Magical Strings has become synonymous with Celtic music, with tall, elegant Philip Boulding strumming the Celtic harp, and his equally elegant and almost as tall wife Pamela dancing her hammers across the dulcimer.

For more than two decades the Bouldings have worked — and played — to create a sound that the Washington Post calls “warm, graceful and sonically gorgeous.”

The duo bring their dulcet tones to Bremerton Feb. 17, as they perform at Collective Visions Gallery.

While the Celtic harp and hammered dulcimer are the centerpieces of their musical collection, the couple augment those with penny whistles, concertina, an exotic Malagasy harp and storytelling.

Pamela is particularly adept at setting the tone for a song by sharing with the audience how it came to be, whether it was inspired by a magical grove of trees on their Olalla property, Magic Hill, or the inspiration of a misty Irish landscape.

The pair have long resided on the rural acreage south of Port Orchard, raising five children, all of whom have continued in musical careers, but they are known internationally for their traditional and original Celtic-inspired music.

It’s almost a rare occurrence to catch them performing in their own backyard. Their last Kitsap County appearance was Mother’s Day last year, at Island Center Hall on Bainbridge Island.

They spend the year touring the country and overseas. A tour of Japan with several of their children featured 10 sold-out concerts from Okinawa to Sapporo, and their annual Celtic Yuletide concerts have become a Northwest holiday tradition.

In addition to their performances, the Bouldings give classes in harp and hammered dulcimer, and Philip has crafted thousands of beginner Tristy folk harps.

They have recorded more than a dozen albums since their first in 1980, “Glass Horse.” They have moved from purely Celtic to a mix of Celtic and world music-influenced compositions of their own making.

Their latest release “Where Dragons Dance,” infuses Celtic and “innovative rhythms and soulful dialogue, inviting the spirit to dance,” according to the liner notes.

For lovers of the Irish harp, Philip has just released a two CD set called “Celtic Mist,” compiling the Irish, Scottish and Welsh tunes he has learned over the last 30 years. Songs include Carolan’s Farewell, Si Beg, Si Mor and The Ashgrove.

Magical Strings performs 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at Collective Visions Gallery, 331 Pacific Ave., Bremerton.

Tickets are $14 advance, $16 at the door. For advance tickets call the gallery at (360) 377-8327. wu