Irish Massachusetts

Welcome the New Year as the  Boston Pops Swing Orchestra teams up with The Hot Sardines  at Boston Symphony Hall  at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, 2019.   They'll perform  jazz covers and originals that channel New York speakeasies, Parisian cabarets, and New Orleans jazz.  Purchase tickets here .  “Not many bands have seized the postmillennial early-jazz spotlight with as much gusto as The Hot Sardines. An eight-piece outfit co-led by singer Elizabeth Bougerol and pianist Evan Palazzo, it has devoted more than the last decade to a razzle-dazzle reclamation of prewar swing,”  writes  Nate Chinen   of WBGO.  There is  a cash bar and several dining options will be available. Read more about the Boston Pops here.

Now in its 17th year, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with radio host Brian O’Donovan sparkles with masterful music, spellbinding stories and dazzling dancing. It evokes emotions of Christmas memories that stretch back generations. It inspires audiences throughout New England to embrace tradition, spirituality and community. Among this year's marquee performers: Chicago's fiddle star Liz Carroll, Scottish vocalist Siobhan Miller, Newfoundland singer/songwriter Matthew Byrne and more. Here are the remaining shows in 2019 season.   Thursday, December 19, 7:30pm Cutler Majestic Theatre Boston, MA Get Tickets >> Friday, December 20, 3pm *  Sensory-friendly performance Cutler Majestic Theatre Boston, MA Get Tickets >> Friday, December 20, 7:30pm Cutler Majestic Theatre Boston, MA Get Tickets >> Saturday, December 21, 3pm and 7:30pm Cutler Majestic Theatre Boston, MA Get Tickets >> Sunday, December 22, 1pm and 5pm Cutler Majesti

The  Irish Cultural Centre of New England  presents An Irish Christmas with  Chloë Agnew  at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 21, 2019.   Tickets to the show are $35 general admission and $30 for ICCNE members.    Buy Tix  online or call 781 821-8291 for more details. A former member of the famous singing ensemble Celtic Woman, Chloë has enjoyed a tremendous solo career since 2013, performing in many of the world's great concert venues.  She is being joined at this year's show by Irish tenor Dermot Kiernan and local special guests.  Here are more  events at the Irish Cultural Centre , a year-round facility that promotes Irish culture, music, athletics, and education.

The Boston Irish Tourism Association' s winter issue of Travel & Culture features dozens of great Celtic and Christmas concerts coming up in the next two weeks.  Among the highlights: the Boston Pops Holiday Season with Keith Lockhart at Boston Symphony Hall; A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with WGBH Host Brian O'Donovan at Cutler Majestic Theatre; former Celtic Woman star Chloe Agnew at the Irish Cultural Centre; and harpist Aine Minogue at Passim's in Harvard Square. For year round information on Irish and Celtic activities in New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . 

Irish harpist Aine Minogue performs her holiday show, To Warm a Winter's Night, at the Blackstone River Theatre in Rhode Island at 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2019.  Tickets to the show are $18 in advance and $22 at the door. Reserve tickets by calling 401 725-9272.  With a dozen solo recordings on several labels including RCA Victor/BMG, Aine has been nominated for FIMA awards for her work as a record producer. Her TV production work on “A Winter’s Journey” earned her a New England EMMY ® nomination. Her music reflects the lyricism and richness to be found in Irish music, mythology, and poetry.  See schedule of upcoming concerts at Blackstone River Theatre . 

Siobhan Miller Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a free pair of tickets to see A Christmas Celtic Sojourn at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2019. Enter the contest here and check back on December 13 to see if you are a winner.  Or, cut to the chase and purchase tickets online to ensure your seat at one of the best holiday concerts of the season. Now in its 17th year, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with radio host Brian O’Donovan sparkles with masterful music, spellbinding stories and dazzling dancing. It evokes emotions of Christmas memories that stretch back generations. It inspires audiences throughout New England to embrace tradition, spirituality and community. Among this year's marquee performers: Chicago's fiddle star Liz Carroll, Scottish vocalist Siobhan Miller, Newfoundland singer/songwriter Matthew Byrne and more.

A Celtic Family Christmas , featuring Canadian stars Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy, performs at The Cabot in Beverly at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 13, 2019. You can  purchase tix online here  to ensure your seat at one of the holiday season's most memorable shows.  The award-winning fiddle virtuosos are joined by their stellar band and their amazingly, talented children, as they invite you into an intimate Cape Breton, MacMaster/Leahy family Christmas celebration. Enjoy familiar Christmas songs intermingled with classic Celtic songs, A Celtic Family Christmas brings you in the door, and welcomes you in as part of the family. Here is a schedule of upcoming concerts at The Cabot .

The annual  Boston Holiday Pops  season at Symphony Hall is a cultural treasure cherished by New Englanders. The 2019 season runs from December 4-24 and includes 40+ evening and matinee performances. Symphony Hall itself is a big part of the Holiday Pops experience, magically decorated to evoke all the charm of the season. Pops patrons sit at cabaret-style tables and order food and drink with family and friends. Santa Claus & Mrs. Claus make an appearance at each performance. Maestro Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra are joined by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, conducted by James Burton. Lockhart, who celebrates his 25th season as conductor, carries on a tradition that began in December 1973 by esteemed Conductor Arthur Fiedler. There are  eight children’s matinees  this year, featuring a short program without intermission, family-friendly music, a singalong and post-concert photos with Santa. Children younger than two are admitted free with ap

The Irish Cultural Centre of New England is kicking off its Christmas season this weekend, starting with the annual Christmas Tree lighting on Friday, December 6 at 8 p.m.  Enjoy mulled wine and mince piece, along with music and good cheer.   Following the lighting, Irish historian Sean Murphy gives a presentation called Christmas in Ireland, Then on Saturday, December 7, come to breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., to take photos and present your Christmas wish list.  Enjoy hayrides around the Centre grounds and meet Santa's elves and enjoy the Kenny Academy of Irish Dance . On Sunday, December 8,  the Irish Christmas in America concert starts at 1 p.m. Produced by fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada (Téada), the concert features legendary singer Séamus Begley, guest singer Niamh Farrell,  Irish old-style dancing from Samantha Harvey, Grainne Hambly on harp and concertina and Sean Gavin on flute and uilleann pipes. There is a second Irish Christmas i