Rae-Edzo (Mar 27/06) - The haunting sounds of the Celtic harp made the rounds in the NWT last week, as vocalist and harpist Caroline Mackay performed and instructed around Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife.

Celtic harpist and vocalist Caroline Mackay performed at the Rae Senior Citizens Home.- Adam Johnson/NNSL photo

Mackay played to a series of schools and seniors’ centres, as well as a few private performances, during her recent trip. She said the responses at the elementary schools were the most memorable.

“They were just wide-eyed,” she said. “The look on their faces was beautiful.”

From West Bank, B.C., Mackay’s professional background is in education, though she has been playing the harp since 1991. She said this is why she believes “music, performance and education all go together. I’m not an entertainer. I’m more of an education facilitator,” she said.

The educational content of Mackay’s performances comes to the fore when she speaks with younger audiences. She said she normally begins by telling a traditional tale of the first harp, then plays and sings a few pieces. Then she lets a few of the elementary students come up to touch and play the harp.

This is Mackay’s second visit to Yellowknife. Her first was in 1988 when she toured as a guitarist and vocalist. Now that she carries a different kind of stringed instrument, she said she gets a very different response.

“Celtic harps can still turn lot of heads,” she said, because of their unusual size and shape. Celtic harps are smaller and are leaned against the body rather than played upright. Because they are smaller, they also travel a lot better, which she said she is thankful for.

Mackay said her favourite part of performing is meeting and talking to the people who come to hear her.

“I feel I’ve met the soul of a town if I have a chance to meet them, instead of just performing in front of them,” she said.

One of Mackay’s stops was at the Rae Senior Citizens Home, where nursing supervisor Sandra Tait said the response was appreciative and enthusiastic.

“They don’t speak much English, but by their gestures, you could see they enjoyed it,” she said.

“When she sang Amazing Grace, everyone’s hands came up in the air just like they were in church,” she said, “they were swaying back and forth.”