Our Program
The Pipes of Christmas affords a rare opportunity to honor the Sacred and celebrate the holiday season in a reverent, joyful style that found its genesis among our Celtic ancestors.
The Pipes of Christmas brings together musicians, soloists, and performers from across America and the UK for a stirring celebration of the Christmas season and the Celtic spirit. The concert is hosted by the Learned Kindred of Currie, a non-profit cultural and educational organisation dedicated to preserving and promoting Celtic heritage and the arts.
Each performance includes two Acts, with a 15-minute intermission. Much of the program features traditional music, including long-forgotten Scottish, Irish, and Welsh carols, stories and poems told and sung in English, Gaelic, and old Scots. In addition to the much-loved classics of our heritage, the Pipes of Christmas also commissions and presents new works to celebrate more recent contributions to our cultural legacy.
Boston
December 5, 2025 at 7:00pm // December 6, 2025 at 12:00pm
Church of the Covenant, 67 Newbury St, Boston
After a wildly successful debut last year, The Pipes of Christmas is thrilled to announce two Boston performances for 2025.
The Boston concert was held in loving memory of Brian O’Donovan, who hosted the beloved Christmas performance “A Celtic Sojourn” for Boston audiences for more than 20 years.
Boston has long celebrated its Irish and Scottish roots through music, culture, and community, and Brian was a veritable institution in this endeavor. While we can never replace the ‘Celtic Sojourn’ experience, we honor Brian’s legacy and love of Celtic traditions through our Boston performance. We are thrilled to join this vibrant tradition by bringing the Pipes of Christmas’ unique blend of music and storytelling to the city.
Special thanks to:
Brady Brim-DeForest
Founding Patron of the Boston Production
New York City & Summit
December 13 & 14, 2024
The birthplace of the Pipes of Christmas
The New York metropolitan area has been home to The Pipes of Christmas since its inaugural performance in 1999. Founded by the Learned Kindred of Currie, the concert was conceived as a way to celebrate Celtic Christmas traditions while supporting cultural preservation and education in the Scottish arts. In addition to presenting traditional Christmas carols, the organizers commission new works as a way of supporting the artistic community and continuing a vibrant musical heritage. It has a long tradition of showcasing Celtic performers from across the US and UK, many of whom return each year.
Over twenty-six years, these performances have become a beloved event that plays to standing-room-only audiences in both New York City and Summit, New Jersey. The concert is an essential part of many families’ Christmas tradition, bringing them back year over year. As one concert-goer told us, “It’s not Christmas until I’ve heard the Pipes!”
Special thanks to:
Glenorchy Campbell
Founding Patron of New York & New Jersey
The Company (2025)
The event also offers a platform to musicians and performers specializing in the Gaelic tradition. Past artists have included Braveheart actor James Robinson (London, UK); Gaelic Mod Champion harpist Jennifer Port (Golspie, Scotland); fiddle champion Paul Woodiel (Maplewood, NJ); the Solid Brass Ensemble (New York); guitarist and composer Steve Gibb (Inverness, Scotland); and the Kevin Ray Blandford Memorial Pipe Band (Redlands, CA), which was named in honor of the late co-founder of The Pipes of Christmas.
Reader
Narrator
Susan Porterfield Currie
Musicians
Madelyn Monaghan – vocal soloist
Rachel Clemente – harp
Steve Gibb – guitar
Elizabeth Anderson – fiddle
Sarah Hewitt-Roth – cello
Ben Anderson (Boston) – cello
William Peek – organ
Andrew Scanlon (Boston) – organ
Mark Verdino – bass
Wes Ostrander – percussion
Adrienne Ostrander – timpani
Dan Houghton – pipes and whistle
The B-Line Brass – C.J. Waldrop, director
&
Commonwealth Pipes & Drums – Adam Holdaway, Pipe Major (Boston)
St. Columcille United Pipes & Drums – Cameron MacDougall, Pipe Major
Musical Director
Steve Gibb
Executive Producer
Musical Director Emeritus
Stage Manager
House Managers
Matt Sinclair
Maureen Sinclair
Michael Currie
Laura Sawyer Messing
Graphic & Web Designer
Brand & Marketing Strategist
Reader
Narrator
Susan Porterfield Currie
Musicians
Madelyn Monaghan – vocal soloist
Rachel Clemente – harp
Steve Gibb – guitar
Elizabeth Anderson – fiddle
Sarah Hewitt-Roth – cello
Ben Anderson (Boston) – cello
William Peek – organ
Andrew Scanlon (Boston) – organ
Mark Verdino – bass
Wes Ostrander – percussion
Adrienne Ostrander – timpani
Dan Houghton – pipes and whistle
The B-Line Brass – C.J. Waldrop, director
&
Commonwealth Pipes & Drums – Adam Holdaway, Pipe Major (Boston)
St. Columcille United Pipes & Drums – Cameron MacDougall, Pipe Major
Musical Director
Steve Gibb
Executive Producer
Musical Director Emeritus
Stage Manager
House Managers
Matt Sinclair
Maureen Sinclair
Michael Currie
Laura Sawyer Messing
Graphic & Web Designer
Brand & Marketing Strategist
Get updates about next year’s program and performers
Sign up for Pipes of Christmas emails for all the latest news and updates.