Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Live TV Performance and Interview!

Last year, I performed holiday music inside an elevator on the Weekend Good Day Sacramento show on the CW Channel 31.

I also played "Stairway to Heaven" in that broadcast. What's next for my appearance this year?

You'll have to tune in to find out. The program is aired live throughout the greater Sacramento area, and video may also appear on their website after the broadcast.

All the details:
Good Day Sacramento
December 20, 2009 at 7-9 am
KOVR-TV, CBS CW Channel 31
Aired throughout greater
Sacramento, California(916)374-1313

Thursday, December 3, 2009

The Irish Fireside Podcast, Episode 97-Christmas In Ireland

If you've ever wanted to know what it's like to spend Christmas in Ireland, this is the podcast for you! Learn about holiday traditions from Imen McDonnell, an American married to an Irish farmer. She'll keep you enthralled with her discussion of holiday delicacies from the Emerald Isle in this November 24, 2009 episode of the Irish Fireside Podcast.

During this episode, you'll hear my rendition of “Shanghai Brown” from Mermaids & Mariners CD and “Mairi's Wedding” from Haste to the Wedding CD. Listen to this episode at the Irish Fireside website and download this and other episodes from iTunes.

The Irish Fireside Podcast is the ultimate place where you can get the inside scoop on Irish travel and culture from hosts Corey and Liam. And while you are visiting the Irish Fireside website, enter the Irish Fireside Holiday Gift Giveaway 2009 where you can win one of my CDs! Happy Holidays and a Very Happy New Year!

Sample my CDs-take a trip to my Listening Room.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Family Holiday Concert featuring Anne Roos & Friends

Listen to your holiday favorites mixed in with a variety of music from Anne’s recordings inside the upstairs ballroom of the Cozmic Café.

Some of Anne’s musical friends might stop by, too. Anne may have a few other holiday surprises in store for you as well, so bring your friends, kids, and parents to this fun and relaxed concert.

Delicious snacks are also available during the performance, and during intermission, you can explore the authentic gold mine inside the building! Tickets are $10 each and half price for kids 12 and under.

Sunday, December 13th from 3-5pm PT

The Cozmic Café
594 Main St.
Placerville, California
(530)642-8481

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Banjo Bunny E-cards

I'm pleased and tickled to announce that my music is now part of Banjo Bunny's land of whimsical, inventive, and funny animated Internet greeting cards!

For all my friends in the U.S., you'll find my music embedded in Banjo Bunny's newest Thanksgiving e-card, "Grateful Harp". This card is graced with the song "Epping Forest", an old English dance tune dating back to 1670. The full version of this tune is a track from my A Light in the Forest album. What a fabulous way to sample the tune! (You can purchase it as a download on iTunes and at Amazon.com)

Like multiplying bunnies, there are many more e-cards on their way that will include my music. Hop on over to BanjoBunny.com to start sending those magical cards to friends and loved ones for the holidays!

Check out A Light in the Forest and all of my CDs on many online stores such as Amazon.com and CDBaby.com. They are also available for purchase at retail outlets like Barnes and Noble Booksellers and Borders stores.

Autographed albums can be purchased at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/, the only place where you can buy three of my CDs for the price of two--a money saving option for holiday gifts. Inexpensive shipping is available (U.S. Media Mail) as well as speedier shipping options that allow for tracking.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Holiday Shopping Concert

The holiday shopping season is fast approaching. And just for my Sacramento area friends, here's a way that you can take a little break from it all...

I'll be performing a special Holiday Shopping Concert at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Arden Faire Mall on November 28th, the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. The store will be decked out for the holidays (and so will I).

Enjoy this FREE afternoon performance of winter holiday music and even take part in helping me decide what to play. Email me your song request and I might just include it in my program.

All of my CDs, along with my book, are featured in the store, and I'll be happy to autograph your purchases for you (if you are looking for little gifts under $20, my CDs are perfect).

Bring your friends and family! I look forward to seeing you there.

Here are the Details:

Holiday Shopping Concert

DATE: Saturday, November 28, 2009
TIME: noon-2 pm
WHERE: Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 1725 Arden Way at Arden Faire Mall, Sacramento, California
PRICE: FREE!
FOR MORE INFO: Phone (916)565-0644 and visit the Barnes & Noble online for map and directions.

