The family fun continues at the UMASS Fine Arts Center this season with a special holiday show featuring award-winning fiddle virtuosos Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy and their family for an intimate and unique concert guaranteed to help you find your holiday spirit. The duo will be accompanied by an array of talented musicians, including their children, for a night of high-end fiddle playing and step dancing that will make you want to get out of your seat and celebrate. "A Celtic Family Christmas" takes place at the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall on Wednesday, December 4 at 7 p.m.
If you're concerned about bringing your little ones to a holiday performance, don't be. Especially this one. Because some of the performers are children themselves. That would be MacMaster and Leahy’s six musically gifted children, who today are the centerpiece of the MacMaster/Leahy live show though not because the couple necessarily envision showbiz careers for Mary Frances, Michael, Clare, Julia and Alec (Sadie’s only 3). But the pair realized early on that being on the road without their kids was infinitely harder than touring with them.
“Christmas is where this whole concept started, and we are excited to be travelling as a family,” says Donnell Leahy. “It’s a perfect time to travel with the children and bring light and happiness to families and fans across the country.”
Doors open at 6 p.m. and audience members are invited to get their holiday family portrait taken in the Fine Arts Center Lobby by Erin Alzapiedi Photography. Ugly sweaters welcome! For a recommended donation of personal care items for the UMass Student Care Supply Closets (find a complete list of suggested items through link) patrons will receive complimentary access to their photo for use in holiday greetings and the like.
The entertainment world is filled with extraordinary stories, but few match the beguiling tale of fiddle players Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy. Married in 2002, the Canadian couple’s combined album sales exceed one million copies and collaborators have included classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma, bluegrass star Alison Krauss, and banjo ace Béla Fleck. Together they have been nominated for Grammy Awards and won for Best Chamber Music Performance for Songs of Joy & Peace with Yo-Yo Ma; received the Canadian Folk Music Award for Instrumental Group of the Year in 2015; and won the East Coast Music Awards Fan’s Choice for Entertainer of the Year and Instrumental Recording of the Year in 2016.
MacMaster and Leahy’s first recorded collaboration, 2015’s Bob Ezrin-produced album One, followed by 2016’s A Celtic Family Christmas, confirmed MacMaster and Leahy were as dynamic working together as they were working apart.
“The fiddle was definitely common ground for us when we first got together,” MacMaster says. “But I was so in awe of Donnell’s family, of 11 siblings who could play and had a family band. And here I am now doing almost exactly the same thing. Well, kind of.”
Tickets for A Celtic Family Christmas are $45, $35, $25; Five College Students and Youth 17 & Under are $15, $12, $10. Intimate FAC Club Seating is available in the Concert Hall pit starting at $80. For tickets call the Box Office at 545-2511, toll-free at 800-999-UMAS, or purchase online or click on the link at the top right of this page.
I'm so grateful to have teamed up with the UMASS Fine Arts Center to offer one lucky reader a family four-pack of tickets (2 adult & 2 child admissions) to the December 6 performance. All you have to do to be entered to win is use the comments field below to share your favorite local tradition to celebrate the holiday season here in Western Mass. One winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries. Entry period ends at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19. Good luck to all who enter!
You can read all about the entire season of family friendly shows at the FAC here.
I love checking out the local Santa brunches especially the one at Westfield State! Happy holidays and thank you for the opportunity ☘️
Posted by: Erin | 11/05/2019 at 06:15 PM
I do a Christmas Countdown every year with my kiddos. It includes different activities such as movie nights, crafts and baking treats!
Posted by: Nicole V | 11/05/2019 at 06:38 PM
Attending Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary’s Winter Solstice
Posted by: Erin L | 11/05/2019 at 07:09 PM
Our new favorite holiday event is going to Six Flags for their holiday lights and shows.
Posted by: Jess Jenkins | 11/05/2019 at 07:42 PM
Going to Bright Nights on the night before Thanksgiving to kick off the season.
Posted by: Melissa Danehey | 11/05/2019 at 08:02 PM
Bright Nights and Six Flags’ Holidays in the Park!
Posted by: Laura Jorgensen | 11/05/2019 at 10:05 PM
The Polar Express Train Ride. Baking and sipping on hot cocoa ❤️
Posted by: Gina Mancini | 11/05/2019 at 10:18 PM
Bright nights
Posted by: Katrina Ulasewich | 11/05/2019 at 11:43 PM
I have loved going to the special day in Northfield with my mom and decorating gingerbread men at Mims market.
Posted by: Jen Mc | 11/06/2019 at 06:03 AM
Picking out just the right Christmas tree from the field at Randall's Tree Farm in Granby. Throwing the soccer ball for their dog while they cut it down for us, usually as soon as possible, the day after Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Chrissa L. | 11/06/2019 at 12:18 PM
wandering through Yankee Candle Village, and a sleigh ride in Chesterfield
Posted by: Steven C. | 11/06/2019 at 09:56 PM
A couple of our traditions are going to the tree farm to pick out our tree and listening to Christmas music while we decorate it. Another is baking a cake and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas Day.
Posted by: Cindy Kinney | 11/06/2019 at 10:20 PM
Every year our family takes the train into Boston right after Thanksgiving. We love to go to lunch and see the lights. It is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season!
Posted by: Kathleen | 11/07/2019 at 05:10 AM
We love to attend Old Sturbridge Village Candlelight Christmas and attend Bright Nights.
Posted by: Colette Davis | 11/07/2019 at 10:06 AM
We have family birthdays in December, so we love to bake cakes and go to Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary to celebrate the Solstice.
Posted by: Maria Cahillane | 11/09/2019 at 09:19 AM
We love going to our local tree farm. We always do it the day after Thanksgiving. Also love the local holiday fairs. Thx!
Posted by: Mary Giles | 11/09/2019 at 10:03 AM
We love to go see the Bethlehem Church Christmas production where they have a living recreation of the town of Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born. Wonderful! And we learned about it from your website 2 years ago! God Bless! 😊👍
Posted by: Susan Rak | 11/09/2019 at 02:27 PM
I love this post so much that I think it should be turned into a blog entry! My kids and I have several holiday traditions but if I need to pick one, it would be making Costa Rican "tamales". It took me years to feel brave enough to try and make them without my extended family around to guide me, but we did it two years ago and I truly enjoyed passing on this cherished tradition to them. Thank you for all you do, love your blog! :)
Posted by: Ana Rebeca Chaverri | 11/11/2019 at 03:40 PM
My oldest daughter and I started a tradition of going to the nutcracker together 💕
Posted by: Nicole | 11/11/2019 at 03:53 PM
Congratulations to Susan from West Springfield who is the winner of the ticket giveaway. Tickets are still available for purchase -- see link at top of page. Thank you to all who entered. Happy Holidays!
Posted by: Valerie | 11/21/2019 at 10:00 PM