Elena’s Eleven (Celtic-Balkan Fusion Tune), Live at Celtic Junction

Elena’s Eleven (Celtic-Balkan Fusion Tune), Live at Celtic Junction

Elena’s Eleven uses the compelling meter of the popular Bulgarian dance kopanitsa (short-short-LONG-short-short), with its “stretch step” in the middle of each bar. In our performance the melody is played through once slowly, then at progressively faster tempos, similar to the speed-up from strathspey (a slow reel) to reel in the classic Highland pairing of these dances, and the Bulgarian tradition of speeding up during a repeating line dance.

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The Celtic-Balkan fusion tunes were composed for solo bagpipe. Some were entirely original, whereas others incorporated existing melodies. Harmonies were added later. Ensemble arrangements were then developed by having the orchestra “workshop” the harmonized melodies. Tempos, number of repeats, and which instruments play when were determined jointly with fusion choreographer Alexandra Bodnarchuk.

In today’s performance different fusion tunes, or tune parts, are played variously with and without bagpipe, with and without orchestra, and by all or only some of the orchestra instruments.

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Composer: James Johnson
Accordion: Eric Ray (Orkestar Bez Ime)
Bass Guitar: Drew Miller (Boiled in Lead)
Clarinet: Katrina Mundinger (Orkestar Bez Ime)
Guitar & tambura: Dave Burk (Choro Borealis)
Highland pipes: Mike Breidenbach (Macalester College Pipe Band)
Percussion: Tim O’Keefe (Choro Borealis)

Doma Dance Theater
Artistic Director & Choreographer: Alexandra Bodnarchuk
Producing Artistic & Music Director: Brandon Anderson Musser
Costume Design: Alexandra Bodnarchuk
Costume Construction: Jenny Hawkins-Hatch
Dancers: Alexandra Bodnarchuk, Rachel Holmes, Yukina Sato

Live Audio Engineer: Cormac O'Se
Camera Director: Steve Flynn
Camera Operators: Aiden Flynn, Liam O'Shea, Ciara O'Shea
Lighting, Media Wall, and Post Production: Kristo Sween
Stage Managers: Adrienne O'Shea, Ciara O'Shea

Doma Dance Theater: https://www.domadancetheater.org/
Orkestar Bez Ime: https://orkestarbezime.com/
Choro Borealis: https://choroborealis.com/
Macalester College Pipe Band: https://www.macalester.edu/pipe-band/
Boiled in Lead: https://boiledinlead.com/

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James Johnson is a fiscal year 2024 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.