Have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving,
Anne
P.S.--Would you like to hear a sampling of Celtic harp music? Whether you are attending this concert or not, there's a free harp music download waiting for you at my website.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Irish Hanky

Irish brides usually carry a linen handkerchief down the aisle to catch their bridal tears, a custom that may have started bylinen companies in Norhern Ireland.

These companies suggest that the hanky cam be saved as a christening bonnet for the couple's first baby and that the child can in turn, use the hanky for her own wedding. In this way, the hanky turns into a family heirloom as it carries many generations of tears of happiness. Tying a piece of rosemary to this family hanky symbolizes remembrance of those who used it in the past.


Copyright © 2005 by Anne Roos, excerpt from the liner notes to "Haste to the Wedding" CD, available on the Cambria Master Recordings Label. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Bell of Truce

The tradition of the bell of truce comes from the peasants in the west of Ireland, but it may also be attributed to St. Patrick. He thought the sound of a bell ringing would help perform miracles.

In a wedding ceremony, the bell of truce is blessed and presented to the bride and groom by the ceremony officiant. The couple is asked to give the bell a good hardy ring while thinking of each other and their future together. It's then taken home as a reminder of the wedding day. Whenever arguments arise, the rining of this bell sounds a truce. It serves as a reminder of the couple's wedding vows.

A bell of tuce also provides a decorative addition to the wedding ceremony an to the home-it may be made of Irish crystal, pewter, or iron.

Your heart is never away,
But ever with mine, for ever,
For ever without endeavour,
To-morrow, love, as to-day;
Two blent hearts never astray,
Two souls no power may sever,
Together, O my love, for ever.

D.G. Rossetti

Copyright © 2005 by Anne Roos, excerpt from the liner notes to "Haste to the Wedding" CD, available on the Cambria Master Recordings Label. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Celtic Roots Radio Podcast and Anne Roos

Celtic Roots Radio Podcast #12--"Don't Make A Whole Song About It!" and Celtic Roots Radio Podcast #9--"Root 'n' Troot Supper, Hey!"

Raymond McCullough, host of the Celtic Roots Radio podcast, included the popular wedding tune "Mairi's Wedding" from Anne Roos' Haste to the Wedding CD on his October 24, 2009 episode. Her music is in good company in this episode, with lovely acoustic Celtic tunes from around the globe.

This isn't the first time Anne's music has been featured. Her tune "Considine's Grove", from A Light in the Forest CD, was featured in the September 4, 2009 episode called "Root 'n' Troot Supper, Hey!". What does this saying mean? "Fish 'n' chips" in the North Antrim County lingo.
This podcast originates from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and offers the listener more than just music. McCullough explains some of the common terms used in Northern Ireland, along with descriptions of what life is like in that part of the world. Of course, the music is the star of his podcast, spanning a broad spectrum of Celtic folk, folk/rock, Applachian, bluegrass, Scottish, Irish, Breton, and Cajun music. As McCullough declares at his website, "If you enjoy Celtic, roots, or acoustic music, you'll find it here on Celtic Roots Radio."

Thank you, Raymond, for including Anne's music on your outstanding podcast!

Enjoy this Podcast and listen to some of Anne's other tunes on the Celtic Roots Radio Live365 station. Then Sample Anne's CDs, too.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Celtic Loving Cup

In Scotland, the Loving Cup is known as a quaich, which comes from the Gaelic word cuach, meaning cup. This is used for the wedding toast. It is often highly decorated and has a handle on either side of the cup.

A Loving Cup ceremony, or Anam Cara, can be included as part of the wedding vows or during the wedding reception. The purpose of this ceremony is for the bride and gtoom to share their first drink together as a married couple. The meaning of the cup is "togetherness". The cup is then passes down throughout the generations to insure happiness and good fortune to all who drink from it.

Copyright © 2005 by Anne Roos, excerpt from the liner notes to "Haste to the Wedding" CD, available on the Cambria Master Recordings Label. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The Welsh Lovespoon

The lovespoon may have represented an early type of engagement ring, or perhaps the acceptance of the carved spoon at least meant the beginning of a serious courtship, "going steady", so to speak. Could this be where the term "spooning" originated? This custom
originated in Wales during the 17th century.

The most elaborate lovespoons are carved from one piece of wood, demonstrating the skill of the carvers. The handle of the spoon is often intricately decorated with various symbols-keys, hearts, balls, wheels, and bells-each representing such blessings as love, good luck, children, wealth, and health.

