Davy Spillane tops talented bill in Celtic concert

Irish songwriter and uilleann pipes master Davy Spillane will bring the charm of the Emerald Isle to Beijing when he performs at a concert titled "Connections - Night of Celtic Song, Dance & Music" at the Forbidden City Concert Hall next month. Spillane will team up with Irish folk singer Katie Targett-Adams, the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, the Celtic Connections Choir and the Drake School of Irish Dance for the March 3 gala. Born in Dublin in 1959, Spillane has been playing the uilleann pipes, better known as Ireland's national bagpipes, since he was 12 years old. With its haunting, melodic timbre that conjures up images of Ireland's rolling, green countryside, Spillane's pipes will be accompanied by another one of the country's iconic instruments, the harp. Traditional Irish dancing and the performance of time-honored Celtic folk songs will ensure the audience will be treated to a visual and audible feast. Spillane, a Grammy Award winner in 2000 for his collaboration with Paul Winter on the album Celtic Solstice, will perform a series of works including "May Morning Dew" and "Midnight Walker." Irish song of praise "My Hero" and pipe solo "My Beloved" will also be played. "I'm sure many people in the audience will find it difficult to resist tapping their feet to the lively rhythm of dances," said one of the concert's organizers, who asked not to be named. Spillane also plays other traditional Irish instruments including the low whistle, and has eight solo albums to his credit. He is perhaps best known for his music in films, including 1995 historical drama epic Rob Roy.