Friday March 31st, 2023
Institute of Musical Traditions presents Robin Bullock and Steve Baughman.
Saint Mark Presbyterian Church | 10701 Old Georgetown Rd, Rockville, MD 20852 | 7:30pm
Tickets are $20 in advance (+$2 box office fee) and $25 at the door
The magnificently rich sound of two acoustic guitars conjures up the ancient musical landscapes of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany in the hands of Celtic guitar masters Steve Baughman and Robin Bullock. These two virtuosos together in concert, surrounded by guitars (and the occasional cittern, mandolin or banjo) and completely relaxed with their audience, form an irresistible onstage synergy. Traditional airs, jigs and reels blend with the timeless harp compositions of Ireland’s legendary bard Turlough O’Carolan, hypnotic Breton dances, rollicking Appalachian fiddle tunes and soulful meditations from both sides of the Atlantic, as two of North America’s leading Celtic guitarists join forces to create a uniquely beautiful sonic experience.
Steve and Robin met as instructors at the Swannanoa Gathering’s Guitar Week in 2000, sat down to share a few tunes informally, immediately realized that something very special was happening, and proceeded to capture that magic on their debut duo CD Celtic Guitar Summit. Honored by Acoustic Guitar Magazine with three “Editor’s Pick” awards as one of the top CDs of the year, Celtic Guitar Summit “sheds new light on O’Carolan’s enchanting melodies and on the long history of Celtic music they inspired,” according to The Washington Post. Sing Out! hailed Celtic Guitar Summit as “a shimmering collection of haunting melodies, ringing tones and consummate musicianship,” while Dirty Linen warned that the CD was “guaranteed to lower your blood pressure. Other side effects may include uncontrollable smiling or blissful humming.”
Since then, Steve and Robin have toured as a duo whenever their schedules would allow, on both coasts of the U.S. as well as in Canada and Italy, made cameo appearances on each other’s solo CDs, and finally, in 2014, teamed up in the recording studio again for their long-awaited second CD, Alone and Together, earning five-star rave reviews from Amazon to Allmusic.