HEBCELT SHOWCASES THE BEST OF GAELIC TALENT
News Release
Hebridean Celtic Festival
Year of Homecoming 2014
- HebCelt confirms Gaelic stars line-up
- Radio 2 Young Folk Award winners part of festival showcase
- Rising stars joined on stage by legendary singers and musicians.
An early Gaelic super group, one of the islands’ great musical dynasties and the recent winners of the Radio 2 Young Folk Award will help the Hebridean Celtic Festival celebrate its cultural heritage this year.
The award-winning HebCelt will hold a Gaelic Showcase at An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway over four days of the event, which runs from 16-19 July.
Among the talented performers on stage will be The Mischa MacPherson Trio, who won the Radio 2 award last month, the famous family group The Campbells of Greepe, island legends The Lochies and Friends, as well as singers Maggie MacInnes and Rachel Newton.
The Lochies and Friends will play on Wednesday, 16 July. Named after the district of Lochs in Lewis, The Lochies have been performing for over 50 years and have earned a devoted following with their music, which celebrates their Hebridean culture.
They were formed when John Macmillan – ‘Seonaidh Beag’- teamed up with his brother Angus Macmillan and Donnie ‘Gazette’ MacInnes for the 1968 Royal National Mod at Dunoon .They later performed at concerts across the country and made regular appearances at the Highlands and Islands Society of London.
They recorded six albums and, since making a comeback at Ceòl is Cràic in Glasgow 2012, The Lochies have been in great demand selling out concerts in the Central Belt and in Lewis. At HebCelt they will be joined on stage by Calum Alex Macmillan, Iain MacInnes, Norrie MacIver and Anna Murray to play songs from the group’s extensive repertoire.
On stage the following night will be The Campbells of Greepe – Caimbeulaich a’ Ghnìoba –five members of the same famous family who between them have won ten Mòd gold medals through three generations. The group, which incorporates the name of their home crofting township in Skye, includes sister and brother Kenna and Seumas Campbell, Kenna’s daughters Mary Ann and Wilma Kennedy and her niece Maggie Macdonald.
Mary Ann Kennedy, the multi award-winning, singer, producer, writer and broadcaster, said: “This year's Gaelic showcase is a real window on the whole world of Gaelic song and tradition. The Campbells are honoured and very excited to be part of a gathering that includes Gaelic legends like the Lochies and rising stars like Mischa for a programme that shows the great riches of our music and culture.
Friday is the turn of the Mischa MacPherson Trio, all former pupils of the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton, who also picked up the Celtic Connections 2014 Danny Kyle Award in January. The trio consists of singer and clarsach player Mischa, 20, from Sandwick in Lewis; guitarist and composer Innes White, 19, from Dingwall; and Conal McDonagh, 19, who was brought up in Poolewe, Wester Ross, and plays whistles and pipes. They met at Feis Ross and have since performed on the International Ceilidh Trail in 2011 and toured top UK Folk Festivals as well as international venues.
Also on stage on Friday will be Rachel Newton, from Edinburgh, who spent a lot of her youth in the north-west Highlands, attending a Gaelic medium school and was involved in the Fèis movement. She later formed the duo Rachel and Lillias, joined the Emily Portman Trio and co-founded Scots Trad Music Award nominated six-piece band The Shee. Rachel has also worked extensively in theatre, winning a CATS Award for Best Use of Music in 2009, and her singing is featured in Raindance award winning film The Inheritance.
On Saturday the showcase will feature singer and clàrsach player Maggie MacInnes, who was born in Glasgow but comes from a long line of Gaelic singers from Barra. She was voted Best Gaelic Singer of the Year in the 2004 BBC Scots Trad Music Awards and at HebCelt she will perform as part of the Maggie MacInnes Trio with Brian McAlpine (of Session A9) on keyboards and accordion and Anna Massie (of Blazin' Fiddles).
The Gaelic Showcase is an integral part of HebCelt which was first held in 1996 to raise awareness of Celtic music and to promote the Gaelic language to a wide audience.
