Rita MacNeil gave us more than music
Cape Breton’s shining jewel and its first lady of song Rita
MacNeil passed away on April 16. Her shy demeanor and gentle
soul hid a giant, soulful voice, and the songs she performed
resonated with her fans, both Canadian and international...
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Gaelic council reaching out to communities
First there will be tea, music and a chat, followed by a
discussion that focuses on community and social connections,
before moving into the program, as per the Gaelic custom,
according to the Gaelic Council of Nova Scotia. The council
will hosts sessions in 10 of the province’s more active
Gaelic communities...
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Gaelic
College unveils plans for 75th anniversary celebration
The first in the anticipated series of celebrations begins
June 30 and continues through July 6 when festivities
conclude with a gala closing concert that includes Jimmy
Rankin, Ashley MacIsaac and Mary Jane Lamond...
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Gaelic
College offering variety of programs during March break It promises to be a busy winter at the Gaelic College,
with several new programs being offered. “The most
significant winter program we have happening at the college
is our March break program, which is now called, Seachdain
nan Sguabag,” said Tracey Dares MacNeil, director of
education and programming at the college. “This literally
means a week of sweeping. It comes from a very old Gaelic
rhyme that most of our native Gaelic speakers are familiar
with....
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Celtic Colours comes to a
close
Alexandria Samson was just a baby when the first Celtic
Colours International Festival opened with a performance by
Irish legends, the Chieftains. Sixteen years later, the
17-year-old harpist from Arichat had a chance to perform for
a Celtic Colours crowd there to see the Chieftains once
again. Samson played Saturday night in the lobby of Centre
200 prior to the festival’s closing night show, as part of a
youth showcase stage...
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Nine Nights of World Class
Trad -
on Our Island or in your Living Room
We invite
you to come céilidh with us at the 16th annual Celtic
Colours International Festival on Cape Breton Island. A
Canadian Tourism Commission Signature Event and winner of
the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s 2011 Cultural
Tourism Award, Celtic Colours will welcome artists from all
over the Celtic world from Friday, October 5th to Saturday,
October 13th.
With over
300 artists performing at
46 shows and more than 200 Community Cultural Events
taking place in 55 communities, there is something for
everyone to enjoy.
And if
you're unable to make it in person, tune in to one of our
live streams
at 7:30pm ADT each night of the Festival and enjoy
broadcast-quality video of a concert in its entirety.
Cape Breton’s famous Red Shoe
Pub mulling
what to do after titular shoe stolen It was a Friday night around
closing time when the crime occurred. The Red Shoe Pub in
Mabou, N.S., was full of locals, tourists and fiddle players
— potential eyewitnesses — milling about, as they typically
do at “the Shoe.” ... READ MORE
Want to write a chart-topping
country song?
Canadian hit-maker Sampson tells how
If songs are like children to professional hit-makers,
Canadian Gordie Sampson is one watchful dad. The 40-year-old
from Big Pond, N.S., has penned two chart-topping smash
singles for Carrie Underwood while also dashing off songs
for the likes of Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Blake
Shelton, Martina McBride and LeAnn...
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Celtic Colours International
Festival explores
island
theme with 2012 lineup
(Sydney,
NS, June 25, 2012) It’s no secret that Cape Bretoners are
proud of their Island heritage. “We are an island, a rock in
the stream. We are a people as proud as there’s been…” go
the lyrics to Cape Breton’s unofficial anthem, “The Island”.
It’s often
argued that those who come from islands are somehow just a
little different—a point that Newfoundlanders, Shetlanders,
the Irish, the Scottish, and many more around the world
would be quick to agree with. There’s something about an
island that keeps a culture unique.
Exploring
that idea this year, Celtic Colours International Festival
will welcome artists from islands all over the Celtic world.
The 16th edition of the nine-day, island-wide celebration
gets underway October 5th at the Port Hawkesbury Civic
Centre and wraps up on the 13th at Sydney’s Centre 200.
“We’re
very excited to be bringing you The Chieftains who are on
their 50th anniversary tour, our own Natalie MacMaster,
Fiddlers’ Bid from Shetland, and the Battlefield Band from
Scotland, along with our Artists in Residence—Irish
guitarist, singer and songwriter John Doyle and Cape Breton
singer-songwriter Cyril MacPhee,” said Artistic Director
Joella Foulds.
Returning
to the Festival this year, by popular demand, are the Asham
Stompers, The Once, Vishtèn, Madison Violet, April Verch
Band, Alan Kelly Gang, The Outside Track, and Daniel Lapp.
