers and dancers, so our audience’s holiday experience is quite different year-to-year. This year’s lineup is proving to be one of the most exciting yet and we are thrilled to be back.”The annual holiday program is produced by and benefits WGBH, the Boston-based public broadcaster.O’Donovan welcomes back Seamus Egan and his groundbreaking group Solas to the stage. Winifred Horan will be on fiddle, Mick McAuley on accordion and guitar, and Eamon McElholm will be supplemented by a new percussionist, Steve Holloway, and the returning stalwart, Chico Huff, on bass. Steve Hickman, who has wowed past audiences with his use of body percussion (hambone) and fiddling, returns. Maeve Gilchrist will bring her harp wizardry from her native Scotland.This year, some of the distinctive Celtic music of Norway will also be incorporated as Mariel Vandersteel joins the cast with her eight-string Hardanger fiddle. For the first time ever, ?A Christmas Celtic Sojourn’ welcomes a Celtic brass trio led by Dietrich Strause.Moira Smiley, lead singer of the acclaimed group Voco, will join McAuley, Gilchrist, O’Donovan and his wife, Lindsay, on vocals. Also taking the stage will be Scottish singer and star of the PBS special, Highland Heartbeat, Maureen McMullan.World Champion dancer and Riverdance star, Liam Harney, has cleared his international touring schedule to choreograph and perform in this year’s edition of A Christmas Celtic Sojourn. Harney will be joined by the young dancers from Liam’s Academy of Irish Dance in Walpole.