Celtic Classic - harp flute and cello trio performing a blend of the classical and traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and Britain

Celtic Classic is as much our mission statement as our name. While we are all classically trained, we share a great interest in the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and Britain and have developed a repertoire that includes a blend of "straight" classical forms, and classical melodies which have traditional roots based on folk song or dance music. We delight in discovering how traditional music and classical music are interwoven and find that knowledge of one can only add to an increased understanding and pleasure in the other. When we play for events, we find that our audiences enjoy the blend of styles as well. We invite you to sample our unique style in the music clips below.

Sample Our Music:

order our cd	The Star of the County Down	Irish traditional
	presto from "Cassation in C"	J. Haydn
	from "Six Studies in English Folksong":	R. Vaughan Williams
	IV. She Borrowed Some of Her Mother's Gold
	Mingulay Boat Song	Scottish traditional
	movement #2 from "Images"	L. Laitman

About Us:

Patty Lambert completed a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of New Hampshire where she studied with Sherman Friedland, Vincent Marinelli and Norman Dee. After moving to Pennsylvania, she continued flute study with Bernard Goldberg in Pittsburgh. She plays the modern silver flute as well as the traditional wooden flute, participating in workshop study with Chris Norman. She also plays Irish whistles and concertina. She is a member of the traditional Celtic band "Callanish", the contradance band "Crooked Stovepipe", The State College Area Municipal Band and is a past member of the Altoona Symphony and the Nova Consort, a Renaissance band. Patty is currently on the flute faculty of The Music Academy in State College, PA. In addition to making music, she freelances as a photographer specializing in her other love, horses.

Evelyn Bookhammer began study of the cello under the instruction of Marco Branda and continued her studies at Mansfield University with Irwin Borodkin. She has studied with Leonard Feldman and Kim Cook of The Pennsylvania State University. She participated in the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra and the Elmira Symphony while receiving a B.S. in Art Education from Mansfield University. She performs with the Altoona Symphony. Evelyn has also received her Suzuki certification from the Ithaca Suzuki Institute and teaches cello at The Music Academy and the State College Suzuki Program. She is adjunct professor at Juniata College. When Evelyn is not making music, she works as an artist with painting, pottery and jewelry. She and her husband own and operate J.B. Tree Farm and raise reindeer. For Evelyn, music is a retreat to something beautiful. She loves growing things, being outdoors and associating with customers. However, cello is a passion and she relishes practicing, teaching, performing and learning more about the instrument as an oasis in the midst of the Christmas tree business. Eveylyn is grateful to God for opening doors that allow her to spend time making music.

Nancy O'Brien Abramson completed a bachelor of music degree from Alverno College and a masters of creative arts therapy in music therapy from Hahnemann Medical University and, for many years, worked as a psychiatric music therapist. The organ was her principal instrument. Actually, she hadn't intended to play the harp, but it kept crossing her path. Her first organ instructor introduced her to the harp when she was six - it frightened her. In high school, it irritated her because it resonated with the low organ pedal tones in the practice room where both instruments were kept. For many years, she thought the harp was mostly for glissandos. On a trip to Ireland, where she was teaching the principles of music therapy and improvisation, she finally decided to purchase a Celtic harp just for fun, but found she couldn't stop playing it! It quickly became a passion. Nancy has given several solo recitals with commentary and has performed with a number of choral groups and orchestras. She also teaches harp and piano at The Music Academy and is an instructor in the school of music at The Pennsylvania State University.

Celtic Classic has performed in a number of venues including The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, First Night State College, The Centre County Library Series and The National Governor's Conference, as well as weddings and numerous events.

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State College, PA