Tickets are already selling well as communities across the Highlands and Argyll prepare to celebrate Highland culture at this year’s Blas Festival which takes place between 2 and 10 September.
Fèisean nan Gàidheal, who operate the festival in a partnership with The Highland Council, have put together a programme with a generous helping of cèilidhs, concerts, school visits, music in hospitals, performances in care homes, drama performances, family events, walks and talks.
Blas will celebrate the 80th birthday of Uist cultural icon, Rona Lightfoot, and the contribution to Gaelic music of Skye’s Jonathan MacDonald. New work will feature in the shape of Beul na h-Oidhche gu Camhanaich (Mouth of the Night to First Light) from Highland-based Gaelic singer and harp player, Mary Ann Kennedy and Nick Turner, which is the 11th new piece commissioned in the relatively short history of the Blas Festival.
Home-grown Highland talent will be to the fore including a performance of Graham Mackenzie’s Crossing Borders. Originally commissioned for Celtic Connections the Highland outing, in Eden Court’s One Touch Theatre on Friday 9 September, will also be the vehicle of the launch of Graham’s CD.
Young people from the Highlands will feature widely including Fèis Cèilidh Trail groups, Guth na nGael – A Gaelic and Gaeilge exchange project, pupils from the Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music at Plockton High School and the singers from an innovative Fèisean nan Gàidheal project, Fuaran.
They will appear alongside some of the best international artistes including Sharon Shannon, making her first appearance at Blas, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Nuallan from Cape Breton as well as perennial favourites Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham who are celebrating 30 years playing together. There will be appearances from newer outfits, Tide Lines, Tannara and Kilda, as well as a staple of the finest Gaelic singers including Margaret Stewart, Mairi MacInnes, Darren Maclean, Kristine Kennedy, James Graham, Paul McCallum, Linda Macleod, Rachel Walker, Ruairidh Cormack, Anne Martin, Ellen MacDonald, Ceitlin LR Smith, Robert Robertson and Eilidh Cormack. Gaelic writers and poets will also feature in the continuation of a partnership with Comhairle nan Leabhraichean, the Gaelic Books Council.
Donna Macrae, Director of Firefly Productions, the company contracted by Fèisean nan Gàidheal to organise the festival said: “We already have two sold-out shows well ahead of the start of the festival and tickets are selling well for other events. We are looking forward, once again, to taking great music to smaller communities as well as large venues like Eden Court and the IronWorks, and to bringing entertainment to schools, hospitals and care homes.”
Blas runs from this Friday, 2nd September, until Saturday 10th. The full festival programme is available at www.blas-festival.com where details of all events and how to buy tickets can be found.
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Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham
Graham MacKenzie
Kilda
Margaret Stewart
Mary Ann Kennedy
Nuallan
Red Hot Chilli Pipers
Rona Lightfoot
Sharron Shannon
Tannara
Tide Lines
Trail West
For further information or to arrange interviews in Gaelic or English please contact Arthur Cormack on 01478 614002 or 07702 674143, or e-mail arthur@feisean.org.
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TIOGAIDEAN A’ FALBH GU LUATH AIRSON FÈIS BHLAS 2016
Tha tiogaidean a’ dol gu math agus coimhearsnachdan air feadh na Gàidhealtachd a’ deiseileachadh airson Fèis Bhlas na bliadhna-sa a bhios a’ tachairt eadar 2 agus 10 Sultain.
Tha Fèisean nan Gàidheal ga ruith ann an com-pàirt ri Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus tha iad air prògram a chur ri chèile loma-làn de chèilidhean, cuirmean, tachartasan ann an sgoiltean, ceòl ann an ospadail, tadhal air dachaighean-cùraim, dràma, tachartasan teaghlaich, cuairtean agus òraidean.
Bidh fèis na bliadhna seo gu sònraichte a’ comharrachadh an 80mh ceann-bliadhna aig tè de shàr luchd-ciùil is lasairean cultarail Uibhist, Rona Lightfoot, agus cuideachd na rinneadh do cheòl Gàidhlig le sàr Sgitheanach Eòin Dòmhnallach. Thèid obair ùr fhoillseachadh am bliadhna cuideachd – Beul na h-Oidhche gu Camhanaich – le Mairi Anna NicUalraig, an 11mh uair a tha an fhèis air pìos ciùil ùr fhoillseachadh.
Bidh luchd-ciùil a tha a’ buntainn ris a’ Ghàidhealtachd gu math follaiseach aig an fhèis. Thèid Crossing Borders le Graham MacCoinnich, air a chruthachadh an toiseach airson Celtic Connections, a chur air adhart air a’ Ghàidhealtachd airson a’ chiad uair. Bidh a’ chuirm, san Talla-cluiche One Touch aig Cùirt Eden air Dihaoine 9mh Sultain, na cothrom airson CD ùr Graham a chur gu seòl cuideachd.
