Our series of musical events as part of the Heb Celt programme will officially open with the premiere of Catriona Macdonald’s Wave Waulking, commissioned by An Lanntair’s Between Islands project, which aims to encourage collaboration between the arts and heritage communities of the Western and Northern Isles.
The daughter of a Shetland mother and a Lewis father, fiddler Catriona Macdonald will look through the musical lens of her own bi-island identity. Taking inspiration from both places as cultural touchstones, Wave Waulking will weave sound and images from both islands’ past and contemporary life and include fragments from archive and contemporary sources, filmed images, folkloric texts, and found sound, all underpinned by a newly composed musical score and live performance by Catriona with Timo Alakotila (piano).
Between Islands is also the root of Saturdays concert, when Shore to Shore takes to the stage. Featuring Willie Campbell, (Lewis) Arthur Nicholson and Jenny Keldie (Shetland) and Sarah McFadyen (Orkney) – along with some special guests – the concert is inspired by this year’s theme of island emigration, and specifically the exploration of Scotland’s musical influence on the Americas and the country music genre.
Emigration is also the theme of Fridays Hebridean Women, marking the centenary of emigrant ships The Marloch and Metagama leaving the Hebrides for Canada and America.
Each year this celebration of traditional Gaelic song has a changing line up of artists, featuring the best of what the area has to offer. On this occasion we feature Anna Murray, Fionnaig NicCoinnich, Josie Duncan and will introduce emerging artist Iona Davidson. The vocalists will be accompanied on piano by Andy Yearly.
In a similar vein, for our community event and Thursday concerts, we are placing a spotlight on some of the areas finest young pipers. In the first outing for this special commission, Hebridean Pipers will feature James Duncan Mackenzie, Alana Macinnes, Calum Alex Macmillan and Seonaidh Macintyre in a celebration of the Islands piping tradition. They will also play a rural concert on Wednesday 12th July at Breasclete Hall.
HebCelt Festival Director, Graham MacCallum, said: “HebCelt is delighted to once again partner with An Lanntair to place local artists at the heart of our festival programming. There’s a wonderfully dynamic series of performances at An Lanntair to enjoy across the festival week which celebrates the region’s wonderfully rich cultural heritage.”
An Lanntair Head of Performing Arts and Cultural Projects Alex MacDonald said: “This year, we are particularly excited to be presenting premiere performances of new commissions, which have been specially created by An Lanntair for festival week. Each event also highlights the theme of collaboration and places a spotlight on both emerging and established local artists. We think it’s an exciting series of concerts and are very much looking forward to once again playing a part in this year’s Heb Celt week.”
Tickets for An Lanntair’s HebCelt programme can be purchased here:
www.hebceltfest.com/lanntair-programme
HebCelt 2023 will take place on 12-15 July, visit www.hebceltfest.com.
- Wednesday 12th July, 7.30pm – (Breasclete Hall) – HEBRIDEAN PIPERS – £12/£10/free for under fives
- Wednesday 12th July, 7.30pm – BETWEEN ISLANDS: WAVE WAULKING, CATRIONA MACDONALD £18 (includes entry to ceilidh to follow)
- Thursday 13th July, 7.30pm – HEBRIDEAN PIPERS – £18 (includes entry to following ceilidh dance)
- Friday 14th July, 7.30pm – HEBRIDEAN WOMEN £16
- Saturday 15th July 7.30pm – BETWEEN ISLANDS: SHORE TO SHORE £16
Tha an sreath de chuirmean-ciùil a th’ againn mar phàirt de dh’Fhèis Cheilteach Innse Gall a’ tòiseachadh le Wave Waulking le Catriona NicDhòmhnaill. Seo a’ chiad triop a chì duine sam bith an cuirm-ciùil ùr iongantach seo, air a choimiseanadh leis a’ phròiseact Between Islands aig An Lanntair- pròiseact a tha a’ brosnachadh co-obrachadh eadar daoine a tha an sàs anns na h-ealainean agus dualchas anns Na h-Eileanan an Iar agus Na h-Eileanan mu Thuath.
