APOLLO'S FIRE OPENS UNIVERSITY SPECTRUM SERIES WITH A CELTIC CHRISTMAS

The 2012-2013 Ashland University Spectrum Series opens with Cleveland's Baroque orchestra Apollo's Fire performing Sacrum Mysterium: A Celtic Christmas on Thursday, December 6, 7:30 p.m. at the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel.  Produced by the College of Arts and Sciences, Ashland University’s premiere Spectrum Series presents internationally recognized figures in the arts to enhance cultural experiences for the University community and surrounding areas.  The Spectrum Series is made possible with support from The Ohio Arts Council with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans, and the Ashland University Activities Budget and Chartering Committee.

Sacrum Mysterium is Apollo's Fire's groundbreaking new program that took Northeast Ohio by storm in six sold-out performances last year. Beginning with a Gaelic prayer, candlelight and a sacred procession, Jeannette Sorrell’s celebration of Celtic artistic traditions interweaves renaissance choral music with ancient pagan carols, folk dances and joyous fiddle tunes. A colorful band of bagpipes, flutes, strings and Celtic harp joins the exquisite Apollo’s Singers and the radiant Canadian soprano Meredith Hall.

In addition to Apollo's Fire's evening performance, they will present a Celtic music workshop with Irish flutist Kathie Stewart and hammered dulcimer player Tina Bergmann on Thursday, November 29, 12:15 p.m. to 1:05 p.m., in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall.  Stewart and Bergmann will discuss the origins of Celtic music and its various instruments while demonstrating the music genre on their own instruments.

Tickets for the concert are $15 for adults; $12 for senior citizens, students, Ashland University faculty and staff; $10 for groups of 10 or more; and $2 for Ashland University students with identification.

Discounted season passes for the Spectrum Series are also available for purchase which include one admission to each of the three series performances of Apollo's Fire, Five by Design's Club Swing, and Eleone Dance Theatre's Ohio premiere of Dianne McIntyre's Up the Road a-Piece.  Adult season passes are $36 each; and senior citizens, students, Ashland University faculty and staff season passes are $28 each. 

All tickets can be purchased through the Ashland University Box Office at 419.289.5125, noon to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online (additional fees apply) at www.ashland.edu/tickets.