Copyright © 2005 by Anne Roos, excerpt from the liner notes to "Haste to the Wedding" CD, available on the Cambria Master Recordings Label. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Celtic Art and Designs

Celtic artwork dates back to 3,000 B.C. and can still be seen on stone carvings throughout Ireland. Much of the current fascination with Celtic art may have originated with the Book of Kells, an eighth century manuscript currently house at Trinity College in Dublin. This book features knots, and animal designs. The Celts created their designs using one or several unbroken lines. They believed that the more these lines interlaced each other, the greater their protection against evil. The unbroken lines symbolized infinity.

Celtic wedding rings may be made of one of these unique design styles, the most popular of which is know as the Celtic love knot. The lines of the Celtic love knot are forever entwined, as the two separate lives become one. Animal designs are also used. One of the most popular animals used for Celtic wedding rings is the heron, because herons mate for life.

Other Celtic symbols, including the Celtic cross, a family coat of arms, and horseshoes with the open ends up (so that the good luck won't run out), may be used to adorn invitations, napkins, wrappings for favors, and embroidered into the wedding dress and the bride's hanky. National Celtic symbols are also used as wedding decorations: the thistle to display Scottish heritage, the leek for Welsh heritage, and the shamrock for Irish heritage.

Copyright © 2005 by Anne Roos, excerpt from the liner notes to "Haste to the Wedding" CD, available on the Cambria Master Recordings Label. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Claddagh Ring

This may be the most well-known symbol of love in Ireland. It is said tha this ring, a crowned heart held by two hands, is a symbol of love, friendship, and loyalty, best explained in the phrase, "Let Love and Friendship Reign." It was the traditional marriage ring of the fishermen of Claddagh, a small village on Galway Bay. Legend has it that the ring was developed for sailors to wear as a means of identifying their heritage in case they went overboard, were lost at sea, or were washed ashore on foreign soil.

A more romantic legend is the story of Richard Joyce, captured by Algerian pirates on his way to the West Indies, he was forced into slavery working for a Moorish goldsmith. Joyce became a master goldsmith and handcrafted this ring design for his ladylove back home. He was released in 1689 and returned to the village of Claddagh, to his true love. He gave her the ring and she used the Claddagh as a wedding band when they married. Joyce set up a goldsmith shop, his ring design became popular, and examples of his handiwork still exist.

The ring grew in popularity, outside of this local region, spread by the help of vast exodus out of Ireland diring the Great Potato Famine in the mid 1800s. Claddagh rings were kept as heirlooms with great pride and passed from mother to daughter for use as wedding bands.

Today, this ring is worn extensibely across Irleland, either on the right hand with the heart pointing towards the findertips to signify that the wearer is "fancy free," or on the left hand with the heart pointing towards the wrist to indicate that the wearer is "spoken for."

Copyright © 2005 by Anne Roos, excerpt from the liner notes to "Haste to the Wedding" CD, available on the Cambria Master Recordings Label. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Celtic Roots Radio Podcast #09--"Root 'n' Troot Supper, Hey!"

Raymond McCullough, host of the Celtic Roots Radio podcast, included the popular tune "Considine's Grove", from Anne Roos' A Light in the Forest CD, on his September 4, 2009 episode. He called this episode "Root 'n' Troot Supper, Hey!". What does this saying mean? "Fish 'n' chips" in the North Antrim County lingo.

This podcast originates from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and offers the listener more than just music. McCullough explains some of the common terms used in Northern Ireland, along with descriptions of what life is like in that part of the world. Of course, the music is the star of his podcast, spanning a broad spectrum of Celtic folk, folk/rock, Applachian, bluegrass, Scottish, Irish, Breton, and Cajun music. As McCullough declares at his website, "If you enjoy Celtic, roots, or acoustic music, you'll find it here on Celtic Roots Radio."

Enjoy this Podcast and listen to some of Anne's other tunes on the Celtic Roots Radio Live365 station. Then Sample Anne's CDs, too.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

My Angelic Visit with the Folks from the Good Day Sacramento Show

I played Led Zepellin in December of 2008, and Metallica in March of 2009 (scroll down below), and I'm back again on CBS affiliate, CW Channel 31’s Good Day Sacramento show. I am joined by two TV hosts dressed up as angels, in honor of National Be An Angel Day, August 22, 2009.

Cody Stark interviews me, and you'll hear a little sampling of me playing "Wind Beneath My Wings"--a perfect tune for the angel in all of us. Cody also refers to my CD, Haste to the Wedding, in the broadcast. Check out this CD here.

