Ready to reel: Feis Rois week of music lined up for Ullapool; star tutors include former feis participants; week culminates in Strathpeffer Pavilion showcase
A WESTER Ross village will soon be reeling from a friendly invasion of musicians fine-tuning their talents under the watchful eye of talented tutors.
The residential music-making week for young people of secondary school age opens in Ullapool on Monday with a final performance in the Strathpeffer Pavilion on Friday, October 25.
A 12-strong team of tutors are amongst some of the country's best known traditional musicians – and many of them are former participants themselves.
Fèis Rois nan Deugairean promises a week of fun for young people in the S1-S6 age range offered a variety of classes. The week includes sessions on instrumental tuition, sound engineering, Gaelic song, songwriting, percussion and group work.
Tutors include Black Isle-raised Lauren MacColl, considered one of Scotland’s most expressive fiddle players and a past winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award as a soloist. She currently performs with many projects including RANT and Salt House. She was commissioned by Fèis Rois to write a suite a music inspired by the life and prophecies of The Brahan Seer.
Rona Wilkie was introduced to traditional music as a baby, and grew up being simultaneously trained in both Highland fiddle style and classical music. She became interested in singing when she attended Gaelic Medium Primary School in Tain.
Rona led fiddle group Gizzen Briggs for several years performing at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in front of the Queen and First Minister in 2004. Rona was named BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2012. She is also a former Fèis Rois participant.
Former Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail participant Mairearad Green grew up in the culture-rich west coast Coigach peninsula and was introduced to folk music at an early age.
In addition to daily tuition from 9.30am – 4pm, there is a packed programme of fun evening activities, including sessions, a concert from the tutors, a ceilidh and a finale concert on the Friday evening when participants can show off what they have learned throughout the week to friends and family.
