BELLOWS FALLS — On Friday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m., Stone Church Arts presents early Celtic music from Gaelic Scotland and Ireland revolving around St. Brigid and other Celtic saints and heroes. James Ruff, harp and vocals, will perform a concert entitled “Songs of Brigid, Celtic Goddess and Saint,” at Immanuel Episcopal Church, 20 Church St., the stone church on the hill, according to a news release.
Brigid is a Celtic saint and the goddess of poetry, healing and smithcraft. She has been revered by the Celtic people as a saint for more than 1,500 years, and worshiped as a goddess long before the Roman invasion of Britain and the birth of Christ.
Her cult was so powerful that the Celtic Christian Church had to adopt her as a saint, and the Roman Catholic Church followed suit, for her people wouldn't abandon her. Along with St. Patrick, she is the patron saint of Ireland. St. Brigid is often referred to as Muire na nGael 'Mary of the Gael.'
Since 2005, tenor James Ruff has focused his energies on researching and performing both the early Scottish Gaelic song and the early Gaelic wire harp repertoires.
He has received critical praise for his versatile singing on both the concert and operatic stage and has served on the music faculties of Smith College, Amherst College, MIT, the University of Connecticut, Emerson College, Longy School of Music, Deerfield Academy, and the Walnut Hill School for the Arts. He currently teaches voice both at Vassar College and privately.