This weekend will see ancient Celtic folklore come alive with a performance by the internationally acclaimed Four Celtic Voices.

Founded by multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and storyteller Celeste Ray, Four Celtic Voices blends traditional Celtic folk music with elements of classical and modern music. The product of a musical family, Ray started out playing classical and jazz at the age of six. As time went on, she began exploring other styles of music and eventually saw the natural connection between classical and Celtic folk.

“If you really listen to the notes and melodies, Celtic music is classically based,” Ray said. “The rhythms are a little different, but if you think about when classical music became popular – during the Renaissance and Baroque eras – you had musicians traveling around Europe playing this style of music and it created a stream of consciousness that has carried over even into the modern era.”

When Ray formed Four Celtic Voices seven years ago, she managed to latch onto that stream of consciousness and push it the forefront of modern Celtic music. The group’s diverse sound saw their 2009 debut album, “Four Leaf Clover,” reach No. 1 on the Billboard World Music charts. Ray credits the marriage of contemporary songwriting with authentic, traditional music and instrumentation for the success she is currently enjoying with Four Celtic Voices.

“It’s a really nice mixture,” Ray said. “I think that’s what makes us stand out. We have a nice mix of original and Celtic music.”

The group’s newest album, “Four Celtic Season,” takes their already critically acclaimed sound to new heights, both musically and conceptually. The album, which includes modern-day revisions of centuries old Celtic folk songs like “Will Ye Go Lassie Go,” taps into the ancient connection shared between culture and the changing of seasons.

“’Four Celtic Seasons’ is a themed album in the sense that we celebrate the seasons with songs that reflect the meaning of each season,” Ray said. “Musicians, going back hundreds and even thousands of years ago, were very in tune with the earth and its seasons.”

While writing the album, Ray traveled abroad and explored the culture that has long influenced her songwriting.

“I went to Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall and studied the music and culture. I came home completely inspired; my whole life was transformed from that experience,” Ray said. “Along with that, my style of writing and musical expression transformed from my travels.”

By taking Four Celtic Voices on the road, Ray has been able to bring that ancient culture to audiences across the country. Featuring an array of authentic traditional instruments, such as the psaltery, harp and flute, Four Celtic Voices presents an engaging and unforgettable show.

Four Celtic Voices will perform at White Concert Hall on Saturday, April 11. For ticket information, visit www.topekacca.org. And for more on Four Celtic Voices, visit fourcelticvoices.com.