By Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
Anuna, a truly unique musical group comprised of 16 world-class singers, kicks off its fall tour on Oct. 3 in Columbus, OH. The 41-date North American tour winds down Dec. 5 in Baltimore, MD and will support the release of its new CD/DVD and Public Television special “Celtic Origins.” The CD, released July 17 exclusively through Borders Stores, is the #1 selling World Music CD in the United States, according to Nielsen Sound Scan. Additionally it has been the #1 selling CD at Borders nationwide each of the past five weeks.
Bridging the gap between classical and popular music, Anuna has a sound all its own. The music is pulsating, hair-raising, emotive, mystical and unusual — part classical, part folk, part world, part Celtic–and the group’s performance spans over 1,000 years of music history while showcasing a unique vocal sound.
The tour will feature music from the “Celtic Origins” CD which boasts 19 songs and includes music written and composed by Anuna creator and founder Michael McGlynn as well as special arrangements of traditional songs including: “Greensleeves,” “Scarborough Fair,” “I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls” and “Our Wedding Day.” The CD closes in tribute to the late American folk singer/songwriter John Denver with a special duet version of Denver’s chart-topping hit, “Annie’s Song” performed by McGlynn and his twin brother John, Anuna’s director. . .
“We have played a few dates in America in the past and have always had very enthusiastic, sold-out crowds,” said McGlynn in a statement. “However, this will be our first major tour of the U.S., and we will be going to cities we have never been to before. We are very excited to share our music with American audiences and look forward to a very successful partnership with Public Broadcasting and all of the great promoters that we are working with.”
“I was introduced to Anuna by someone on our Bonnaroo Music Festival management team,” commented Ashley Capps, president of concert promotion company AC Entertainment, who is promoting the Knoxville, TN show. “The music is extraordinary and immediately caught my attention. We just felt very strongly that this music was important, that we wanted to help expose more people to it and that ultimately it would be very successful as a live touring act.”
“As a promoter and marketer of live entertainment for more than 25 years, I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to witness a number of ground-breaking performances and attractions. Anuna was one of those magical evenings,” added Live Nation Senior Vice President Barry Gabel, promoter of a few of the concerts. “Anuna is truly an unforgettable live experience, a vocal tour de force that is ready to win over American audiences. We are pleased to be presenting them in several U.S. cities.”
Anuna itinerary:
October
3 Columbus, OH Weigel Auditorium
4 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
5 Pittsburgh, PA Benedum Center
8 Elmira, NY Corning Museum of Glass
10 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
11 New York, NY Town Hall
12 Philadelphia, PA Annenberg Center
13 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
14 Charlottesville, VA Paramount Theatre
17 Portland, ME Merrill Auditorium
19 Storrs, CT (Hartford) Jorgensen Auditorium
20 Troy, NY (Albany) Music Hall
22 Toronto, ON Hummingbird Centre
23 Buffalo, NY Shea’s Center
24 East Lansing, MI Cobb Great Hall
26 Detroit, MI Macomb Center for PA
28 Cleveland, OH Allen Theatre
30 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre
November
2 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Theatre
4 Minneapolis, MN Orchestra Hall
5 Portland, OR The Newmark Theatre
7 Tacoma, WA The Rialto Theatre
9 Los Angeles,CA The Wilshire Theatre
10 San Francisco, CA Marin Veteran’s Auditorium
11 Denver , CO Paramount Theatre
12 Costa Mesa, CA Orange County Performing Arts Center
13 Phoenix, AZ Mesa Arts Center
14 Tucson, AZ Fox Theatre
18 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
19 Oklahoma City, OK First Presbyterian Church
20 Fort Worth, TX Bass Performance Hall
21 Little Rock, AR Robinson Center Music Hall
23 Nashville, TN Andrew Jackson Hall
24 Atlanta, GA Atlanta Symphony Hall at WAC
26 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
27 Fort Pierce, FL Sunrise Theatre
28 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Parker Playhouse
30 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre
December
1 Boone, NC Farthing Auditorium
3 Charlotte, NC Belk Theatre
5 Baltimore, MD Lyric Opera House
