Fèis Rois to trailblaze after-school music clubs at Alness Academy, Craighill, Park and Ullapool primaries
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Children and young people across the Highlands will have the opportunity to learn about traditional music from Scotland and around the world in a new series of after school music clubs.
Dingwall-based arts organisation, Fèis Rois, is running four brand new after school music clubs in Alness Academy, Craighill Primary School, Park Primary School and Ullapool Primary School, thanks to some new funding.
Fèis Club, funded by the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through its Access to Music Making fund, which is managed by Creative Scotland, will provide children and young people the opportunity to engage with traditional music and explore musical traditions from around the world.
The purpose of the YMI Access to Music Making fund is to create access to high-quality music making opportunities outwith school time for children and young people aged 0 to 25 years.
Teya-Jean Bawden, community engagement officer, Fèis Rois, explained: “It is our aim that Fèis Club will enable children and young people to develop their music and music-making skills by providing a fun and relaxed environment after school for children to listen to, and participate in, traditional music, perhaps for the first time.
"Due to the pandemic, many children and young people have not had the opportunity to attend live music performances or take up a musical instrument. No musical experience is necessary and we will provide instruments to anyone who would like to learn. We also encourage children who already play to bring along their own instruments.
“We have a stellar team of local musicians leading Fèis Club who will offer taster workshops in a wide range of musical instruments, including tin whistle, ukulele, percussion, fiddle, accordion and guitar, as well as singing together as a group.Young people who attend will have the opportunity to learn about Scottish traditional music from the community in which they live, but also have the chance to explore folk music repertoire from other cultures around the world, including the cultures of New Scots living in the Highlands.”
Fèis Club will take place once a week during school term and be open to pupils of the school where it is hosted. The sessions are free and must be booked in advance due to limited places.
The dates for before the summer holidays are as follows:
June 12, 19, 26, Ullapool Primary School (P4 – P7)
June 6, 13, 20, 27 June, Alness Academy (P7-S3)
June 6, 13, 20, Craighill Primary School, Tain (P3 – P6, these sessions are now full.)
June 7, 14, 21, Park Primary School, Invergordon (P4 – P7).
The project will return with the opportunity to join after the summer holidays.
Creative Scotland’s YMI Manager, Morag Macdonald said: “We’re delighted to be able to support this project that will offer children and young people in Ross-Shire the opportunity to engage with traditional music making after school. Fèis Rois plays a key role in supporting the youth music sector in the Highlands, creating opportunities for participants to experience the joy of music making, while creating employment opportunities for musicians living in the region.”
Fèis Rois enables people of all ages to access, participate in and enjoy the traditional arts and Gaelic language through a diverse programme of activities in Ross & Cromarty, across Scotland and beyond.
Based in Dingwall, Fèis Rois is widely recognised as a national leader in the arts, particularly in music education and was established in 1986.
For more information and to book a place, please visit https://feisrois.org/classes-courses/feisclub/ or contact Teya-Jean, tj.bawden@feisrois.org.