Just click here to watch the video.

Special thanks to the entire production crew at Good Day Sacramento!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

July/August Celtic Trivia: The Bridal Veil and Old Shoes

"The love you give away is the only love you keep"--Elbert Hubbard

Fairies are said to covet anything that is beautiful, which includes the bride and all her fineries.

The wedding veil has special meaning in Ireland. In ancient time, it was believed to hide the bride away from leprechauns and fairies who would try to capture the bride and take her beautiful dress. Today in Ireland, veils are often embroidered with shamrocks or the Claddagh symbol.

It is also lucky for the bride and groom to wear old shoes when they get married. This would prevent their being kidnapped by fairies. In County Cork, it is believed that fairies would whisk away the wedding couple to the "Land of the Ever Young," just to get a hold of a pair of handsome new shoes.

Read more Celtic wedding traditions and toasts in the liner notes of my "Haste to the Wedding" CD, ©2005 Anne Roos.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

June Celtic Trivia: Flowers and Herbs

"Come live in my heart and pay no rent."
--Old Irish Proposal


Ancient brides used herbs, not flowers, in their bouquets. They believed that herbs had the power to ward off evil spirits. If a bride carried sage, she became wise, if she carried dill, she became lusty. Rosemary ensured the powers of remembrance.

Brides used to carry marigolds that were dipped in rose water. They later ate them because they were believed to be aphrodisiacs. Wheat was also used in the floral bouquet to symbolize fertility, not only in family matters but also with crops.

Flowers eventually replaced herbs and carried many different meanings of their own. They were later dried and hung in the bride's new home to preserve their meanings.

Brides wore their hair loose, which symbolized virginity. A wreath of flowers, matching those in her bouquet, adorned their heads, or they would have just a few single flowers and precious stones scattered in their hair.

Read more Celtic wedding traditions and toasts in the liner notes of my "Haste to the Wedding" CD, ©2005 Anne Roos.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Renaissance Magazine Calls Anne Roos’ Wedding CD "One of the Best Collections of Celtic Harp Music"


Haste to the Wedding is one of the best Celtic and Renaissance harp CDs you will ever find. It is also an excellent guide for any Olde World wedding,” proclaims Michael Lohr in Issue #67 of Renaissance Magazine. You’ll find his full review of Anne Roos’ wedding CD on pages 72 and 73 of this issue. Here are some highlights of the review:

“Anne Roos is a superb harpist...Haste to the Wedding is one of the best collections of Celtic harp music you will find. Full of Irish and Scottish courting and wedding songs, the CD is grouped by ceremonial sections: prelude music, processional music, unity candle/exchange of vows music, and recessional music.

Anne, who studied music theory at UCLA, proves to be a musical historian...A 48-page booklet accompanies the CD and provides a wonderful overview of traditional ceremonies and songs.

Haste to the Wedding is one of the best Celtic and Renaissance harp CDs you will ever find. It is also an excellent guide for any Olde World wedding.”

Renaissance Magazine is a print publication that features articles on history, castles, heraldry, culinary and herbal arts, and in-depth interview with the movers and shakers of the re-enactment and faire communities. Regular columns review period books movies, music, web sites, and games.

Haste to the Wedding is on the Cambria Master Recordings label. This and other albums by Anne Roos are available for purchase online at Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and many online stores. It is also available for purchase at retail outlets such as Barnes & Noble and Borders stores. Autographed copies can be purchased at www.celticharpmusic.com.


Monday, May 18, 2009

Anne Roos on Women Entrepreneurs -The Secrets of Success


I was interviewed by CoachDeb from blogtalkradio on Friday, May 15th. It was a thrill to be on the show.

Career Coach Deb Bailey interviews women entrepreneurs who speak honestly about their challenges and successes and give advice to women who want to go into business.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Spring Wedding and Party Tips


Planning an outdoor wedding or party? Always have a "Plan B"--an indoor choice in case thunderclouds appear, the site is infested with bees, the sprinklers turn the lawn to mud, or Mother Nature finds a novel way to be uncooperative.

Even if you are fine with inclement weather or varmints snacking on your appetizers and cake, your guests may not be so tolerant. And these unplanned surprises could prevent your vendors from delivering their services altogether.