As always we’ll see a host of local favourites including
Rita MacNeil, J.P. Cormier, a Brakin’ Tradition reunion,
Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy MacIsaac, Troy MacGillivray,
Kimberley Fraser, Howie MacDonald, Brenda Stubbert, Andrea
Beaton, Sprag Session (formerly the Colin Grant Band), the
Men of the Deeps, and many more.
Performing
at Celtic Colours for the first time are Oirialla, a band
from Ireland featuring festival favourite Nuala Kennedy,
Fionia String Band from Denmark, the Dardanelles from
Newfoundland, Makem & Spain featuring Tommy Makem’s sons,
and the Chaisson Family from Prince Edward Island.
Creative
projects this year include the next editions of the
Fiddletree and Roots to the Future projects as well as a
concert dedicated to Cape Breton songs of work and protest.
And of course there will be a full complement of Community
Cultural Experiences including dances, meals, sessions,
workshops, lectures, exhibits, outdoor activities and more.
Experience
it all at Celtic Colours International Festival, a Canadian
Tourism Commission Signature Event and winner of the Tourism
Industry Association of Canada’s 2011 Cultural Tourism
Award.
Celtic
Colours 2012 takes place October 5-13 in more than 50
communities all over Cape Breton Island. Tickets go on sale
July 9. For more information, including photos, artist
biographies, and a video all about this year’s festival,
visit the newly redesigned
celtic-colours.com.
Fiddler Mike
Hall immersed in Cape Breton music
Even before his debut album hit store shelves in 2010,
fiddler Mike Hall was planning for his next one. Two years
later, those plans have come to life with “Dance Hall,” his
second full-length recording, which is set to be released
this weekend... READ MORE
Central
Cape Breton Choir presents "Dia Mó Cheòl/ God Is My Song", a
Faith Based evening of inspiration, culture and song on
Friday, June 1st, 7:30PM at St. Columba Church, Iona.
Admission $13 for Adults, $7 for Students, $5 for Youth
under 12. Tickets will be available at the door. The event
is sponsored by St. Comba Parish Council. The Choir will be
accompanied by Ed Woodsworth, Brian Talbot, Dave McKeough,
Kyle MacNeil, Tracey Dares MacNeil, Janet Gillis, Cathy
MacMillan and Kelly MacMillan. It is an event not to be
missed!
Island musicians performing in
Fort McMurray, Alta.
An impressive lineup of East Coast musicians, including
several Cape Bretoners, are descending on Fort McMurray,
Alta. for the final weekend of the 2012 Syncrude WinterPlay
Festival... READ MORE
Chrissy Crowley is a fiddler on
the go
Busy year ahead as Margaree musician tours and prepares to
record new album. Chrissy Crowley’s phone has been ringing
plenty over the last few weeks and 2012 is shaping up to be
a busy year of travel, touring and new tunes for the
talented fiddler. The Margaree native has been keeping
pretty busy with local gigs over the winter months, but
things will kick into high gear in the next few weeks, with
trips to Cuba, the eastern United States, and Europe in the
works for the spring and summer... READ MORE
Nova Scotia Music Week opens today
Kenneth and Angus MacKenzie will hear their names called for
the first time as Music Nova Scotia award nominees this
weekend.
The Mabou brothers are nominated for traditional/roots
recording of the year for their album “Piob is Fidheall”
(Pipes and Fiddles), which is among 22 music awards and 21
industry awards set to be handed out during Nova Scotia
Music Week which begins today in Yarmouth...
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More national acclaim for
Celtic Colours International Festival
In the midst of its fifteenth successful annual event, the
Celtic Colours International Festival received honours from
two national... READ MORE
Fiddler’s Reel: Finding Gaelic cast was easy part
Surprisingly, finding a Gaelic-speaking cast for The
Fiddler’s Reel was not the hardest task for writer-director
Marc Almon when making his 17-minute short film. He also had
to create Depression-era costumes for 30 featured cast and
extras, work with guns and a dog, and shoot in Cape Breton
in a torrential downpour that wiped out the Meat Cove
bridge... Read More
Celtic Colours International
Festival Celebrates 15 Years of
Renowned Colours by Day and World Class Concerts by Night We're only weeks away from
kicking off the 15th annual Celtic Colours International
Festival which promises to add another sea of memories to
those Festival goers have already collected during the past
decade and a half. Again this year 45 concerts have been
meticulously programmed to take audiences on a compelling
exploration of the roots and branches of our Celtic family
tree... Read More
Although
rooted in the Celtic music of her native Ireland and adopted
homeland of Scotland, she is increasingly recognized for her
eclectic cross-genre work. Her second solo album was
released on Nashville's Compass Records in 2010. ‘TUNE IN’
features ten unique and evocative tracks with some
well-known guest recording artists. It was voted one of the
top ten traditional albums of 2010
by THE IRISH TIMES
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