Andrea Stern (Celtic harps) and Laura MacKenzie (wind-powered instruments) form the duo Willow Brae. As Willow Brae, they have performed at numerous festivals, fairs, concert halls, community centers, libraries and schools all around the Upper Midwest. “Brae” is a Scots word meaning hillside by a river, and their name refers to a bank of willow trees swaying alongside a Scottish stream. Andrea and Laura skillfully convey traditional music from the Scottish and Irish countrysides (and other Celtic traditions), featuring their unique array of instruments while providing light history and stories about those instruments and their music.
Their unusual combination of Celtic harp and various wind instruments creates a wondrous spectrum of sound. Laura performs on a dazzling array of wooden flutes, whistles, a variety of bagpipes, concertina and voice. Andrea plays a diverse range of styles on her two Celtic harps and creates many of the duo’s engaging arrangements. While covering a variety of Celtic cultures, Willow Brae’s programs communicate their love for these traditions with skill, knowledge, humor, joyful music and fascinating instrumentation.
More about the artists
Andrea Stern has performed as a soloist and with orchestras in both North and South America and has given concerts around the world as a featured artist on cruise ships. Andrea trained on concert harp at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the New England Conservatory in Boston and performs frequently with various ensembles across the Midwest. With Willow Brae, Andrea delights audiences of all ages with her sparkling interpretations of Irish and Scottish music on the Celtic harp.
Laura MacKenzie has been well recognized for her work in traditional music with numerous honors and awards, from performing arts fellowships to her own “Laura MacKenzie Day” proclaimed in 2014 by the City of St. Paul. She enjoys a diverse career in performance, from stage shows and festivals to theater productions and recordings. Laura has learned from noted tradition bearers on both sides of the Atlantic and is an Archibald Bush Foundation Fellow in Traditional and Ethnic Performing Arts. Laura performs on a fascinating array of wind-powered instruments and voice.
For more on Willow Brae, check out this recent news story.
Program Offerings
Performances
The Magic of Celtic Music
Andrea Stern (Celtic harps) and Laura MacKenzie (wooden flutes, concertina, various bagpipes, and voice) form the duo Willow Brae. Together they express the warm resonance of traditional music, plus the joy and spark of Irish and Scottish dance tunes. Willow Brae features a unique and wide array of seldom-heard instruments both plucked and wind-powered. Throughout their performances, Laura and Andrea provide fascinating historical and cultural information about the instruments and their music, all delivered with humor and skill. Willow Brae’s program of traditional Scottish and Irish music charms and uplifts audiences of all ages.
The Magic of Celtic Music & Dance
The music of Ireland comes alive with the duo Willow Brae, accompanied by step dancers from a Twin Cities Irish dance academy. Andrea Stern (Celtic harp) and Laura MacKenzie (wooden flutes, whistles, concertina, bagpipes, voice) perform jigs, reels, hornpipes and airs. The dancers, wearing traditional costuming, demonstrate how Irish dance steps accompany the music. Learn about Irish culture, history and lore through uplifting traditional Celtic music and dances.
Workshop
Jiggety!
Explore music, stories, limericks and lore of Ireland. Learn a simple jig step and how to identify different dance rhythms. Experience the wide range of sounds on wind powered instruments and two harps. This workshop is taught by two artists.
“Willow Brae is excellent! Laura and Andrea are true masters of their craft. They arrived early and were able to work with a crowd much larger than anticipated. Our all-ages audience was captivated during the hour-long performance. Laura and Andrea provided educational information about their many instruments and the music they played and were happy to answer audience questions. Most importantly, Willow Brae swept us all away with their enchanting music.”
Andrea Lorenz, Program Coordinator, East Grand Forks Campbell Library
“What a splendid duo! The audience – who packed our library and exceeded our supply of chairs to standing room only – was deeply moved. I saw several eyes glisten as the audience welled up with tears of joy and memories brought forth by such a genuine and passionate performance. I appreciated the depth and breadth of music they played from all the corners of the Celtic world. Andrea and Laura were complete professionals, easy to work with, flexible within the constraints of our small library, and were excellent teachers into the bargain. Highly recommended!
Ryan Leng, Grand Marais Public Library