Read your agreements with your vendors and be aware of what conditions make it impossible for them to do their jobs. Think of everyone's comfort by:

  • Providing shade or parasols to guests, and keeping water handy especially on hot days
  • Using heater lamps and passing out wraps or blankets on cold days
  • Having a tent or shelter available in case the weather turns
  • Planning on using an alternative indoor location if all else fails

If you are planning a wedding, or any other shindig, I am available to perform for your special event at (800)255-6318 and anne@celticharpmusic.com (available in the Tahoe/Northern California/Northern Nevada regions). I'm always happy to recommend other services for you, too (including suggestions for some fine outdoor and indoor locations)!

Host a house concert in your very own living room! Learn how at Concerts in Your Home, and while you are there, check out my profile.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Metallica, Leonard Skynard, and more...Played on the Celtic Harp

Metallica’s “The Unforgiven”, Coldplay’s “Clocks”, and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” all played on a Celtic harp? Anne Roos performs these tunes, plus a few traditional Irish tunes in this March 14, 2009 broadcast from Sacramento’s KMAX-TV, Channel 31. Cody Stark and Kelly Chapman interview Anne on the Good Day Sacramento Show, having her play inside the studio, the station lobby, the Spanish translation booth, and even the shower! You’ve got to see this. Check this out on YouTube.com at http://tinyurl.com/d9kbxa. The rock tunes will be featured on Anne’s next CD release. Find out more about Anne Roos at http://www.celticharpmusic.com

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

April Business Tip

Beware: Someone could be pulling a nasty practical joke on you directly from your website...

Once upon a time, I included a link to a party planning website on my website. They were also kind enough to link back to me.

Months went by and cobwebs began to develop on my links page as I ignored it to pursue other online tasks. Then one day, I received an email from a visitor to my site, "Did you know that one of your links connects with a p*orn site?" Aaaaargh! How did that happen?

It turns out that the party planning site that I was linking to folded, and another company, a p*orn shop, bought that party planning site's URL.

Don't let this happen to you. Check all the links on your website regularly to make sure they are not dead, or worse, linking to sites that you had no intention of linking to in the first place.

It's not necessary to spend hours clicking on all the links on your website. Instead, download a friendly application that will check the viability of your links for you. My favorite is called Integrity, but there are many others available online.

More marketing tips are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

NEW! Consulting and Mentoring Available:
Anne Roos' Guidance to Making a Living by Gigging

You've certainly heard the phrase, "Don't quit your day job". But in this economy, many are choosing to leave their day job to do exactly what they want in life, and to make a living doing it. Whether you are a gigging musician, or a gigging freelancer in another field, I can help you to make a living doing just what you want to do, to find your own happy niche in the marketplace. Contact me to get started today.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Way Cool! Roctober Magazine Reviews Anne Roos' CD Book Collection

In issue #46 of Roctober Magazine, you’ll find Flamin’ Waymon Timbsdayle’s review of my albums. Here’s what he had to say:

“Roos is a master of the enchanting, angelic Irish harp, and these CDs tell cinematic, romantic stories more vividly than narratives with extraneous things like words ever could.”

Roctober Magazine (and on MySpace) is a journal of in-depth interviews, lengthy articles, brilliant comics, and ridiculous reviews celebrating unjustly obscure musical icons, enigmas, and eccentrics. Roctober is wild, cool, and simply put, not your grandmother’s magazine. I am tickled that my music was reviewed in this magazine--It proves that Celtic music can be cool, too.

My CD book collection is on the Cambria Master Recordings label. The entire collection can be purchased at a discount at my website, and I'll also autograph them for you. And can also be purchased online at Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and many online stores.

Monday, March 23, 2009

New "Best of Irish & Celtic Music" CD Includes Anne Roos' Music


I am honored that one of my tracks is included in Marc Gunn’s new Best of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast CD. This album is a compilation of some of the best independent Celtic music groups featured on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, a free, downloadable radio show hosted by Marc Gunn.

You’ll hear the track “Considine’s Grove”, from my A Light in the Forest CD, along with a wonderful mix of 16 other tracks: rousing drinking songs, traditional Irish ballads and jigs, and even a few songs that make a statement about Celtic culture.

If you’re new to the sounds of Celtic music, this is the CD for you. It introduces you to great music from world-class Celtic musicians. Marc Gunn, who compiled this CD, says:

“I wanted to showcase some of these amazing artists in ways that they might not be able to do on their own. This compilation is a lot like listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. It features an exciting mix of some of the coolest independent Celtic groups out there...All in all, this is an album that you don’t want to miss out on. You NEED this for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations year ‘round. And you will enjoy it for many years to come.”

