Living Traditions Presentations

Living Traditions Presentations officially began in 2004 and has brought 56 concerts and 20 workshops to Flagstaff and surrounding audiences since then.  Our foundations were laid as early as 1987 by my dad, Ron Barton, who was presenting concerts through various organizations. In 2004, I returned from college and took over the "family business." We've focused in on Celtic music and have enjoyed seeing our audiences experience an art form that is part of many people's heritage, but not necessarily their culture.

Art in its many forms succeeds in communicating where words fail. It opens our eyes and hearts to other cultures, thoughts, and feelings. Music in particular is especially powerful. It can ground you, bring tears to your eyes, or lift you up from a bad day. Imagine any movie without the soundtrack. It loses much of the drama, whimsy, suspense, sadness, or joy it once held.

Celtic music tells a story of people. Tunes are written for events, people, and are shared in families and social gatherings. It is a tradition that has been passed down through many generations of families and has created new "families," ones that while not necessarily related by blood, share a bond of music that can be found throughout the world. One does not need to have Celtic heritage to enjoy, play, and love this music. One band that Living Traditions Presentations brought to Flagstaff is actually German: Cara. Their passion for this music can be both seen and heard by the audience. People all over the world can share this music through a common repertoire of tunes. There are tunes that everyone worldwide will know, and there are tunes that each regional area will play as well.

Through the music, Living Traditions Presentations strives to form bonds in our community, with our audience, local musicians, and other organizations. We connect with our audience through the use of intimate venues and greeting as many people as we possibly can during concerts and other events. For our local musicians, we strive to offer workshops with visiting artists when time permits, and also host a weekly Irish music session where all are welcome. We strive to collaborate with other local organizations and have worked with several, including Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society, Grand Canyon Celtic Arts Academy, Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music, Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy, Riordan Mansion, Flagstaff Cultural Partners, Sons of Norway, Flagstaff Public Library, NAU, McTeggart Irish Dancers, and the Pioneer Museum.

Living Traditions Presentations brings the best of Celtic music to Flagstaff; from emerging artists such as Myserk, Full Set, and Goitse; to bands that have toured the world many times over like Dervish, Solas, Old Blind Dogs, and the Tannahill Weavers. Artists enjoy returning to Flagstaff and Living Traditions Presentations (LTP) because of the warm hospitality from the audience, the staff at LTP, and the community of Flagstaff.  

Living Traditions Presentations concerts are always family-friendly and we do our best to keep the cost affordable for the community. Celtic music is a genre that everyone can enjoy, no matter his or her age or heritage.  We look forward to sharing more of this wonderful music and culture with an ever-growing audience.

Concerts this season have/will include Manran, The Tannahill Weavers, Jim Malcolm, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas, FullSet, Celtic Fiddle Festival, Runa, and Zac Léger.

 For more information on Living Traditions Presentations, please visit our website:

www.livingtraditionspresentations.org