Kate Forbes MSP supports online tool to help make Gaelic music tuition accessible to all.
The Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy, Kate Forbes MSP, attended the Annual Conference of Gaelic arts organisation, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, on Friday 27th September, where she congratulated it on one of its busiest and most successful years to date, which has seen the development of a brand new online resource for music tuition.
As well a review of the past year, in which the organisation engaged with nearly 80,000 participants, volunteers or audience members, the Minister heard about plans for Oide (Gaelic for tutor), a new progressive learning tool which will make music lessons accessible, initially in Gaelic singing, fiddle and accordion. This brand new extension of Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s FèisTV service, funded by Creative Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and HIE, will offer lessons in a choice of Gaelic or English with the aim of ensuring anyone can learn Gaelic song or Scottish traditional music, no matter their age, ability or geographic location. The resource will be available online shortly with further lessons being developed to include other instruments, providing further work for professional musicians.
Kate Forbes MSP commented: “I would like to congratulate Fèisean nan Gàidheal on a fantastic resource. The Fèisean movement is renowned for its work in opening up Gaelic culture and arts to the wider world and this new initiative can only increase the opportunities for those who wish to engage with the Gaelic language.”
Delegates at the conference, held at the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness, heard about a very successful year for Fèisean nan Gàidheal with the launch of its Annual Report outlining the impressive programme of events, workshops and projects which took place throughout 2018-19 as the Fèis movement celebrated Scotland’s Year of Young People.
The varied programme delivered Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s aspiration of supporting the creative development of young people, giving them opportunities to further their skills and knowledge within Gaelic arts, culture and language in communities and schools across Scotland. Almost 80,000 people were engaged as participants, volunteers or audience members at events which included individual Fèisean, the Blas Festival, Cèilidh Trails, a Gaelic Drama Summer School, a Gaelic Pantomime, a Gaelic residential week in Lewis and Fèisgoil sessions in schools.
Kirsteen Graham, Fèisean nan Gàidheal Chair, said: “Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s Annual Report outlines one of the busiest and most successful years to date for the organisation and its members.”
“Funding secured from EventScotland allowed us to engage further with our young people in delivering a range of projects and opportunities, putting them at the helm during the Year of Young People. They were the key decision-makers in relation to events during the Blas Festival, which was the only signature event in the Highlands organised to celebrate the year and involved over 750 young people who performed alongside some of their musical heroes, chosen by themselves, including Skipinnish, Breabach and Trail West.”
“Our member Fèisean also delivered a tremendous programme of opportunities for young people throughout Scotland and I would like to extend my thanks to all our volunteers who give of their time to support the development of Gaelic arts, language and culture.”
Arthur Cormack, Chief Executive, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, added: “Fèisean nan Gàidheal is always grateful for the support of its funders and our team is focused on making the work of hundreds of volunteers more enjoyable and less onerous. Our Annual Conference is an opportunity to thank them for all they do.”
“Alongside Year of Young People events, other highlights included the further development of FèisTV, a streaming channel to bring events to a wider audience across the world and the increased interest in our education service, Fèisgoil. The proliferation of Gaelic Language Plans offers the potential for Fèisgoil to continue flourishing and more employment opportunities arose with tutors delivering Blasad Gàidhlig (Gaelic taster sessions) to over 20,000 school pupils in schools in Highland, Falkirk, Perth & Kinross, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Argyll & Bute, Edinburgh and Glasgow during 2018-19.”
Delegates also heard presentations about upcoming projects, marketing, working with teenagers and a special conversation with tradition bearer, piper and singer, Rona Lightfoot, whilst enjoying music from some of the talented young participants from two Inverness based Fèisean – Fèis na h-Òige and Fèis a’ Bhaile – and Nairn’s Fèis Inbhir Narainn.
To download a copy of the organisation’s Annual Report, or for further information regarding any of Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s activities, please visit www.feisean.org.
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Cluinnidh Ceit Fhoirbeis BPA mu ghoireas air loidhne a chuidicheas le oideas ceòl Gàidhlig a chur an tairgse a h-uile duine.
Bha Ceit Fhoirbeis BPA, Ministear an Ionmhais Phoblaich agus na h-Eaconomaidh Didsitich, an làthair aig Co-labhairt Bhliadhnail buidheann na h-ealaine Ghàidhlig, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, far an do chuir i meala-naidheachd air a h-uile duine a bha an sàs ann am bliadhna shoirbheachail san deach goireas ionnsachaidh ùr a chruthachadh a chuireas leasain an tairgse dhaoine.
A bharrrachd air sùil air ais air a’ bhliadhna seo chaidh, chuala am ministear mu phlanaichean airson Oide, goireas ionnsachaidh ùr adhartach a chuireas leasain an tairgse dhaoine, an toiseach ann an seinn sa Ghàidhlig, fìdhlearachd agus cluich a’ bhogsa. Tairgidh an leudachadh ùr nuadh seo air seirbhis FèisTV aig Fèisean nan Gàidheal, a tha air a mhaoineachadh le Alba Chruthachail, Bòrd na Gàidhlig agus Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean, leasain le roghainn de Ghàidhlig no de Bheurla a tha an dùil dèanamh cinnteach gur urrainn do dhuine sam bith òrain Ghàidhlig no ceòl Albannach san t-seann nòs ionnsachadh, ge be dè an aois a tha iad, an comas a tha aca no càit a bheil iad a’ fuireach. Gheibhear an goireas air loidhne a dh’aithghearr le tuilleadh leasan gan ullachadh a bheir a-steach ionnsramaidean eile, rud a chumas obair ri luchd-ciùil.