The Best of The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast compilation disc can be sampled on Marc Gunn’s website during Podcast #65. It is available for purchase on CDBaby.com, where you can also go to purchase a download of the album. The Best of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast CD is available from Mage Records, New Orleans, © 2008.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Anne’s Second Visit with the Folks from the Good Day Sacramento Show

I played Led Zepellin in December of 2008 (scroll down below), and now I was back on air again on CW Channel 31’s Good Day Sacramento show. Can I top my last performance in the elevator? You get to decide—watch the videos below. Just click on the images to be taken to the video pages.

Here I am, rocking out on the Celtic harp to Metallica’s “The Unforgiven” in the TV station lobby, with a quick interview by host Cody Stark.

Metallica....On a Celtic Harp















Then, I was brought into the studio to play behind Cody’s weather report. You’ll hear Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight”, appropriate for Cody’s forecast.

Cody’s Most Peaceful Weather Report, with Accompaniment













Many thanks again to Cody, Kelly, Tracy, and the entire staff of the weekend Good Day Sacramento show. I had a blast!

Video Travel Souvenir of Liam and Corey's Irish American Roadtrip


I was thrilled when Liam and Corey, the hosts of the Irish Fireside Podcast, decided to stop by for a visit on their Irish-American Roadtrip. They zig-zagged West from Milwaukee in search of all things Irish on their winter travels.

They headed up to my home at Lake Tahoe for a special Celtic harp concert, chronicling their journey and visit with me in video. You can find these videos on their website, or on iTunes. But to make it easy for you, just click on the images below, and you’ll be taken to the YouTube Pages to view them.

Here is their visit with me, their 22nd Video from the Road. I give them a tour of the Celtic harp and you’ll see a casual little private concert of “Brian Boru’s March” as I play in the comfort of my own home. I even entertain them with a bit of Gershwin (yes, jazz can be played on a Celtic harp).




If that video wasn’t enough for you, here is an extended video that includes “Carrickfergus”, "Give Me Your Hand", and I accompanying Liam as he sings “She Moved Through the Fair”. Good stuff.



Here’s the bonus video: Liam and Corey’s trials and tribulations to get to my abode at Lake Tahoe in February. This part of the roadtrip, the 21st Video from the Road, includes fields, fruit trees, a snowy mountain road, and a run-in with the law.



Many thanks to Liam and Corey for making the trek to Tahoe to visit with me!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

March Wedding and Party Ideas


The theme is the thing--Choose a theme and have fun with the planning. For St. Patrick's Day, use the colors of the Irish flag (green, orange, and white), include shamrock images in your decorations, favors, and invitations, and throw in some toe-tapping Irish music to create some great craic (meaning "a good time" or "great fun" in Irish Gaelic).

You can also extend this fun St. Patrick's Day theme to a wedding, or use a spring equinox theme, incorporating daffodils and other early spring flowers into a delicate floral theme.

If you are planning a wedding, or any other shindig, contact me to perform for your special event at (800)255-6318 and anne@celticharpmusic.com (available in the Tahoe/Northern California/Northern Nevada regions). I'm always happy to recommend other services for your event, too!

Host a house concert in your very own living room! Learn how at Concerts in Your Home, and while you are there, check out my profile.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Information About the Celtic Harp


Few instruments can be traced back to 4000 BC or are rooted in cultures spanning the globe. The harp holds a special place in the Old Testament, played by Jubal and King David, and in classical antiquity, played by Orpheus. Harps existed in Babylonia and Mesopotamia, depicted in drawings on the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses III. Harps are also found in carvings from the Middle East and in Greek sculptures. Also found in Africa, the harp traveled north to Spain and soon spread throughout Europe. The harp later arrived in South America brought there by the Spaniards.

The world's harps vary according to size, structure, decoration, and woods and materials used for the body of the instrument and the strings. But there is one thing they all have in common: their strings run vertical (rather than parallel) to the sound box. The correct term for describing a person who plays any harp other than an orchestra harp is "harper", not "harpist".

Early Irish harps were quite different from the large pedal harps that are used in modern orchestras. They were much smaller, originally held on the harper's lap. They had no pedals, and were carved in one piece from bogwood.

