Celtic Connections 2020 launched!

CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2020 launched!

16th Jan - 2nd Feb 2020

“That cross-cultural, interdisciplinary spirit is at the heart of Celtic Connections,”   

18 days of live music across Glasgow to warm our winter days!  The world’s premier celtic music festival 27^thyear, begun in 1994!  One-off musical collaborations, talks, workshops, film screenings, theatre productions, ceilidhs, exhibitions, free events, late-night sessions. Of traditional folk, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and world music. Celtic Connections brings together and celebrates special artistic collaborations. Many of the great innovations are brought about this way. 

GRIT orchestra Bothy Culture Hydro

**Opening concert the GRIT orchestra with new compositions -  “it is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom".   

Premiere for - 700^th anniversary of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath: declaration of Scottish independence - by leading Scottish composers, commissioned for Celtic Connections and performed by the GRIT orchestra, legendary ensemble of folk, jazz and classical musicians and led by conductor Greg Lawson. Founded to continue the legacy of Martyn Bennett, who pioneered the fusion ofl folk with techno dance beats. Composers - Jazz-folk musicianFraser Fifield, cellist Rudi de Groote, Clarsach composer Catriona McKay, saxophonist Paul Towndrow, fiddlers Patsy Reid and Chris Stout. 

Lawson said the new work would interpret concepts of freedom expressed in the declaration within a modern context. “To be really free we need to be equal, we need to be diverse, we need to be open, we need to care.  You could say we are taking the declaration and turning it into an appeal: for tolerance, diversity, openness, respect. That's what freedom actually means." 

Niteworks

CONCERTS - A Celebration of Women in Piping  - Louise Mulcahy, Alana MacInnes, Síle Friel, Máire Ní Ghráda, Marion McCarthy, Enora Morice and Robyn Ada McKay.

Auld Lang Syne Burns celebration, with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, Jarlath Henderson, Shona Donaldson.

Transatlantic Sessionsfestival favourite’s all-star line-up. Guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel, Tennessee native Sierra Hull, multi-instrumentals Cahalen Morrison. Dervish lead vocalist Cathy Jordan and singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni.

Transatlantic Sessions

**PLUS – Scottish music with Salsa Celtica, Braebach, Lau, Rura, Blazin fiddles, Mànran,Kinnaris, RANT, Hamish Napier, Sarah-Jane Summers. 

Americana music -  Iris De Ment, Sturgill Simpson, Anais Mitchell, The Lone Bellow, Frazey Ford, Della Mae, The Felice Brothers. 

CELTIC CONNECTIONS ALSO INLCUDES - BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year , Showcase Scotland, The Danny Kyle stage, and its education program. 

Talisk

Blue Rose Code

Rab Noakes

Aly Bain

TICKETS - https://www.celticconnections.com

Photos 2018

2018 was a confusing year.  In Scotland we enjoyed the grand opening of the new V & A Dundee, which is a wondrous new landmark and attraction on the river Tay. 

Journeys

I travelled the Scottish islands – Orkney, which was awesome, and all its history. Orkney gently tells many stories – ancient sagas from its rich past. The outer Hebrides and the beauty of the shimmering soft blues of those landscapes is breathtaking, with its expanse of sands and surging seas....

Ross Wilson

Emeli Sande

MUSIC - Rab Noakes, Blue Rose Code,

Photo of Brian May In Edinburgh - also Karl Ove Knausgaard, Murray Lachlan Young, Gina Miller.

We learn invaluable lessons by following those who walked before us. 

I’ve been searching for Scotia – in Edina’s ancient streets ….

Brian May

Gina Miller

Pipers

Finlay MacDonald

Recently Scottish musician and composer Phil Cunningham presented a fascinating 2 part TV program on the Pipes called 'Pipe Dreams'. He travelled to hear pipes and pipers play worldwide - from Ireland to India. – to inspire his new composition for the pipes. 

In January I attended the brilliant opening concert of Celtic Connections 2015 - the orchestral debut of Scottish piper Martyn Bennett’s last album GRIT. The range of dynamics , tones, energy, emotions, fun – play the tune on the chanter!

I wrote in my review of the music - This album offers a musical journey - producing pounding bass rhythms, hesitant strings, gradual and also unexpected crescendos, brass epic grandeur, haunting Gaelic voices, thematic stirring pipes and also humour. The Grit album is about pushing the boundaries and limitations.

Liam O’Flynn of the Irish folk band Planxty, who plays the uilleann pipes, spoke of the importance of valuing traditions, ‘ To find a secure place to be part of a tradition. Hard won thing to be part of a tradition and its important to be aware of that.’

The uilleann pipes, have a lovely colour and emotion

In the 50s there were only abut 100 players and today there are over 6,000 players of the uilleann pipes worldwide. 

At a Canadian pipe school the children were told, ‘We hope you have fun and work hard – fun and work - .work WINS, fun never wins!  Excellent instruction! 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/pipedreams

The Clan Gathering

My Edinburgh Experience - The Clan Gathering Edinburgh 2009
A year or so back I saw a photo in the Scotsman – it was an old b & w photo of a clan parade about 50 years ago in Princes Street Edinburgh. I thought it was interesting. Many ex-pats had returned to take part and celebrate their Scottish heritage. As I arrive July 25th, my birthday, I am struck by the contrast in cities, behind the cobbled stones. Here the bin men are on strike – yet again. There are delays with the trams. Still Edinburgh always put on a good show.

This was a unique affair, several years in the making and the clan Gathering offered expats a chance to come to Scotland and celebrate a shared heritage and shared roots.