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Two of Scotland’s most lauded traditional musicians will this month combine instruments from different eras for a concert at Whangateau Hall as part of an extensive New Zealand tour.
Rachel Hair plays the oldest Scottish instrument, the clarsach (Celtic harp), and Ron Jappy joins her on the more modern guitar. The pair embrace the rich musical traditions of Scotland, with a repertoire that includes strathspeys (dance tunes), airs, reels and jigs.
The show features material from the duo’s latest album Sparks, a mix of traditional and modern music – some of it composed by Rachel and Ron and some of it by their contemporaries.
Rachel is at the forefront of today’s Celtic harp revival and is regularly invited to teach and perform at festivals around the world. She says it’s always been a dream to play in New Zealand.
“I’ve heard it said before that New Zealand is like Scotland on steroids … everything – the beauty, the mountains, the lakes, is just magnified. We truly believe that our music will fit in just perfectly,” she says.
Ron began as a fiddle player and has been a finalist in several of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious fiddle competitions. He started playing guitar while studying music in Glasgow.
The concert takes place on Wednesday, February 19 at 7.30pm. Tickets are $20 and available at the door.