Tha òigridh na Gàidhealtachd aig cridhe na fèise mar as àbhaist. Bidh na buidhnean Cèilidh air Chuairt aig Fèisean ann cho math ri Guth na nGael – co-oibreachadh Gàidhlig is Gaeilge agus cuideachd cluinnear luchd-ciùil bho Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd aig Àrd-sgoil a’ Phluic, a bharrachd air seinneadairean bho Fuaran – pròiseact ùr agus adhartach a tha ga chur air adhart le Fèisean nan Gàidheal.
Bidh an òigridh a’ nochdadh air prògram eadar-nàiseanta eile le sàr luchd-ciùil leithid Sharon Shannon, a bhios a nochdadh airson a’ chiad uair aig Blas, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Nuallan bho Cheap Breatann agus cuid de na seann laoich a tha air a bhith a’ nochdadh thar nam bliadhnaichean, leithid Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham a tha a’ comharrachadh 30 bliadhna còmhla. Cluinnear buidhnean nas ùire cuideachd leithid Tide Lines, Tannara agus Kilda, a bharrachd air seinneadairean is eile air am bith luchd-frithealaidh Bhlas gu math eòlach, nam measg Màighread Stiùbhart, Màiri NicAonghais, Darren MacIllEathain, Cairistiona Cheanadach, Seumas Greumach, Pòl MacCaluim, Linda NicLeòid, Rachel Walker, Ruairidh MacCarmaig, Anna Mhàrtainn, Ellen NicDhòmhnaill, Ceitlin Nic a’ Ghobhainn, Robert Robasdan agus Eilidh NicCarmaig. Bidh sgrìobhaichean agus bàird Ghàidhlig cuideachd a’ frithealadh na fèise agus an com-pàirteachas le Comhairle nan Leabhraichean a-rithist ga chur air adhart.
Thuirt Donna Macrae, Stiùiriche Firefly Productions, a’ chompanaidh fastaichte le Fèisean nan Gàidheal a lìbhrigeadh na fèise: “Tha dà chuirm againn mar thà far nach eil tiogaid air fhàgail agus tha iad a’ dol gu math airson tachartasan eile. Tha fiughar againn deagh cheòl a thoirt gu coimhearsnachdan beaga cho math ri àiteachan mòra mar Cùirt Eden agus an IronWorks, a bharrachd air tachartasan a chur air adhart ann an sgoiltean, ospadail agus dachaighean cùraim.”
Tha làn chlàr na fèise ri fhaighinn a nis aig www.blas-festival.com far am faighear fiosrachadh mu na tachartasan gu lèir agus mar a gheibhear tiogaidean.
… crìoch
Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh no airson agallamhan a chur air dòigh ann an Gàidhlig no Beurla, cuiribh fios gu Art MacCarmaig air 01478 614002 no 07702 674143, no tro phost-d aig arthur@feisean.org.
Notes to editors:
- 2016 marks the 12th Blas festival, which was created as a result of The Highland Council’s desire to create a new festival, which would match the vitality of Cape Breton’s Celtic Colours. Fèisean nan Gàidheal was asked by The Highland Council to develop and deliver the festival, which it has done successfully in partnership with local Fèisean and promoters.
- The festival director is Donna MacRae of Firefly Productions, who is contracted by Fèisean nan Gàidheal to deliver all the programming and administrative work required to put Blas together.
- The Blas Festival primary funders and supporters include The Highland Council, Creative Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Argyll & Bute Council and Fèisean nan Gàidheal.
- Other bodies work collaboratively in organising events as part of the festival. These include Comhairle nan Leabhraichean, Live Music Now and Music in Hospitals.
- The Blas festival makes a virtue of featuring homegrown talent alongside internationally renowned traditional musicians. Gaelic plays a prominent part in every Blas event, making it a key Highland cultural event.
- Blas is supported by a network of approximately 400 promoters and volunteers.
- The Blas Festival Action Group members are: George Stoddart (Chair of Blas Festival Ltd), Arthur Cormack (Chief Executive, Fèisean nan Gàidheal), Calum Macmillan (Development Manager, Fèisean nan Gàidheal), Donna Macrae (Firefly Productions, Festival Director), Duncan MacInnes (Promoter), David Gilbert (Promoter), Nicola Simpson (Senior Development Officer, Fèisean nan Gàidheal), Eilidh Mackenzie (Fèisgoil Manager, Fèisean nan Gàidheal) and Morag Anna MacLeod (Gaelic Development Officer, The Highland Council)
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