Caroline Maclennan, the festival director, said: “We are passionate about protecting and developing our unique cultural heritage. The Gaelic Showcase is one way we can promote this wonderful asset by bringing together some well-established performers, who have maintained the traditions of Gaelic music and song over many years, and some emerging talent who are adding new riches to this treasure trove.”
In addition to the showcase, the main festival programme will feature on Friday, 18 July, Ceòl Na Cloinne, a group of young musicians and singers from Harris formed eight years ago by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Community Learning and Development Service to give young traditional musicians the opportunity to play sessions together.
The current line-up plays a lively and varied selection of Scottish traditional and contemporary tunes, strongly influenced by their Gaelic cultural roots.
The 19th HebCelt will feature its biggest ever programme with more than 30 acts and will be headlined by Levellers, Big Country and Donnie Munro. It will also include performances by Cara Dillon, Rachel Sermanni, Duncan Chisholm, Cajun band Magnolia Sisters, from the US, and Canadian outfit Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys.
NOTES TO EDITORS
In 2013 a total of 16,000 people visited HebCelt, generating around £1 million for the local economy.
The event was selected for the third year in succession as one of the top ten UK summer festivals by music magazine Songlines and was shortlisted in the Best Independent Festival category in the AIM Independent Music Awards.
It was also hailed as one of the greenest festivals in the world after being the only Scottish event to receive an Outstanding award from environmental campaign group A Greener Festival. In addition, it was shortlisted in the Greener Festival category in the UK Festival Awards.
In 2011 it was ranked Best Large Festival at the industry-sponsored Scottish Event Awards and it won Best Event of the Year award at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004 and 2009.
For more information contact
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593; 07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
Fios Naidheachd
Fèis Cheilteach Innse Gall
Bliadhna Tilleadh Dhachaigh 2014
- Fèis Cheilteach a’ daingneachadh rionnagan Gàidhlig na Fèise
- Còmhlan-glèidhidh Duais Ceòl Dùthchas Radio 2 mar phàirt de thaisbeanadh na Fèise
- Sàr sheinneadairean agus luchd-ciùil cliùiteach air an stèidse còmhla ri rionnagan òg
FÈIS CHEILTEACH A’ TAISBEANADH SÀR THÀLANT NA GÀIDHLIG
Am bliadhna tha an Fhèis Cheilteach a’ comharrachadh a dualchas chultarail agus bidh fear de na chiad chòmhlain Gàidhlig, aon de na teaghlaich ciùil is iomraitiche an Alba agus còmhlan-glèidhidh Duais Ceòl Dùthchas Radio 2 gar cuideachadh gus seo a dhèanamh.
Bidh an Fhèis Cheilteach a’ cur air dòigh Taisbeanadh Gàidhlig ann an Ionad An Lanntair ann an Steòrnabhagh thairis ceithir là na Fèise bho 16-19 Iuchar.
Am measg an tàlant a bhios rim faicinn air stèidse bidh Am Mischa MacPherson Trio, a ghlèidh duais Radio 2 air a’ mhios a chaidh seachad, an teaghlach ainmeil Caimbeulaich a’ Ghnìoba, an còmhlan cliùiteach Na Lochies san Caraidean, agus na seinneadairean Magaidh NicAonghais agus Raonaid Newton.
Cluichidh Na Lochies agus an Caraidean air Diciadain 16 Iuchar. Air an ainmeachadh air sgìre nan Loch an Leòdhas, tha Na Lochies air a bhith ris an obair seo còrr air 50 bliadhna agus tha iad air luchd-leantainn dìleas a chosnadh tron ceòl a tha a’ sonrachadh an cultar Eileanach. .
