Festivals

National Eisteddfod of Wales Discovery:Esyllt Tudur

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 4 Comments

National Eisteddfod of Wales attracts up to 160,000 visitors.

The National Eisteddfod has been attracting foreign visitors annually and numbers increased up to 160,000 attendees. It  costs around £2.8m to stage. It is traditionally held in the first week of August and the competitions are all held in the Welsh language. According to Wiki:

The festival has a heavy druidic flavour, with the crowning and chairing ceremonies for the victorious poets being attended by bards in flowing white costumes, dancing maidens, trumpet fanfares and a symbolic horn of plenty. However, the heritage of this ceremony is of dubious provenance and owes its existence within the Eisteddfod structure to Iolo Morganwg, whose Gorsedd ceremonies were adopted by the Eisteddfod from 1819. Nevertheless, it is taken very seriously, and an award of a crown or a chair for poetry is a great honour. The Chairing and Crowning ceremonies are the highlight of the week, and are presided over by the Archdruid.

Pic courtesy of : thenewportship.com

Pic courtesy of : thenewportship.com

The musical aspect of this event is huge and as a result a lot of musicians flock into the annual gathering . This is like a Loollapalooza of Celtic music. Only that we will be expecting poets and other members of the ‘learned’ crowd to be there.

I have been attracted to the singing of Esyllt Tudur . She been a familiar face and voice in this event. I heard her singing Ar Lan y Mor and it stuck with me. The mystical voice coupled with right instrumental arrangement creates an atmosphere of being transported into the age of Merlin. Her debut CD contains some of the music that Esyllt has enjoyed performing over the years, as well as some classical favourites.
1. Ar Lan y Mor
2. Breuddwydio Wnes
3. Gwydr Glas
4. Dyrchefir Fi (You Raise Me Up)
(Gyda Cor Creuddyn)
5. Gobaith yn y Tir
6  Gwn Dafydd Ifan
7. Suo Gan
8. Myfanwy
9. Adre’n Ol
10. Pererin Wyf Mewn Anial Dir
11. Un Dydd ar y Tro
12. Chwarae’n Troi’n Chwerw

http://www.myspace.com/esyllttudur


14th Celtic Colours International Festival :It Starts Now!

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Sorry for the late broadcast but it starts now. Grab your tickets!!!

14th Celtic Colours International Festival starts Friday, October 8th!

Several venues sold out but seats remain at many exciting shows.

Tickets to Celtic Colours shows remain in high demand with 13 shows already sold out. If you are interested in attending one of our other 32 shows act fast to ensure yourself a seat. Whether you are looking to attend one show or a week’s worth you can still get your fill of world class traditional music.

Celtic Colours nominated for “National Cultural Tourism” award!

Celtic Colours International Festival is a finalist for the National Awards for Tourism Excellence’s National Cultural Tourism Award presented by The Toronto Star.

The National Awards for Tourism Excellence allow Canada’s tourism industry to recognize those people, places, organizations and events that have gone above and beyond to offer a superior tourism experience to travelers in Canada.

Tickets still available for some of our most exciting shows.
Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with Colorado chanteuse Mollie O’Brien

Tunes gu leòr – Volume I – Artists in Residence Chris Stout and Catriona McKay have been working with Troy MacGillivray, Andrea Beaton, Colin Grant and Nuala Kennedy before the Festival to come up with some new tunes together. This first concert will showcase each of these incredible artists and their current repertoires

Celtic Thanksgiving: Dinner & Concert -At Celtic Colours, we celebrate Thanksgiving with great food, good company, and spectacular music. This is a great evening to give thanks–to sit back, enjoy a delicious turkey dinner with all the fixings and immerse yourself in a variety of top-notch music.

Drive ‘er – In addition to driving artists all over Cape Breton island, members of the not-for-profit Festival Volunteer Drive’ers Association sell Festival and artist CDs at Celtic Colours concerts for a small commission. Since 2006, the Association has used the proceeds to help an up and coming Cape Breton Celtic artist record their first album. This concert features those artists who are now well on their way to becoming household names in Cape Breton music.
Ireland’s Nuala Kennedy will perform at Tunes gu leòr – Volumes I & II

Tunes gu leòr – Volume II – This concert marks the debut of the new collaborations from the artists showcased at Tunes gu leòr Vol I. Chris and Catriona, backed by the Festival’s own string orchestra will also play some newly composed tunes from their latest critically acclaimed album White Nights.

Beòlach and Friends – Beòlach first came together from an onstage collaboration at Celtic Colours Festival Club in 1998 and haven’t looked back since. They’ve traveled the world and home again. The band’s name translates as “Lively Youth” and tonight many of the band’s equally talented friends will gather on the same stage in Inverness.

