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CONCERTS AT THE LIBRARY Kay Alsop Little did we know, when our West Vancouver Memorial Library initiated the first of its Friday Night Concert Series in November 2004, that we were about to tour the world, musically speaking - and for free! But that is what the benevolence of the late Robert Leslie Welsh has made possible. Since that first concert we have enjoyed the blues of New Orleans, the tantalizing tangos of Argentina, the conga and salsa rhythms of Cuba, the exotic drumbeats and chants of West Africa and, most recently, Celtic folk music originating in Ireland, Scotland, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Although the dozen young members of the North Shore Celtic Ensemble who performed on Friday, September 22 , had an average age of 15 - the youngest was 10 - they were nevertheless already seasoned veterans. Their appearance last August at The International Youth Festival of Aberdeen, Scotland, earned them a standing ovation from an audience of 1200. When they played in Ottawa last Canada Day they were greeted with enthusiastic applause, and they had previously won acclaim in China, India and the Soviet Union, according to director/founder Claude Giguere. The young performers, all from the North Shore incidentally, are amazingly professional and quite obviously find joy in their music. Some stood out from the others - Celina Kurz whose flute-playing was positively lyrical, fiddler Caitlan Read, soon to leave the group for greater opportunities, and Greg Newman, who not only played the violin but also performed eloquently on the harmonica. Ben Kelly provided a solid drum beat as background. Jay Knutson, the Ensemble's Artistic Director, introduced many of the numbers verbally as well as musically. Knutson has "many strings to his bow", having graduated as a journalist and working at that trade in Australia, before finding that his heart truly lay in music. His 20 years of musical professionalism include touring with Connie Kaldor and Hart Rouge, and documentary scoring for C B C Radio, the National Film Board of Canada, and Danish National Television. All in all, it was a charming, toe-tickling, hand-clapping evening, and one thoroughly enjoyed by everyone in attendance. As usual, the Friends of the Library served punch and cookies before the performance, and were well represented by Kay Alsop, Edda Davis, June Harris, May Loudon, Arden McLaughlin, Miriam Olney and Kim Vogt. Librarian Sue Kent, who is the guardian angel of these wonderful musical evenings, announced that the next event in the Concert Series will be November 24 , when the string trio, Trio Accord, will perform.