Organisers have launched a packed program for the 2012 BLAS Festival
Among the events that will feature at Blas 2012, taking place between September 7 and 15, are a new commission from Gaelic singer Margaret Stewart, a tribute to the late, great Calum Kennedy, a celebration of fiddle fury with Blazin’ Fiddles and Irish trio Fidil, a concert celebrating the voice with Dual, Coisir-G, singer Maeve MacKinnon and Senegalese singer Samba Sene, with further concerts featuring Breabach, Battlefield Band, Kirstan Harvey and the Sanna as well as Linda Macleod – amongst others!
A regular feature of Blas festivals has been new commissions. This year renowned Gaelic singer, Margaret Stewart, has been chosen to explore the theme of ‘The Highland Wedding’, through the ages. Margaret, who is currently the Gaelic Singer in Residence at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and a Gaelic Song specialist for the Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o’ Riches project, will draw on her knowledge of the genre and include songs and music of love, loss and disappointment, flirtation, wooing, night-visiting, humour and dance. The concerts will include the cream of Highland musicians including Iain MacFarlane (fiddle and button box), Ingrid Henderson (clàrsach), Allan Henderson (fiddle and piano) and Angus Nicolson (small pipes and Highland pipes).”
Andrew Dixon, Chief Executive, Creative Scotland commented: “Blas Festival is a highlight of Scotland’s festival calendar and blazes a trail for the very best in Gaelic culture and music. In this, the Year of Creative Scotland, it is simply wonderful to have someone of the calibre of Margaret Stewart working with her great love and knowledge of Gaelic song to bring to life the joy and merriment of the Highland Wedding.”
Donna Macrae, Blas Festival Director said: “We are delighted that Blas will once again feature a range of great quality events across the Highlands and, in addition to the main festival concerts, we have been working with partners to expand the Schools and Community Programme to include Gaelic films, Gaelic conversation circles, forest walks, traditional house cèilidhs, school performances and a variety of other attractions.”
For more information about the full programme of events and for the chance to buy early bird tickets with significant savings up to 31 July, visit www.blas-festival.com