Making Songs – Gaelic superstars T with the Maggies and Meantime team up with local culture bearers Mary Jane Lamond, Goiridh Dòmhnallach and Lewis MacKinnon to present an unforgettable evening including new Gaelic song and poetry written specifically for this show.

Songs from Home – As the 2010 festival draws to a close, we will again be reflecting on “home” and this time celebrating the songs that tell our story wherever our home may be. Tonight’s concert will include songs from Ireland, Newfoundland, Scotland, Cape Breton and beyond; songs that represent “home” to our amazing cast of balladeers.

Please visit our show description page for more information on all our performances.

Pack your fiddle, paintbrush or bicycle and join in the fun!

Working closely with hosting community organizations, Celtic Colours International Festival is able to offer plenty of opportunities for folks who are itching to experience our living Celtic culture firsthand through music, visual art, workshops and outdoor events.

There will be daily Participatory Events that range from traditional, all-join-in tune sessions to song sharing sessions, open-mic style events and more.

Learning Opportunities are presentations, demonstrations, lectures, and workshops offered throughout the week for all skill levels and a variety of different disciplines

Take in some fresh air and check out some of Cape Breton’s beautiful fall scenery and spectacular landscape during one of our Outdoor Events.

Professional artists, hobbyists, and art enthusiasts alike will enjoy the many events and exhibits that make up our dazzling Visual Art Series.

From pancake breakfasts to seafood feasts and even Thanksgiving dinner, our community partners will be hard at work making sure everyone is ready for the evenings’ high energy sessions at one of the many Community Meals on offer.

Natalie MacMaster launches book October 9th!

Natalie MacMaster’s Cape Breton Aire is a self-published book that has been in the works for several years. It is the story of a musical life and place. Along with stunning photography it is a tribute to Natalie’s exceptional musical skills and to those who preceded her and shaped her past.

Join Natalie for the launch of the book at the Celtic Music Interpretive Center in Judique from 4 – 6pm on Saturday, October 9th.

Purchase tickets by phone, online or at our box office!

Purchase online 24/7 at: www.celtic-colours.com

By Phone:
1-888-355-7744 (toll free in North America)
(902) 567-3000 (local)

At the Box Office: Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion, 74 Esplanade, Sydney (head for the Big Fiddle). Our Box Office and phone lines are open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm ADT.

If phoning to reserve tickets we ask that you have your wish list and a valid credit card handy. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express for all phone and internet orders.

Get in the festival spirit with High Definition videos

Our YouTube channel at youtube.com/celticcolours hosts many fantastic new HD videos from the 2009 festival, from our wildly successful Festival Club Stage during the 2010 East Coast Music Association weekend held here in Cape Breton and brand new promotional videos created by our friends at Shot On Site Media that highlight the stories behind some of 2010’s most innovative shows.

This Year’s Michigan Irish Music Festival

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My friend Christi has a lot to share in this year’s Michigan Irish Festival headed by great bands such as Gaelic Storm, Leahy…among others. Read more here: http://journalingmylifeaway.blogspot.com/2010/09/8-hours-of-heart-pounding-celtic-heaven.html

Anam/Spirit Radio Debut and Other Celtic Festivals

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 3 Comments

Those who are excited to get a full length audio treatment of Jenne Lennon’s Anam/Spirit will catch it here: http://www.musictogousa.com/ The song is taken from Celtic Dreams under Quickstar Productions. Here’s an invitation from Jenne:

Hello Everyone. My new single “Anam/Spirit” is making its radio debut this Saturday, Sept. 11th on The Songwriter’s Network Live 365 radio from 6PM to 11PM Eastern time. This marks a sad day for America, but a song about forgiveness and the in-conquerable human spirit seems fitting. Thank you all for the support.

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If you are in West Dundee Illinois then you will catch  The Fox Valley Irish Fest. Very interesting array of performances from bands to Irish dancing.

http://www.foxvalleyirishfest.com/

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I love blue grass music and the Niall Toner band delivers  the genre with a force of a firestorm. The music will leave you breathless and you will spend the night tapping your toes long after the music is done. This is such a treat for those who like the fusion of Celtic and American music. Better check them out: http://www.nialltonerband.com/

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If you are in Rome then you should not miss the Harp Festival in Rome:

Julie Fowlis @ Great Gigs

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Julie  Fowlis has performed around various venues. One of them was the much celebrated HebCelt Fest. She became one of the prominent spokes person for Gaelic singing. Her humor is irresistible and she has the style.  Here are the highlights:

@ Sidmouth

@ the Cambridge Folk Festival.