A collaboration of Kinnfolk with musicians of Kanawha United Presbyterian Church

2024 Dec 14 - Saturday - 7:30 PM
Kanawha United Presbyterian Church
1009 Virginia St East
Charleston WV
Parking available in lot beside church

Kinnfolk will headline a holiday celebration at Kanawha United Presbyterian Church that will also include an array of talented church musicians.

Kinnfolk – the husband and wife duo of Josh and Julie Kinn – weave octave mandolin, bodhrán (Irish drum), and smooth vocal harmonies into their Celtic folk music from the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kinnfolk’s fresh take on classics blends seamlessly with their original compositions. They share stories and songs—sea shanties and working songs, trad tunes and old-time favorites as enduring as tartan, spinning yarns steeped in Appalachian charm. 

Since forming Kinnfolk in late 2018, the pair have played at festivals and listening rooms with a quickly growing following across Canada and the United States. In 2023 Kinnfolk won the Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase, earning them a Main Stage appearance at Canada’s premiere Celtic event, the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. They were also featured on the cover of the largest traditional music magazine in the world — Irish Music Magazine — and named one of the top five Celtic bands to watch in 2023 by The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. In 2022, Kinnfolk received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Roanoke to create a body of work exploring the history, geography, and folk legends of their town. The resulting project, “Star Above the Mountain,” debuted to a live sold out audience in June 2023.

Kinnfolk’s self-titled debut album (2020) received much airplay and launched them into the international Celtic music scene. Their second album, “The Knotted Circle” (2022), was lauded as “authentic…with a subtle contemporary seasoning” by Music Connection Magazine.

Concordia Recorder Consort will interpret songs by renowned Irish harpist and composer, Turlough O’Carolan.

Elisabeth Baer, whose voice has been likened to “well-aged Bordeaux” by San Francisco Classical Voice, returned to Charleston after singing with the Metropolitan Opera. She will sing several numbers including John Jacob Niles’ setting of the Appalachian folk hymn "I Wonder as I Wander".

KUPC’s Chancel Choir, directed by Robert Vannoy and accompanied by Johan Botes on the piano and organ, will perform some of the most famous and well-known Celtic carols and folk tunes.

The concert takes place in the beautiful sanctuary of Charleston's oldest church building resplendent with stained glass and wooden structural beams that will offer a beauty as old as the music presented.

Entrance to the KUPC sanctuary is on Virginia Street.

The church parking lot, on the East side of the church, stretches from Virginia Street to Kanawha Boulevard.

The lot is owned by the church. Although it is posted that you must pay 24/7, it is free for church activities such as this concert.

If lot fills up you can use nearby street parking.

The main entrance to the KUPC sanctuary has a few steps up from the sidewalk.

To enter without steps:

[1] Drive half way through the KUPC parking lot.

[2] Look for the two handicap spots along the church wall. There is a break in the wall situated between these two parking spaces which provides access into the church courtyard.

[3] Enter the courtyard and look to your right. There is an inset door with a large wreath over the door and signs for accessibility. Be careful on the brick walkway.

[4] We will have someone inside that door to welcome you and direct you to the sanctuary. We can also assist with ticket purchases from this entrance.