Piece Description

One of the most eclectic holiday concerts you’ll hear on public radio this season is A Winter Solstice with Helicon. Each year, the folk trio continues its tradition of re-uniting in late December in Baltimore to celebrate the winter solstice with their unique arrangements of Christmas carols, Jewish tunes, and traditional music from around the world. The three members of Helicon, each considered to be a world-class player on his primary instrument, are guitarist Robin Bullock, wooden-flute player Chris Norman (also well-known in classical circles for his work with The Baltimore Consort), and hammer-dulcimer player Ken Kolodner. These versatile musicians, each a multi-instrumentalist, also play fiddles, cittern, mandolin, piano, and Scottish small pipes during the course of the evening. The program also includes a bit of singing by Chris Norman, who also recites poetry about the season of winter by Canadian poet Archibald Lampman. The New York Times has called Helicon’s holiday music “outstanding” and “soulfully beautiful”. In 2000, Helicon’s recording on the Dorian label, titled “A Winter Solstice”, received an Indie Award for best seasonal recording on an independent label. According to Stereo Review, “The musicians of Helicon have a deep feeling for an amazing variety of styles. The group is introducing a lot of people to some remarkable music they might not otherwise get to know. They respect the music they play, they play with spirit and sparkle, and they obviously love what they do. So do I. So will you.”