Griffith of Wales employed harpers in his court at the end of the 11th century. Both Irish and Scottish harpers were greatly admired for their skills throughout Europe, and they commonly visited each others countries to study, learn, and exchange tunes. The Trinity College Harp and Queen Mary's Harp are the oldest surviving Celtic harps and both date back from the 15th or 16th centuries. These harps were wire strung, rather than gut or nylon strung as they are today. The word "harp" has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon, Old German and Old Norse words, and means "to pluck." In Gaelic, they were known first as cruit and now as clarsach or clairseach.

Harpers were highly trained professionals who performed for nobility and enjoyed political power. In the 16th Century, Queen Elizabeth I decided to put a stop to this and issued a proclamation to hang Irish harpists and destroy their instruments.

The harp later became Ireland's national emblem, and it still adorns its flag, Irish Euros, and, of course, bottles of Guinness beer. Ironically, even with these great reminders of Ireland's love of the harp, most of the ancient airs and melodies once played on the harp are gone to the ages. Today's harpers are now taking up the challenge to reintroduce the Celtic harp to the modern world.

The Celtic harp produces pretty bell-like tones, which lend authenticity to a repertoire of traditional Irish and English music, and adds a unique sound to all music played on it. The Celtic harp is a naturally acoustic instrument, but it can be amplified when the need arises. This beautiful instrument is handcrafted of fine hardwoods. It can be easily carried; it can go where concert harps cannot. Its versatility and transportability make the Celtic harp suitable for a variety of occasions, events, and venues. The dynamics and beauty of the Celtic Harp lends charm and elegance to any event.

Anne Roos is available for booking for your event. Contact her at anne@celticharpmusic.com and by phone (within the continental U.S.) at 800-255-6318. Visit Anne's website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos to listen to samples and view her extensive music list.

- -©2009 Anne Roos. Information in this article gathered from "The Irish Harp", by Susanna Duffy, and published on Traditional Irish Music on February 15, 2009. Information also gathered from "In Praise of...Harps", published in The Guardian on June 6, 2007.

Monday, February 16, 2009

A Visit from the Irish American Roadtrip Team

I was thrilled when Corey and Liam, hosts of the Irish Fireside Podcast, scheduled a visit with me on their Irish American Roadtrip on February 13, 2009. Here are some selected photos from their visit:

After slogging through snowy Sierra mountain roads to get to Tahoe, I treated Corey and Liam to a proper Irish tea, served on vintage Belleek china. The menu included Irish blondies, made with St. Brendan’s Irish Cream Liquor (you can find this recipe in the liner notes of my “Haste to the Wedding” CD). They also nibbled on my husband’s special recipe scones (you’ll have to email me for this recipe).
Then, we all piled into the Irish American Roadtrip official vehicle, a van named Fiona. Here, Liam gives up the “thumbs up” while snow continues to fall.

Later that evening, Anne played a few tunes on her harp and Liam sang along with “She Moved Through the Fair”--A private concert with a souvenir photo from their visit. (Listen to this tune on Anne’s "Haste to the Wedding” CD, too)

Friday, February 6, 2009

Celtic Shaman Podcast


Celtic Shaman Podcast,
shamanic journey, Celtic tradition

I am pleased that my music is featured in the February 1, 2009 edition of the Celtic Shaman Podcast in honor of the festival Imbolc, which is one of the four principal festivals in the Irish calendar, celebrated among Gaelic peoples. Imbolc is most commonly celebrated on February 2nd, which falls halfway between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere.

Fire and purification are an important aspect of this festival. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months. The holiday is dedicated to Brighid or Bride, the Gaelic goddess of poetry, healing, and smithcraft, and in the Christian period, Imbolc was adopted as St. Brighid’s Day.

In the following podcast, you'll be treated to stories and my music in celebration of this Celtic festival. Here’s an excerpt from the show notes:

Bride: Light of Imbolc

"Brighid of the Mantles, your mantle over me. Brighid of the Fair White Hands, your hand in mine."

Included is Dillon Carlyon’s reading from A Book of Saints and Wonders by Lady Gregory [1906] Book One: Brigit, The Mary of the Gael found at Sacred Texts.

Tira Brandon-Evans comments on traditions connected with Bride and Imbolc and reads from notes and invocations from the Carmina Gadelica. Smooring the Fire, Guarding the Flocks, and The Spell of the Fox. Dillon alternates with Tira reading the invocations in Gaelic and English.

The invocations are followed by “Epping Forest”, a song from my album A Light in the Forest.

