Songs of Hildegard and the Early Saints

with Blossom Harps and guest harpers from America

Erin Durrett and Christina Tourin

Saturday 22 October

Church of Ireland, Mountshannon - 7.30pm - €10

Erin Durrett

Hildegard Von Bingen and the Water of Life
Composer, painter, writer, doctor and one of the great spiritual lights of her (or any) age, Hildegard’s
works take us into the depths of consciousness where we will explore the sacred nature of holy water
and glorious sound! This class will include field trips to the seashore and the Holy Well of Iona to
sing, play and draw inspiration from the Source. Erin Durrett will introduce Hildegard through one of
her iconic chants, O Vivens Fons, focusing on learning simple vocal and instrumental material and
improvisation in Mode III.
“O Living Fountain, how great is your sweetness....”
BIO: ERIN DURRETT, SOPRANO, from Vashon Island, WA, describes herself as a Buddhapalian –
(Buddhist + Episcopalian) who loves music of all times, genres, and cultures with a special passion
for sacred chant. Trained as a Cantor at St. James Cathedral in Seattle, she is now Director of
Music Ministries at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit on Vashon Island. Erin works with vocal
music as an artist, teacher, and healer. She continues to direct the Explore Celtic Spirituality
series of sacred gatherings for storytelling, poetry, and music.

Christina Tourin

Christina Tourin As one of the foremost leading educators of the harp, whose International Harp Therapy Program currently has training centers in multiple countries and languages with Therapeutic Harp, her students hail from 32 countries serving on five continents. Learning from her mother who trained at Julliard on the harp, Christina's childhood was surrounded with beautiful music. Classically trained, she delved into Celtic traditional, and music from other cultures which segued into improvisational and upbeat music. She has brought thousands to the harp and has developed her signature programs for all ages and levels. Her lifetime of dedication to educating people on the harp has always been her way of making a difference in the world. Trained at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, McGill University in Montreal, the University of Vermont and Arizona State University for Music Education and Therapy, her fascinating musical life has taken her around the world bringing Peace and hope to many. She performed with the Vermont Symphony as well as played for 17 years for the Von Trapp Family in Stowe. While performing for the Indian guru AMMA, she met Andrea Salvatore and and has been touring with him as a vocal/harp duo. Her performances are the sacred, transcendent moments where she is most fully alive, bringing her instrument to life to share with the world the deepest, most profound truth of the universe, which is also the source of all she creates.