Thàinig iad ri chèile mar chòmhlan ann an 1968 le Seonaidh Mac a’ Mhaoilein – Seonaidh Beag, a bhràthair Aonghas Mac a’ Mhaoilein agus Donaidh “Gazette” MacAonghais gu pàirt a ghabhail anns a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ann an Dun Omhain. An dèidh sin, bhiodh iad a’ cluich aig consartan air feadh na dùthcha agus bhiodh iad bitheanta aig Comann na Gàidhealtachd ` s nan Eilean an Lunnainn.
Thug iad a-mach sia clàran agus bho thill air ais chun àrd-ùrlar aig Ceòl is Cràic ann an Glaschu ann an 2012, tha fèill air a bhith orra aig consartan am meadhan na h-Alba agus an Leòdhas. Aig an Fhèis bidh Calum Ailig Mac a’ Mhaoilein, Iain MacAonghais, Norrie MacIomhair agus Anna Mhoireach còmhla riutha air an stèidse a’ seinn cuid de na h-òrain bhon stòras farsaing aca.
An ath oidhche air an stèidse bidh Caimbeulaich a’ Ghnìoba – còignear bhall agus trì ginealaich de theaghlach iomraiteach, a tha eatorra air 10 buinn òr Mòd na Gàidhealtachd a chosnadh.
A’ gabhail a-steach ainm a’ bhaile croite anns an robh dachaigh an teaghlaich san Eilean Sgiathanaich, `s iad piuthar is bràthair, Kenna agus Seumas Caimbeul, clann-nighean Kenna, Mairi Anna agus Wilma Cheanadach, agus Magaidh Dhòmhnallach, nighean peathar Kenna is Sheumais a th’ anns a’ bhuidheann.
Thuirt Mairi Anna Cheanadach, a choisinn iomadh duais mar sheinneadair, riochdaire agus craoladair: “Is e fìor dheagh shealladh a th’anns an taisbeanadh Gàidhlig seo air saoghal ar n’ òrain ’s ar dualchas. Tha fiughair air na Caimbeulaich a bhi an làthair, agus tha sinn ga mheas mar urram air leth a bhi mar phàirt, cuide ri gaisgich na Lochies agus reultan òga leithid Mischa, de phrògram a tha a’ nochdadh saoibhreas ar ciùil ’s ar cultuir.”
Dihaoine bidh Am Mischa MacPherson Trio air an stèidse, bha iad seo uile nan sgoilearan aig Sgoil Chiùil Traidiseanta a’ Phluic agus choisinn iad duais Danny Kyle aig Celtic Connections 2014 san Fhaoilleach.
`S iad seo - seinneadair agus cluicheadair clàrsaich Mischa, 20, à Sanndabhaig ann an Leòdhas, a’ cluich giotàr agus a’ sgrìobhadh chiùil tha Innes White, 19, à Inbhir Pheofharain agus Conal McDonagh, 19, a thogadh ann am Poll Iùbh air Taobh Siar Rois, a’ cluich an fheadaig agus a’ phìob. Choinnich iad aig Fèis Rois agus tha iad air pàirt a ghabhail ann an Ceilidh Eadar-nàiseanta air Chuairt ann an 2011 agus aig Fèisean Dùthchais air feadh Bhreatainn a thuilleadh air ionadan eadar-nàiseanta.
Cuideachd air an stèidse Dihaoine bidh Raonaid Newton à Dùn Èideann a bha na h-òige air iar-thuath na Gàidhealtachd, a’ dol gu sgoil Ghàidhlig agus an sàs anns na Fèisean. Stèidhich i an càraid Rachel and Lillias, bha i an sàs leis an Emily Portman Trio agus cho-stèidhich i “The Shee” còmhlan-ciùil a chaidh an ainmeachadh airson Duais Ceòl Traidiseanta.
Tha Raonaid cuideachd air obair a dhèanamh ann an theatre, a’ ghleidheadh Duais CATS airson am feum as fheàrr de cheòl ann an 2009, agus nochd an t-seinn aice cuideachd anns am film The Inheritance a choisinn duais Raindance ann an 2007.
