Celtic concert to benefit music school

CENTERBROOK — An evening of contemporary and traditional music from Ireland and Scotland performed by John Birt (guitar, mandolin) and Evelyn Cournoyer (harp), to benefit the Community Music School, will be held Friday, March 16 at 7 p.m. at the Centerbrook Meetinghouse, 51 Main Street, Centerbrook.

This St. Patrick’s Day program will feature a variety of traditional dance tunes including reels, jigs, airs, and marches. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Community Music School. Tickets are $10 at the door, with a reception following the performance.

Birt is a musician who has proven his versatility on many stages throughout the world. As a classical guitarist, recent solo programs have explored 16thcentury lute music, the solo cello and violin music of J.S. Bach, and have included world premieres by American composers David Macbride and Thomas Schuttenhelm. Birt completed his Master’s degree at The Hartt School, where he studied with internationally recognized pedagogue Richard Provost and partook in masterclasses by Oscar Ghiglia, Andrew York, Odair Assad, and Scott Tennant

Cournoyer is a harp player from Preston, Connecticut. Her specialty is in Scottish and Irish traditional music. In 2014, she won the Young Composer Award presented by the Clarsach Society in Scotland, and she performed her winning composition at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival. She received a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 2015, where she studied under Maeve Gilchrist.

For additional information, visit www.communitymusic-school.org/celtic or call CMS at 860-767-0026.

About Community Music School

Community Music School offers innovative music programming for infants through adults, building on a 34 year tradition of providing quality music instruction to residents of shoreline communities. CMS programs cultivate musical ability and creativity, and provide students with a thorough understanding of music so they can enjoy playing and listening for their entire lives. Learn more at www.community-musicschool.org or call (860)7670026.

Contributed photo An evening of contemporary and traditional music from Ireland and Scotland, performed by John Birt (guitar, mandolin) and Evelyn Cournoyer (harp), will be held March 16 at the Centerbrook Meetinghouse, 51 Main Street, Centerbrook.