MUSIC lovers gathering in Glasgow for this year’s Celtic Connections are in for a rare treat this Saturday when the University of the Highlands and Islands showcases its students and staff, both past and present, in events throughout the city.
A series of four concerts starts at 2pm when BA Applied Music and HNC Music students gathered from across Scotland for a residency as part of their studies, present Solas ùr an Tobar an Dualchais.
Showing the creativity and high level of musicianship among students this concert features new work inspired by the unique and rich cultural environment of the Highlands and Islands where these students are located.
With a spotlight on the Hebrides, programme highlights include new music and re-working of traditional material from Scotland’s ground breaking digital archive of song, stories, poetry and music; Tobar an Dualchais (Kist o Riches).
“We set the students a task to research their own area on the Tobar an Dualchais website and to select a recording of a story, song or tune etc. which they brought to our Perthshire November residency,” explained music tutor, Anna-Wendy Stevenson.
“Here the group exchanged and formulated ideas, and collaborated to create new arrangements, compositions, settings etc of the material, introduced by Julie Fowlis, artist in residence for the Tobar an Dualchais project.
“She gave students a deeper understanding of the importance of the resource.”
Since this residency, there has been intensive online activity amongst the students, using the processes and recording tools of many a professional recording artists and producers to exchange ideas in preparation for what promises to be a bright new light on the Tobar an Dualchais treasure.
“It has been a great pleasure to introduce the students to the Tobar an Dualchais online archive and watch how they have engaged with this fantastic resource,” said Julie Fowlis.
“It has been particularly gratifying to hear how some songs and stories have been a source of inspiration to the students, especially as many had no previous knowledge or connection to the archive.
“I am looking forward to hearing what they have created for this special performance at Celtic Connections.”
BA (Hons) Gaelic and Traditional Music degree programme students, who study at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI, will follow with their own musical showcase. This is the first of a series of concerts being performed by the students, who will be touring the Highlands and Islands in the spring along with musicians who are alumni of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI.
Dr Decker Forrest, programme leader for the Gaelic and Traditional Music course, said:”The performance of the students on the BA (Hons) Gaelic and Traditional Music programme will highlight the exceptional musical talent currently at the college. Listeners can look forward to hearing the students perform skilful, unfettered arrangements of music from the heart of the Gàidhealtachd, an approach which is central to the programme’s musical identity.”
This afternoon event will warm audiences up for the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI 40th Anniversary Celebration Concert at the City Halls; featuring a cast of past and current tutors, alumni and students – including Julie Fowlis, Alasdair Fraser, Fergie MacDonald, Dàimh, Christine Primrose and Margaret Stewart – plus very special guest Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, of Limerick University’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.
The final concert of the day, at the Art Club, features three award winning composers and lecturers from Lews Castle College UHI, also part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.
The Tune Book Trio is an exciting new music collaboration devised for the Celtic Connections Festival by music lecturer and fiddler Simon Bradley. Showcasing the music published by each member of the trio, Simon will be joined by Mairearad Green on accordion and Ross Ainslie on pipes and whistles. The trio are accompanied by Matheu Watson on guitar and Mhairi Hall on piano.
All five performers are award winning composers and performers in their own right and have tutored on the music courses at Lews Castle College UHI in Benbecula.
Details of the University of the Highlands and Islands’ events are on our website. For more information on Sabhal Mòr Ostaig @40 at Celtic Connections and the rest of 2013 go to www.smo.uhi.ac.uk . Tickets for all events are available at www.celticconnections.com
ENDS
Picture caption: Julie Fowlis and a photo from the 1950s of Hamish Henderson, School of Scottish Studies, recording Alec Stewart, who has recordings on the Tobar an Dualchais website.
***************************************************
Faodaidh an fheadhainn a tha a’ dèanamh air Glaschu airson Celtic Connections na bliadhna-sa a bhith an dùil ri deagh oidhche Disathairne seo tighinn nuair a thaisbeanas Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean na h-oileanaich agus an luchd-obrach a th’ aige is a bh’ aige, ann an tachartasan air feadh a’ bhaile.
Tòisichidh sreath de cheithir cuirmean-ciùil aig 2f le Solas ùr air Tobar an Dualchais, le oileanaich chiùil bhon chùrsa BA ann an Ceòl Gnìomhaichte agus bhon HNC ann an Ceòl, a tha cruinn às gach ceàrn de dh’Alba airson greis chòmhnaidh mar phàirt den ionnsachadh aca. A’ taisbeanadh na cruthachalachd agus na h-ìre àirde de dh’fhearas-ciùil a th’ ann am measg nan oileanach, tha a’ chuirm-chiùil seo a’ gabhail a-steach obair ùr a tha a’ freagairt air an àrainneachd chultarach shònraichte anns a bheil na h-oileanaich seo air an suidheachadh. Le fòcas air Innse Gall, tha am prògram a’ gabhail a-steach ceòl ùr agus seallaidhean ùra air stuthan traidiseanta bho thasglann didseatach ùr-ghnathach na h-Alba de dh’òrain, sgeulachdan, bàrdachd agus ceòl; Tobar an Dualchais.