Nighean fear à Leòdhas agus ban-Shealtainneach a th’ anns an fhìdhlear Catriona NicDhòmhnaill, agus ’s e an fhèin-aithne sin, mar thè a tha a’ buntainn ri dà eilean, a tha fon phrosbaig agus a bhrosnaich an ceòl ùr sa. Gu dearbha, fhuair i togail-inntinn bhon dà àite agus an cultar shònraichte a bhuinneas riutha, agus thèid fuaimean agus dealbhan às gach eilean fhighe ri chèile, an dà chuid bho na làithean a dh’fhalbh agus an latha-an-diugh. Bidh iad sin air an dèanamh an àirde de bhloighean às an tasglann agus de stuth ùr, filmichen, fiosrachadh bho bheul-aithris agus fuaimean bhon t-saoghal mu thimcheall oirre.
’S e Between Islands a th’ air cùlaibh a’ chuirm-chiùil a bhios againn Oidhche Shathairne cuideachd, nuair a bhios Shore to Shore air an àrd-ùrlar. Am measg an luchd-ciùil bidh Uilleam Caimbeul (Leòdhas), Arthur Nicholson agus Jenny Keldie (Sealtainn) agus Sarah MacFadyen (Arcaibh) is eile. ’S e eilthireachd cuspair a’ chuirm-chiùil sa, agus iad a’ toirt sùil air a’ bhuaidh a bh’ aig ceòl à Alba air Aimeireagaidh agus ceòl-tuatha gu sònraichte.
Sin eilthireachd an dearbh chuspair a bhios aig teis-meadhan a’ ghnothaich Oidhche Haoine cuideachd, agus an cuirm-ciùil bliadhnail againn, Hebridean Women, a’ comharrachadh 100 bliadhna bho dh’fhàg Am Màrloch agus Am Metagama cladaichean na h-Alba airson Canada agus Aimeireagaidh. Bidh an cuirm mìorbhaileach seo a’ dèanamh fèill air òrain Ghàidhlig bhon dualchas againn, le luchd-ciùil eadar-dhealaichte an sàs a h-uile bliadhna airson an fharsaingeachd de thàlant a th’ againn anns Na h-Eileanan an Iar a thaisbeanadh. ’S iad Anna Mhoireach, Fionnag NicCoinnich, Josie NicDhonnchaidh agus Iona NicDhaibhidh– tè òg a tha air leth tàlantach agus a’ nochdadh airson a’ chiad turas aig Hebridean Women- na seinneadairean a bhios againn am bliadhna sa, agus nan cuideachd bidh Andy Yearley air a’ phiàno.
An àite nan seinneadairean, ’s iad cuid de na pìobairean as fheàrr a bhuinneas do na h-Eileanan an Iar a bhios a’ cluich aig na cuirmean-ciùil Oidhche Chiadain (Breascleit) agus Oidhche Ardaoine (An Lanntair). ’S e coimisean gu tur ùr a th’ ann an Hebridean Pipers, a nì fèill air an traidisean làidir de phìobaireachd a th’ againn anns na h-eileanan, le na pìobairean cliùiteach Seumas Donnchadh MacCoinnich, Alana NicAonghais, Calum Alex Mac a’ Mhaoilein agus Seonaidh Mac an t-Saoir a’ cluich ann.
Thuirt stiùiriche HebCelt, Graham MacCallum: “Tha e na thoileachas dhuinn aig HebCelt a bhith ag obair còmhla-ris An Lanntair airson luchd-ciùil ionadail a chur aig teis-meadhan a’ phrògraim againn. Tha measgachadh math de chuirmean-ciùil a’ gabhail àite aig An Lanntair fad seachdain HebCelt na bliadhna sa, is iad uile a’ taisbeanadh dualchas agus cultar sònraichte na sgìre.”
Thuirt Ceannard nan Ealain Beò agus Phròiseactan Cultarail, Alex NicDhòmhnaill: “Tha sinn air bhioran am bliadhna sa is sinn air coimiseanan ùra a chur air dòigh a dh’aona-ghnothaich airson HebCelt, agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri na coimiseanan sin a chur mu choinneimh an t-sluaigh airson a’ chiad uair. Tha gach tachartas gu mòr stèidhte air co-obrachadh, agus a’ cur prìomhachas air luchd-ciùil ionadail, ged a tha cliù aca mar-thà no a’ nochdadh airson a’ chiad turas. ’S e sreath de chuirmean-ciùil air leth a tha seo, agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri bhith nar pàirt de HebCelt a-rithist am bliadhna sa.”
Tha tiocaidean airson prògram-HebCelt aig An Lanntair ri fhaotainn an seo:
www.hebceltfest.com/lanntair-programme
Bidh HebCelt 2023 a’ gabhail àite eadar 12-15 den Iuchar, theirigibh gu www.hebceltfest.com.