A nine-day celebration of the music and culture of the Highlands takes place next month when the second SEALL Festival of Small Halls brings the giants of Scottish traditional music to small rural communities around the Isles of Skye and Raasay between 22 and 30 November.
Brought to the islands by SEALL, one of Scotland’s leading performing arts promotion charities, based in the south of Skye, 2019 also sees a special partnership between Small Halls and the mighty Blas Festival.
The SEALL Festival of Small Halls was launched last year to high critical acclaim and enjoyed full houses and sell-out performances island-wide.
Skye-based former Runrig frontman Donnie Munro said: “The Small Halls Festival is a hugely exciting development in Seall’s on-going programming. Bringing such a fantastic range of internationally recognised artists to our dispersed rural communities breathes new life into these small village halls, many of which were, in the past, at the very heart of community life.”
Celebrated musicians Duncan Chisholm, Donald Shaw, Jarlath Henderson, Innes Watson, Su-a Lee, Lauren MacColl, Hamish Napier, Rachel Newton and Megan Henderson will lead concerts, cèilidhs, sessions and workshops inside small halls in Braes, Breakish, Edinbane, Elgol, Glendale, Kilbeg, Kilmuir, Kyleakin, Minginish, Portree, Raasay and Waternish. Most of the participating halls are extending the hospitality by turning their event into a special celebration with pre-concert celebratory meals, bars and raffles. The emphasis is on celebration and inclusivity and is an opportunity for communities, musicians and visitors to join in an evening of world-class entertainment and celebrate together in the traditional way.
Duncan Chisholm said: “The Small Halls Festival 2018 on Skye was a fantastic experience for me. It gave me and all the musicians involved a chance to play in intimate venues across Skye which otherwise, due to logistics and finance, would not have the opportunity.
“We connected with the communities we visited by being involved in an immersive programme of events. These included educational school workshops, musical and literary talks and of course the concerts. All of this provided a closer and more intimate connection between the musicians, the people of Skye and visitors than would otherwise be achieved at a festival or in larger venues.
“The informal approach that the Small Halls and small halls audiences gave also allowed the musicians to experiment with arrangements resulting in some really exciting new music.”
A very special guest to this year’s festival, world-renowned BBC broadcaster Matthew Bannister will present a talk and film on his award-winning podcast Folk on Foot.
Matthew said: “I’ve been to Skye loads of times, but never in the company of such an extraordinary bunch of musicians. I can’t wait to hear them in action at the amazing Small Halls Festival. I’m bringing my films of top artists (including Duncan Chisholm) performing in spectacular locations and we’ll be creating more wonderful episodes of Folk on Foot while we’re on the island. What a treat!”
The festival kicks off in Kyleakin Hall, just over the Skye Road Bridge, on 22 November with a concert featuring eight of the participating musicians. The event is part of the 2019 Blas Festival and will take the form of a special celebration with dinner and a cèilidh dance.
Another Blas highlight takes place on Thursday 28 November when celebrated Errogie fiddle player Adam Sutherland joins the musicians on the stage of Edinbane Hall. Adam Sutherland will also be taking part in Small Talk, interviewing some of the Small Halls’ musicians for his popular podcast Interesting People.
St Andrew’s Day (30 November) closes the festival with a spectacular celebratory concert and cèilidh for all at the iconic Sligachan Hotel, the festival’s main business sponsor, in honour of Scotland’s National Day.
For 2019, the popular Small Halls Big Cèilidh will join the global Fair Saturday cultural movement when thousands of artists and cultural organisations around the world get together for St Andrew’s Night in a unique festival to support local causes. The Big Cèilidh will raise funds for Ross-shire Women’s Aid.
As part of SEALL’s commitment to open access to all events, the festival supports young people in a number of ways by exposing them to high quality performing arts through ticket incentives and performance opportunities. Young local rising stars of the Scottish traditional music scene will have the opportunity to learn from the masters and, over the course of the festival, musicians will be leading free school music workshops for pupils across the islands and in Plockton.
Duncan added: “The Isle of Skye has some amazingly beautiful halls and provides an incredible backdrop for this unique audience/musician experience.
“I am very much looking forward to Small Halls 2019 in the hope we can continue connecting with these rural communities and in the process creating new music and passing on some of our skills.”
The festival has received support through Creative Scotland, Scotland’s Winter Festivals, the Sligachan Hotel, Culture and Business Fund Scotland, the Blas Festival, CalMac Ferries and the Highland Council. The festival has also attracted the support of local businesses such as the Three Chimneys, the Old Inn Carbost, Edinbane Community Company, the Isle of Harris Distillery and Cuillin FM (media sponsors).
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “We are delighted to support the SEALL Festival of Small Halls as a key event in Scotland’s Winter Festivals programme.
“Scotland is the perfect stage to showcase our cultural heritage and this festival will celebrate the unique music traditions of the Highlands, helping to keep those traditions alive while inspiring visitors and locals alike.”
Some images from last year…
For further information, tickets and to download the full programme visit www.smallhallsfestival.co.uk or www.seall.co.uk/small-halls. Alternatively, pick up a printed programme from various outlets across Skye and Raasay.