Hebridean Celtic Festival, Isle of Lewis
HOTBED OF TALENT IN THE HEBRIDES
The Hebridean Celtic Festival attracts musicians from around the
world to Scotland and this year's line up boasts an unusual mix,
as Lorraine Wakefield discovers.
Lewis in the Western Isles may not seem the obvious place to hold a festival with an international line up of musical talent but although the venue may be small the festival it hosts is one of the biggest celebrations of Celtic music anywhere.
The Hebridean Celtic Festival will be held on the Isle of Lewis from 17 - 20 July 2002 and as its success grows year on year it has again attracted top names from the music world to headline this year's bill.
One of Ireland's biggest bands the Hothouse Flowers (above) tops this year's line up at the festival but there will also be plenty more on offer from traditional fiddling to the enchanting singing of a Mongolian herdsman.
Over four days concerts, music sessions, family and children's events and Gaelic language tasters will be held in Stornoway with the main stage in a giant marquee at Lews Castle and other events taking place in local communities.
The Hebridean Celtic Festival was first held in 1996 and each year the audience has got bigger and bigger with visitors from the mainland and abroad as well as islanders getting into the festival spirit.
Advance ticket sales for this year's festival are already going well meaning audiences look set to rise yet again with even more people travelling long distances to attend according to festival director Caroline MacLennan.
"Audience figures have increased over the years by 20 - 25% annually," she explained. "Last year over 6,000 people attended individual events with the audience split roughly 50/50 between visitors and local residents.
"We saw folk from over 26 countries around the world last year and this is a trend we expect to see continue this year," she said.
The Hothouse Flowers appearance at the festival will be the first time they have visited the Western Isles and there are many others in the line up who are making a debut appearance too while other acts are returning to the festival.
There will be the African drums and Gaelic song of Baka Beyond, the very distinctive Scottish style of Shooglenifty, the Quebecois of La Volee d'Castors and the virtuoso abilities of Ireland's Mairead Nesbitt amonst others, from what is a quality international line-up.
Festival director Caroline said it was difficult to pick out the highlights of the festival as there would be so many different highlights thanks to the top class performers taking part.
"It is all a highlight; headlining this year are Hothouse Flowers but it is especially nice to welcome back Baka Beyond who went down a storm in 2000 and also Shooglenifty who appeared at the very first festival in 1996," she said.
Perhaps
the most unusual and interesting act on the programme is Mongolian
herdsman and truck driver Tserendaava (left) a master performer
and teacher of Mongolian Khoomii (overtone) singing.
The Khoomii is one person singing two or more distinct pitches at the same time resulting in the natural harmonics of the voice being isolated and creating a high flute like melody that emerges from a low drone.
Tserendaava's performance will help raise funds for his community back home in Mongolia by buying a new truck that will enable him to move the nomadic herdspeople of his district move their gers (round felt tents) throughout the year. He will also be launching his first solo album, recorded in his own ger in Mongolia, to coincide with his visit to Scotland.
"Tserendaava is a great example of the rich variety of music and entertainment we offer at the Hebridean Celtic Festival," continued Caroline. "His style of singing is virtually non-existent in the western world and this is an ideal opportunity for festival-goers to experience something new and intriguing.
"The opportunity presented itself and was too good to miss, (Western Mongolia to the Western Isles) totally intriguing mouth music. The nearest Scotland has to this is Canterachd which mimicks the sound of the pipes but this goes one step further by introducing a flute like whistle over the drone."
Another first time visitor to the festival and the Western Isles will be one time All Ireland fiddle champion Mairead Nesbitt who has taken her musical talents around the world on three world tours with Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance show.
She has worked with a host of other top names including Van Morrison, Sinead O'Connor, Clannad, Frances Black and Sharon Shannon and recently fulfilled a long-held ambition by releasing her first solo album "Raining Up".
Talking about the festival Mairead said, "I've never been to the Outer Hebrides & I'm really looking forward to playing in Stornoway,I hope everyone enjoys the gig as much as we will!"
This is just a taste of everything that is on offer at the Hebridean Celtic Festival and there is much, much more happening to help everyone celebrate their Celtic roots.
More information and ticket details can be found on the website www.hebceltfest.com
(11/7/2002)
Back