“Dh’iarr sinn air na h-oileanaich an roinn aca fhèin a rannsachadh air làraich-lìn Thobar an Dualchais agus clàrachadh de sgeulachd, òran no fonn a thaghadh, a thug iad leotha don ghreis-chòmhnaidh againn ann an Siorrachd Pheairt san t-Samhain,” mhìnich Anna-Wendy Stevenson, a tha na neach-oide ciùil. Ag obair còmhla agus a’ co-roinn am beachdan, cho-obraich a’ bhuidheann air rianan ùra, pìosan ùra agus cruthan ùra de na stuthan fo stiùir Julie Fowlis, a tha na neach-ealain air mhuinntireas aig pròiseict Thobar an Dualchais. Thug i do na h-oileanaich tuigse nas doimhne air cudromachd a’ ghoireis.”
Bhon ghreis-chòmhnaidh seo, tha na h-oileanaich air a bhith ag obair còmhla air-loidhne gu mòr, a’ cleachdadh nam pròiseasan agus nan innealan clàraidh a bhios ceòladairean agus riochdairean proifeiseanta a’ cleachdadh gus beachdan a cho-roinn, agus iad a’ dèanamh deas airson na thathas a’ faicinn mar shòlas ùr, deàrrsach air Tobar an Dualchais.
“Chòrd e rium gu mòr tasglann air-loidhne Thobar an Dualchais a chur an aithne nan oileanach agus a bhith a’ faicinn mar a rinn iad feum den ghoireas air leth a tha seo,” thuirt Julie Fowlis. “Is e adhbhar tlachd sònraichte a bh’ ann a bhith a’ cluinntinn mar a thug cuid de na h-òrain agus na sgeulachdan dùsgadh-inntinn do na h-oileanaich, gu sònraichte leis nach robh eòlas aig tòrr dhiubh air an tasglann, no ceangal aca ris. Tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughar ri bhith a’ cluinntinn na chruthaich iad airson an taisbeanaidh shònraichte seo aig Celtic Connections.”
Às dèidh seo, nochdaidh oileanaich a’ chùrsa BA (le Urram) ann an Gàidhlig agus Ceòl Traidiseanta, a bhios ag ionnsachadh aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI, anns an taisbeanadh chiùil aca fhèin. Is e seo a’ chiad chuirm-chiùil ann an sreath leis na h-oileanaich, a bhios a’ siubhal air feadh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean as t-Earrach le luchd-ciùil a bha roimhid nan oileanaich aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI.
“Seallaidh an taisbeanadh seo le oileanaich bhon chùrsa BA (le Urram) ann an Gàidhlig agus Ceòl Traidiseanta an tàlant ciùil air leth a th’ againn aig a’ cholaiste an-dràsta, thuirt an t-Oll Decker Forrest, an stiùiriche prògraim airson a’ chùrsa ann an Gàidhlig agus Ceòl Traidiseanta. Faodaidh an luchd-èisteachd fiughar a dhèanamh ri bhith a’ cluinntinn nan oileanach a’ cluich rianan sgileil, neo-chuibhrichte de cheòl à cridhe na Gàidhealtachd, modh-obrach a tha aig teis-mheadhan fèin-aithne a’ phrògraim a thaobh ciùil.”
Le tachartas an fheasgair thèid saod a chur air an luchd-èisteachd gus am bi iad deiseil airson cuirm-chiùil a’ comharrachadh an 40mh ceann-bliadhna aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI le luchd-oide a th’ ann agus a bh’ ann, alumni agus oileanaich leithid Julie Fowlis, Alasdair Friseal, Fergie Dòmhnallach, Dàimh, Cairistiona Primrose agus Mairead Stiùbhart – le Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin à Ionad Ceòl agus Dannsa na Cruinne aig Oilthigh Luimnich na aoigh sònraichte.
Ann an cuirm-chiùil mu dheireadh an latha, aig Club an Ealain, nochdaidh triùir sgrìobhaichean-ciùil agus òraidichean a th’ air duaisean a bhuannachadh à Colaisde a’ Chaisteil UHI, a tha cuideachd na phàirt de dh’Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean. Is e a th’ anns an Tune Book Trio co-obrachadh ciùil ùr brosnachail a chaidh a chur còmhla gu sònraichte airson Celtic Connections leis an òraidiche chiùil agus fìdhlear Sìm Bradley. Agus iad a’ taisbeanadh a’ chiùil a chaidh fhoillseachadh le gach ball den triùir, cluichidh Sìm le Mairearad Green air a’ bhogsa agus Ross Ainslie air a’ phìob agus na fìdeagan. A’ cluich leis an triùir bidh Matheu Watson air giotàr agus Mhairi Hall air a’ phiana. Tha a h-uile gin den chòignear air duaisean a bhuannachadh mar sgrìobhaichean-ciùil agus ceòladairean agus theagaisg iad air na cùrsaichean ciùil aig Colaisde a’ Chaisteil UHI ann am Beinn na Faoghla.
Tha fiosrachadh mu thachartasan Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean air an làraich-lìn againn. Airson tuillidh fiosrachaidh mu Shabhal Mòr Ostaig aig 40 aig Celtic Connections agus an còrr de 2013 theirig chun www.smo.uhi.ac.uk . Tha tiocaidean airson nan tachartasan air fad ri am faotainn aig www.celticconnections.com
CRÌOCH
Tiotal an Deilbh: Julie Fowlis agus dealbh bho na 1950an de Sheumas MacEanruig, Sgoil Eòlais na h-Alba, a’ clàradh Ailig Stiùbhart, aig a bheil clàraidhean air làrach-lìn Thobar an Dualchais.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by UHI. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Alison Lochhead
Phone: 01463279222
Email: alison.lochhead@uhi.ac.uk
Website: http://www.uhi.ac.uk
