The Taylor Music Group Gives Performance At Unitarian Church

The Taylor Festival Music Group will be performing an afternoon of music titled "O Clap You Hands" at the Unitarian Church on Archdale Street, in downtown Charleston Sunday.

The concert at the church will be immediately followed by a Ceilidh dance held at Gage Hall. There also will be a silent auction during the event, with the proceeds benefitting the Taylor Music Group.

The after-dance, which will feature Celtic country fiddle tunes played by Na Fidleiri, is a tradition that happens after elite musicians would give more formal performances. Audiences would move to a dance hall, where the "song and dance" portion would take place.

The Taylor Festival Choir is based in Charleston and features 26 members. The choir has been asked to perform in the 2009 Choral Director's Association National Convention, an elite honor given to only two groups in the United States.

The artistic directors, Mary and Robert Taylor, lead both the Festival Choir as well as Na Fidleiri, both part of the Taylor Music Group.

The Festival Choir, which is part of the larger Taylor Music Group, is directed and conducted by Robert Taylor.

Musician Bob Taylor, Robert's late father, continues to inspire the group's musical mission. Bob Taylor was known as an excellent choral musician and educator on the art of music. Since the origination of the group in 2001, the Festival Choir has performed in several venues though out the United States, and has received rave reviews from musical critics.

Their latest effort, "This is Thy Hour, O Soul," is a compilation of music from composers such as Brian Galante, Eric Whitacre, Trevor Weston and others.

The group seeks to bring "artistic music" back into everyday life, and the upcoming performance will be no exception. The formal concert will be begin at 4 p.m. Jan. 25.

At 5 p.m., Na Fidleiri will host the dance portion of the evening with Celtic fiddle music. The group is made up exclusively of young musicians ages 9 to 18. Their expertise and spirit has helped make the group one of Charleston's best-loved ensembles. The group has 20 violinists, plus pennywhistle, bodhran and guitar players.

Tickets to this event may be purchased for $25, or $20 for seniors and $5 for students. To attend just the dance portion of the evening is $10.