Thuirt Ceit Fhoirbeis BPA, “Bu toigh leam meal a naidheachd a chur air Fèisean nan Gàidheal a thaobh a’ ghoireis mhìorbhilich seo. Tha gluasad nam Fèisean ainmeil airson a cuid obrach ann a bhith a’ sgaoileadh cultar is ealan na Gàidhlig don t-saoghal mhòr agus thèid aig an tionnsgnadh ùr seo air na cothroman a mheudachadh do na tha ag iarraidh a dhol an lùib na Gàidhlig.”
Chuala riochdairean na co-labhairt ann an Tàigh-òsta Mhuilnean an Rìgh ann an Inbhir Nis, mun bhliadhna air leth soirbheachail a bha aig Fèisean nan Gàidheal is iad a’ nochdadh an Aithisg Bhliadhnail anns an robh clàr sgoinneil de na tachartasan, na seiseanan obrach is na pròiseictean a ghabh àite ann an 2018-19 nuair a bha gluasad nam Feìsean a’ comharrachadh Bliadhna na h-Òigridh ann an Alba.
Thug an clàr eugsamhail gu buil amas Fèisean nan Gàidheal a bhith a’ cumail taic ri leasachadh cruthachail na h-òigridh, a’ leigeil leotha an sgilean is an eòlas a chur am meud sna h-ealain, sa chultar agus sa chànain Ghàidhlig ann an coimhearsnachdan is ann an sgoiltean air feadh na h-Alba. Cha mhòr nach robh 80,000 duine na lùib mar chompàirtichean, saor-thoilich no luchd-èisteachd aig tachartasan leithid Fèisean air leth, Fèis Blas, Cèilidhean air Chuairt, Sgoil Shamhraidh Dràma Gàidhlig, Dealbh-chluich na Nollaige, seachdain chòmhnaidh Ghàidhlig ann an Leòdhas agus seiseanan Fèisgoil ann an sgoiltean.
Thuirt Cairistìona Ghreumach, Cathraiche Fèisean nan Gàidheal: “Tha Aithisg Bhliadhnail Fèisean nan Gàidheal ag innse mu thè de na bliadhnaichean a bu trainge is a bu shoirbheachaile fhathast a bha aig a’ bhuidhinn is aig na buill aice.
“Leig an tuilleadh maoineachaidh a fhuaras bho EventScotland leinn barrachd obrach a dhèanamh còmhla ri ar n-òigridh, a’ toirt dhaibh farsaingeachd phròiseictean is cothroman, is gan cur aig an stìuir rè Bliadhna na h-Òigridh. B’ iad fhèin am prìomh-fheadhainn a thagh na tachartasan aig Fèis Blas, an aon tachartas mòr sa Ghàidhealtachd a chuireadh air dòigh gus a’ bhliadhna a chomharrachadh anns an robh còrr is 750 òganach a chluich ri taobh an gaisgich ciùil, a bha air an taghadh leotha fhèin, nam measg Skipinish, Breabach agus Trail West.
Cuideachd thug na Fèisean a tha nam buill againn clàr sgoinneil de chothroman do dh’òigridh air feadh na h-Alba agus bu toigh leam mo thaing a thoirt do na saor-thoilich air fad a bheir seachad an ùine gus taic a chumail ri leasachadh na h-ealain, na cànain is a’ chultair Ghàidhealaich.”
Chuir Art MacCarmaig, Ceannard, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, ris: “Tha Fèisean nan Gàidheal daonnan taingeil airson taic ar luchd-maoineachaidh agus ‘s e prìomh-dhleasdanas ar sgioba uallach na h-obrach a thoirt bho na ceudan de na saor-thoilich a tha againn agus an gnothach a dhèanamh nas tlachdmhoire dhaibh. Tha ar Co-labhairt Bhliadhnail a’ leigeil leinn taing a thoirt dhaibh airson gach rud a nì iad.”
“Còmhla ri tachartasan Bliadhna na h-Òigridh, bha gnothaichean cudromach eile ann leithid tuilleadh leasachaidh air FèisTV, sianal sruthaidh a sgaoileas tachartasan do luchd-coimhead mòr sgapte air feadh an t-saoghail agus an ùidh a tha a’ sìor-fhàs nar seirbhis foghlaim, Fèisgoil. Tha am meud de Phlanaichean Cànain Ghàidhlig a’ toirt a’ chothroim do dh’Fhèisgoil cumail oirre a’ fàs agus bha tuilleadh chothroman obrach ann le oidean a’ toirt Blasad Gàidhlig do chòrr is 20,000 sgoilear ann an sgoiltean air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, san Eaglais Bhric, am Peairt is Ceann Rois, an Àir an Ear, an Àir a Deas, an Lannraig a Tuath, an Earra-ghàidheal is Bòid, an Dùn Èideann is ann an Glaschu rè 2018-19.”
Gu leas nan riochdairean bha òraidean air pròiseictean ùra a tha fainear, margaidheachd, obrachadh le deugairean agus còmhradh sònraichte bho thè a tha na seanchaidh, na pìobaire is na seinneadair, Rona Lightfoot, agus chualas ceòl bho chuid de na compàirtichean òga tàlantach bho dhà Fhèis a tha stèidhichte ann an Inbhir Nis – Fèis na h-Òige is Fèis a’ Bhaile – agus Fèis Inbhir Narainn.
Airson Aithisg Bhliadhnail na buidhne a luchdachadh a-nuas, no airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh air obair sam bith aig Fèisean nan Gàidheal, feuch gun coimhead sibh air www.feisean.org.
