Hesperus, innovative, historically informed and multi-cultural, performs eight centuries of music from four continents. Named for Venus and the West Wind, Hesperus has toured nationally and internationally for more than two decades. Recently, the ensemble performed at the Misiones de los Chiquitos Festival in Bolivia and the Tage Alte Musik Festival in Regensberg, Germany. The group has also made a five-week tour of Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong for the United States Information Agency.
In the Washington, DC area, Hesperus continues to appear regularly at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, where it was an ensemble in residence from 1989 to 1996. Currently the group is an ensemble-in-residence in Arlington County, Virginia, after additional residencies at Georgetown University and the University of Maryland, College Park. The ensemble is often featured on National Public Radio's "Music from Washington," "Performance Today," "Radio Smithsonian," "Library of Congress Presents," "Millennium of Music," "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered." They have been profiled on CNN and CBS' "Nightwatch." They have recorded thirteen CDs. "Ancestors," a recording of early and traditional music of South America with the folk group Andes Manta, will be released in the spring of 2003.
Bonnie Rideout, performing with Hesperus in Celtic Roots, is the only American to hold the honor of representing Scottish fiddle music at the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival. She is the first woman to hold a national Scottish fiddle title and the youngest to have garnered the U.S. championship, winning it for three consecutive years. One of the finest and most fiery Scottish fiddlers of our time, Bonnie Rideout brings to her performances the evocative music of the Highlands. She has been featured on the BBC, CBS' "Sunday Morning," and NPR's "Performance Today," "Morning Edition" and "The Thistle and Shamrock." In addition to authoring nine music books for the Mel Bay Publishing Company, Bonnie has recorded ten solo albums and appeared as a guest musician on dozens of CDs. Rideout's hit CD, A Scottish Christmas, became a New York Times "Top Ten Holiday Best Seller" and has continued to sell in record numbers since 1996.
Members of Hesperus will conduct a free lecture/demonstration on the roots of Celtic music on Friday, February 28 (same day as show) at 12 noon in the Rose Lehrman Arts Center auditorium theatre.
Members of the Coyle School of Irish Dance will present a free Irish dance lecture/demonstration on Friday, prior to the show at 7pm in the Rose Lehrman Arts Center studio theatre.
The HACC Foundation is offering a special dinner/performance combination ticket at the cost of $50 per ticket. Dinner will be at the C. Ted Lick Conference center at HACC prior to the performance. For more information or to purchase a combination ticket, contact Lynn Dillard at (717)780-2363.
Celtic Roots featuring Hesperus with special guest artist Bonny Rideout will be presented in the Rose Lehrman Arts Center at HACC on Friday, February 28, at 8pm. Tickets for this event are $20 adult and $15 for senior citizens and students. Box Office phone, 717-231-ROSE (7673). The RLAC season is online at www.hacc.edu/rose.