Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Celtic Connections Comes to Chicago

By TL Sumner
In September when Medinah Country Club hosts the 2012 Ryder Cup, not only will Team Europe head across the pond to take on Team USA, but a bit Ryder Cupof Scotland will head to Chicago as well.
Celtic Connections, Scotland’s annual winter music festival, in and around Glasgow, will come overseas for the first time as part of the Ryder Cup festivities CC_logoand to celebrate The Year of Creative Scotland.  According to Donald Shaw, Celtic Connections Artistic Director, the performances will “bring a taste of Celtic Connections to Chicago and promote Scottish music on an international level.”   
Here’s a short video about Celtic Connections.  Doesn’t it look like a lot of fun? 

(Video courtesy of The List.)
Check them out on Facebook to stay up to date on the artists scheduled to perform at the Ryder Cup.
There are other Scottish themed events during the Ryder Cup as well.  An exhibition called Tartan Art on the Avenue begins September 13th and runs through October 10th. Approximately fifty giant golf balls, painted by local, international and celebrity artists, will be displayed on Michigan Avenue and various other venues around Chicago and it’s suburbs.   Tartan-Art-286x300
Renowned sports artist, LeRoy Neiman decorated the first golf ball in a rainbow of color.  Take a look here at Neiman’s creation that will showcase the exhibit.  Chicago Brushmaster, Bob Behounek finished the second one - blue on top, red on the bottom with Chicago spelled out in white script letters.  You can see a photo of his masterpiece here
If you’d like to get in on Tartan Art, you can sponsor your own golf ball, for as little as $7,500. The proceeds for the event will benefit local charities, including the Ronald McDonald House.
On September 27th, an event called “Bagpipes & Blues” will feature food from Europe and the United States, an auction of Ryder Cup memorabilia and the music of Scottish bagpipes and Chicago blues.  Like Tartan Art on the Avenue, proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House and other local charities.
Are you planning to attend any of the Ryder Cup events?  Or have you been lucky enough to check out the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow? 
For those of us who won’t be able to make it – here are a couple samples of the amazing music we’ll miss… 

(Link courtesy of YouTube)







(Link courtesy of BBC2)

3 comments:

Paisley Kirkpatrick said...

What fun. Loved hearing those accents and the music is heart lifting and foot tapping. Thanks for giving us a heads up on this.

Renee Vincent said...

Loved this post, Tosha! And the music is wonderful on the soul. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

Sarah Hoss said...

And I live so close. I would love to go see. Thanks for sharing this with us.