Laura MacKenzie Performs “The Irish Piper”
Wednesday, August 10, 2 PM
St. Charles Public Library
Known as the “Celtic Music Wizard,” Laura MacKenzie will visit the St. Charles Public Library on Wednesday, August 10 at 2pm for a music-filled retelling of the story of the Pied Piper. Based on author Jim Latimer’s book, “The Irish Piper,” MacKenzie’s interpretation will feature many different instruments, a good story, and wonderful illustrations.
Laura MacKenzie is an extremely versatile musician, skilled in wooden flutes, many different whistles, concertinas, Scottish smallpipes, Border pipes, French Cornemuse, Spanish Gaita, Medieval English Greatpipes, Leicester smallpipes, gemshorn, as well as voice. Her talents have earned her many honors, awards, and fellowships over the years, such as being selected for the original Cherish the Ladies series, featuring noted women in Irish music in America. In recent years, MacKenzie was awarded a coveted Bush Foundation Artists Fellowship in Traditional and Ethnic Performing Arts as well as a McKnight Foundation Performing Artists Fellowship.
In her career, MacKenzie has worked with such ensembles as Boiled in Lead (world beat rock ‘n reel), Walking On Air (British Isles folk), Macha Trí (Celtic trio), and Lorie Line’s Pop Chamber Orchestra, with whom she toured nationally from 1997-2005. MacKenzie has been privileged to perform with some of the great names in Irish music, including Dáithí Sproule (of Altan), Paddy O’Brien, Liz Carroll, Martin Hayes, and Katie McMahon (of Riverdance). She has also been honored to share the stage with heroes of Scottish and English piping Hamish Moore, Jon Swayne, and Julian Goodacre.
In her visit to the St. Charles Public Library, MacKenzie will share the classic story of the Pied Piper, adding Irish music to the traditional German tale. Following the story, MacKenzie will also share a couple of traditional song games for children to enjoy.
MacKenzie’s visit to St. Charles is made possible due to a Library Legacy Grant.