GAELIC YOUNGSTERS TO BE CENTRE STAGE AT HEBCELT
News Release
Hebridean Celtic Festival
Year of Natural Scotland
- HebCelt promotes traditional musicians and singers
- Coveted main arena slot at festival for talented group
- Gig is part of event’s promotion of language and culture
Gaelic music’s stars of the future are being given the chance to showcase their talents at one of Scotland’s biggest festivals this summer.
Faram, an 18–strong group of multi-talented traditional musicians and singers, will be part of the main arena line-up at the 18th Hebridean Celtic Festival being held in Stornoway from 17-20 July.
The youngsters, aged between 12 and 18, meet through weekly classes at Fèis Eilean an Fhraoich in Stornoway when they are taught by local and visiting tutors. The fèis has worked for a number of years with the HebCelt organisers to promote Gaelic music through workshops and showcase spots at An Lanntair arts centre, one of the festival’s venues.
However, this is the first time HebCelt has extended the opportunity to have a prestigious slot in the main festival arena which will also host headliners Van Morrison, Capercaille, Dougie MacLean, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and the Battlefield Band.
Festival director Caroline MacLennan said the main arena slot is an extension of HebCelt’s work with the feis movement to promote talented youngsters excelling in traditional music.
“We are very proud of our musical heritage and the fact that we have so many skilled singers and musicians maintaining the traditions. It is important that an event like HebCelt not only promotes the music and culture of the islands but also gives the new generation of performers an opportunity to exhibit their talents to a wider audience.”
Peigi Maclennan, Chair of Fèis Eilean an Fhraoich, said performing at the festival will be a major incentive for the youngsters who in March played for MSPs and Scottish Parliament officials during a Parliament Day in Stornoway.
“These young people have grown up with HebCelt and appreciate the impact it has on the islands and across the world.
“To play on one of the main stages, in front of so many people, will be a fantastic experience.”
The festival was first held in 1996 to raise awareness of Celtic music and to promote the Gaelic language to a wide audience.
During the four days of HebCelt a Gaelic Showcase will also be held in An Lanntair arts centre featuring some of the finest artists from Scotland and Ireland.
In addition, prior to headliner Van Morrison taking to the stage on Thursday, 18 July, the main arena will host BLASTa (tasty in Gaelic) a collaboration specially commissioned for this year’s festival.
Calum Alex Macmillan, development officer with Fèisean nan Gaidheal, the umbrella body for the fèis movement, said: “HebCelt has been a great supporter of Gaelic music and young local talent since its inception.
“This latest initiative gives youngsters a wonderful opportunity not just to take part in the festival but in the main arena. It’s a real achievement for them and will encourage this group of young people, and those coming after them, to continue playing and studying traditional music.”
HebCelt attracts interest from across the world and was recently selected as one of the Top 10 UK summer festivals by influential music publication Songlines for the third successive year.
Tickets have already been snapped up by fans across the UK and Ireland, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America.
The line-up also includes Karine Polwart, Darrell Scott, Pete Roe, Paddy Callaghan, and local artists Iain Morrison, The Boy who Trapped the Sun and Face the West, as well as Dundee’s Anderson, McGinty, Webster, Ward & Fisher; Lau, voted ‘Best Group’ at this year’s Radio Two Folk Awards; Orcadian eight-piece The Chair; The Hot Seats, from Virginia; Manchester outfit The Travelling Band; Welsh band Rusty Shackle; Fatherson and The Dirty Beggars and Donald MacDonald & The Islands, from Glasgow, Rose Parade, a four-piece from Ayr, Brave Young Red and Gria, winners of this year’s One Step Further competition.
For further information contact
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593; 07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
The 18th HebCelt takes place from 17-20 July, 2013 and will have two main stages on the Castle Green in front of the Lews Castle in Stornoway, as well as performances in An Lanntair and throughout the rural community.
This year the festival has been selected for the third year in succession as one of the top ten UK summer festivals by music magazine Songlines. It emerged victorious as Best Large Festival at the industry-sponsored Scottish Event Awards 2011, in a three-way final with Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and Glasgow’s Celtic Connections.
Visitors from Algeria, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and the US made the journey to Lewis last year, as well as many from across the UK.
The overseas contingent helped swell the ranks of a 120-strong volunteer army that contributed over 3,500 unpaid man hours over the course of the four days.
HebCelt is supported by Creative Scotland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Highlands & Islands Enterprise and injects more than £1.5 million annually into the local economy.
It is regarded by critics, performers and festival-goers as one of the top Celtic music festivals in Europe and has twice won the Best Event of the Year award at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, which is voted for by the public.
HebCelt has been hailed as one of the UK’s top 50 festivals by the Daily Telegraph and one of the top five by The Scotsman.
View the festival website at www.hebceltfest.com
The festival also has its own YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter outlets.
http://www.youtube.com/user/hebceltfest
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hebridean-Celtic-Festival/70400006768?ref=ts
http://twitter.com/#!/hebcelt/
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