If you enjoy our podcasts you may wish to join our public group or visit our homepage at www.faeryshaman.org. Have a happy and blessed Imbolc. Be well, be strong, be free!

Sample my CDs—take a trip to the Listening Room.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

The Irish American Roadtrip


Liam and Corey, hosts of the popular travel podcast, the Irish Fireside Podcast decided to take a drive from the shores of Lake Michigan to the Pacific Coast in search of all things Irish. And they are chronicling their tales from the road in short video snippets. They have graciously included my music in several of their videos souvenirs from their travel journeys across America.

You’ll find my music in their Seventh Video from the Road. Liam
and Corey used “Metal Man” from my Mermaids & Mariners CD
when they visited the birthplace of John Wayne (an Irishman
through and through) on January 24, 2009.

From their Tenth Video from the Road, you’ll hear “Red is the Rose”
(also known as the Scottish song “Loch Lomond”) from my Haste
to the Wedding CD. In this video, they visited a mine in Ajo,
Arizona, on January 30th.

On February 1st, Liam and Corey commented that they heard my
music in a Redlands, California, antique store, to everyone’s
pleasant surprise. She’s hoping they’ll come for a visit at Lake
Tahoe, and also visit the Northern California Sierra foothills—the
birthplace of the California Gold Rush, where Irish traveled to stake
their claims.

Hear more wonderful Irish music and watch Liam and Corey’s
ongoing trip on video. They would love to hear your comments on
their blog, too.

Sample my CDs--take a trip to my Listening Room.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Renaissance Magazine Calls Anne Roos’ Music “A Genuine Treat”


My 5.1 Surround Sound CD, A Light in the Forest, is “Highly recommended to those who enjoy Celtic harp and traditional music,” says Elaine Cunningham on pages 65-66 in Issue #65 of Renaissance Magazine. Here is an excerpt of the review:

A Light in the Forest, the latest CD from Celtic harper Anne Roos,
is a genuine treat for people who like their traditional music played
well, without electronic embellishment, in simple but interesting
arrangements. This beautifully produced collection is presented in
a booklet that illuminates each track with notes, stories, poetry,
and art. Organized around a forest theme, this collection of
traditional and early music has a nice sense of coherence while
offering considerable variety.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy Celtic harp and traditional
music, this would also be a good choice for those seeking music
that evokes a Renaissance spirit while remaining easily accessible
to the casual listener.”

Renaissance Magazine is a print publication that features articles
on history, castles, heraldry, culinary and herbal arts, and in-depth
interview with the movers and shakers of the re-enactment and faire
communities. Regular columns review period books movies,
music, web sites, and games.

A Light in the Forest is on the Cambria Master Recordings label.
This and other albums by me are available for purchase
online at Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and many online stores. It
is also available for purchase at retail outlets such as Barnes &
Noble
and Borders stores. Autographed copies can be purchased
at www.celticharpmusic.com.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Celtic Myth Podshow Highlights

Once again, Gary and Ruth, hosts of the Celtic Myth Podshow, are featuring my music! (Back in October, her music was included in Episode 018 and Episode 019.)

In the current episode, you’ll hear “Mairi’s Wedding” from my Haste to the Wedding CD, along with great music from other folk artists and a reading of a poem from the Book of Taliesin. Listen to this new episode:

Special Episode 08 – New Year Music Special 2 Aired January 10, 2009

The Celtic Myth Podshow shares ancient tales and legends of
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Mann, It
brings you the bravery of heroes and heroines, the magnificent
pantheon of gods and goddesses and the magic and wonder of
druids, faeries and folklore. This show weaves together the rich,
beautiful tapestry of mythological history, battles and sagas of the
Celts. Join Gary and Ruth and their friends as they tell you the
great stories from Celtic legend.

More details about me and my albums can be found on my
Contributor Page at the Celtic Myth Podshow website.

Sample my CDs

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Led Zeppelin....On a Celtic Harp


If you thought rock music couldn't be played on a Celtic harp, think again. Yes, it can be done! (with a lot of lever flipping with the left hand). My rendition of "Stairway to Heaven" was caught on Sacramento's KMAX-TV, Channel 31 on their December 13, 2008 broadcast of the Good Day Sacramento show. Hosts Cody Stark and Kelly Chapman interview me on this entertaining morning show, and then she goes into playing the Led Zeppelin classic. Find out more about me at http://www.celticharpmusic.com

"Stairway to Heaven" will be included on Anne's next CD release.