Disathairne chithear Magaidh NicAonghais air an stèidse, seinneadair agus cluicheadair clàrsaich. Rugadh Magaidh an Glaschu, ach buinidh i do theaghlach de sheinneadairean à Barraigh. Choisinn i duais Seinneadair Gàidhlig na Bliadhna ann an 2004 aig Duaisean Ceòl Traidiseanta na h-Alba agus aig an Fhèis Cheilteach cluichidh i còmhla ris am Maggie MacInnes Trio le Brian McAlpine (bho Session A9) air meur-chlàr agus bogsa and Anna Massie (bho Blazin' Fiddles).
Tha an Taisbeanadh Gàidhlig aig cridhe an Fhèis Cheilteach bho chaidh a’ stèidheachadh ann an 1996, a’ tarraing aire gu ceòl Ceilteach agus a’ togail inbhe na Gàidhlig gu ìre nas fharsainge.
Thuirt Stiùiriche na Fèis Caroline NicIllinnein: “Tha sinn dealasach mu bhith a’ dìon agus a’ leasachadh ar dualchas chultarail. `S e an Taisbeanadh aon dòigh anns a bheil sinn a’ brosnachadh an so-mhaoin mhiorbhaileach seo tro bhith a’ toirt ri chèile luchd-ciùil stèidhichte a th’ air traidisean ceòl is òrain Gàidhlig a chumail an àirde thairis iomadh bliadhna, agus an tàlant òg a tha a’ tighinn am bàrr agus a’ cur ri beartas na ciste seo.”
A thuilleadh air an taisbeanadh, ann am prìomh phrògraim na fèis air Dihaoine 18 Iuchar bidh Ceòl na Cloinne, buidheann de luchd-ciùil òg as Na Hearadh a chaidh an stèidheachadh bho chionn ochd bliadhna le Seirbheis Ionnsachadh agus Leasachadh Coimhearsnachd Chomhairle nan Eilean Siar gus cothrom a thoirt do luchd-ciùil òg a bhith a’ cluich còmhla.
Bidh iad seo a’ cluich taghadh de dh’fhuinn thraidiseanta agus fuinn ùr, agus le buaidh làidir nam bunan cultarach Gàidhlig.
`S e seo an 19mh Fèis agus an tè as motha gu ruige seo le còrr air 30 a’ nochdadh air stèidse agus aig mullach an t-sreath tha na Levellers, Big Country agus Donnie Rothach. Chithear cuideachd Cara Dillon, Rachel Sermanni, Donnchadh Siosalach, còmhlan Cajun Magnolia Sisters, bho Na Stàitean Aonaichte, agus à Canada Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys.
FIOSRACHADH DO LUCHD-DEASACHAIDH
Ann an 2013 thadhail 16,000 neach air an Fhèis Cheilteach a’ tarraing suas ri £1 millean dhan eaconamaidh ionadail.
Airson an treas bliadhna ann an sreath chaidh an tachartas a thaghadh leis an iris ciùil Songlines mar aon de na deich fèisean samhraidh as fheàrr am Breatainn agus bha i ann an geàrr-liosta am Fèis Neo-eisimeileach as fheàrr aig Duaisean Ceòl Neo-eisimeileach AIM..
Tha an Fhèis cuideachd ga moladh mar aon de na fèisean as uaine san t-saoghal an aon tachartas an Alba a fhuair Sàr-dhuais bhon bhuidheann iomairt airson an àrainneachd A Greener Festival. A thuilleadh, bha i air geàrr-liosta ann an earrann Fèis Uaine aig Duaisean Fèisean an Rìoghachd Aonaichte.
Ann an 2011 chaidh a h-ainmeachadh mar an Fhèis Mhòr as Fheàrr aig Duaisean Tachartasan Albannach agus chaidh a h-ainmeachadh mar Thachartas na Bliadhna aig Duaisean MG Alba airson Ceòl Traidiseanta na h-Alba ann an 2004 agus 2009.
Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh:
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593; 07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
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