The Crossbow musical duo from Kamloops gave a lovely concert of traditional and ancient Irish music along with a few of their own original songs at the Williams Lake Seniors Village Thursday, Sept. 22.
The concert was followed by a get together with appetizers and refreshments.
Crossbow is comprised of Neil Burnett on Celtic harp and Christina Zaenker on cello.
Between songs Burnett regaled the very full house with stories about Irish composers and music and the origins of some of the songs they played including one that was at least 500 years old.
Burnett said they play a variety of Celtic music from Ireland and Scotland, along with his own compositions, such as a rare snowball fight while living in Victoria where it rarely snows.
Burnett told the audience he enjoys writing music for specific people. They played one song that was called Snake in the Grass, about a friend he was worried was being taken in by a smooth talker who she had met in a bar who had invited her to live in his basement suite when she expressed concern about having difficulty finding an affordable apartment in Vancouver.
Fortunately, he said she didn’t take the bait.
He explained that the harp he plays, while new, is modelled after a 17th Century Irish harp.
