Thistle & Rose (Full Show), Live at Celtic Junction

“Thistle and Rose: A Celtic-Balkan Fusion”, a unique cross-cultural folk music and dance production, was recorded live during its premiere performances at Celtic Junction Arts Center, St. Paul, MN (May 31 and June 1, 2025). Director/composer James Johnson and a cast of 35 musicians and dancers – representing premiere local ensembles – presented traditional Highland and Bulgarian music and dance, both separately and in an innovative blend involving original fusion tunes for bagpipe and folk ensemble, plus associated fusion choreography that wove Celtic and Balkan folk motifs into a contemporary dance.

Full Event Program: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aGV2...

1. Introduction 00:06
2. Grand March 06:17
3. Strathspey and Half Reel of Tulloch (Highland dance) 07:28
4. Seann Triubhas (Highland dance) 10:16
5. Virginia Reel (Scottish country dance) 11:59
6. Scottish Lilt (Scottish national dance) 13:29
7. Irish Jig (Scottish character dance) 14:42
8. Bagpipe solo 16:10
9. Bulgarian dances from the Shopluk region 18:48
10. Gaida and tupan (Bulgarian folk tune medley) 26:53
11. Zamruknala Moma Hubava Jana (Bulgarian folk song) 31:43
12. Dragana I Slavei (Bulgarian folk song) 34:17
13. Prochula Se Moma Nedelja (Bulgarian folk song) 38:05
14. Prehvrukna Ptichka (Bulgarian folk song) 40:50
15. Balkan Reel (fusion tune) 43:11
16. Frozen Foods Fantasy (fusion tune) 44:56
17. Nevena's Nine (fusion tune) 47:18
18. Fidanka's Five (fusion tune) 48:54
19. Stefan's Seven (fusion tune) 51:12
20. Labyrinth (fusion tune) 54:57
21. Sweet Thirteen & Miadh a' Gheamraidh (Winter Mead) (fusion tune) 57:59
22. Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran/Little Cascade Shuffle (fusion tune) 1:03:40
23. Elena's Eleven (fusion tune) 1:05:45
24. Curtain Call: Balkan Reel (reprise) and credits 1:08:35

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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)

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.