Dingwall-based Fèis Rois back in the swing with bumper programme of classes and clubs
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Dingwall-based arts organisation, Fèis Rois, has launched its new bumper programme of music classes and clubs promising something for budding musicians of all ages and abilities.
With the start of the new school year, Fèis Rois, aims to enable people of all ages to access, participate in and enjoy the traditional arts and Gaelic language through a diverse programme of activities across Ross-shire and further afield.
Established in 1986, Fèis Rois is widely recognised as a national leader in the arts, particularly in music education, and its weekly classes in particular have become a staple in many Highland young people’s musical journey.
Fèis Rois is offering blocks of weekly classes in fiddle, accordion, clarsach and guitar for young people and adults, catering for all abilities, with free instrument hire also available.
New classes for the year, which are all held in Dingwall, include an all ages beginners clarsach class with Bill Taylor, beginner adults fiddle and accordion and beginners fiddle, accordion and guitar for children and young people.
Also new for adults this year is a Friday morning slow tunes class from 10.30am - 11.30am, followed by coffee and biscuits before a slightly faster tunes class for those feeling up to it. These adult classes are open to anyone and are the perfect opportunity to learn and practice some tunes whilst meeting new people. Fèis Rois is grateful to have support from The GoodWill Fund from GlenWyvis Distillery, which helps to subsidise the classes.
After a successful launch before summer, Fèis Club will return. The after school music club takes place in Ullapool Primary School, Park Primary School (Invergordon), Craighill Primary School (Tain) and Alness Academy. Fèis Club, funded by The Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through its Access to Music Making fund, which is managed by Creative Scotland, provides children and young people the opportunity to engage with traditional music and explore musical traditions from around the world.
Providing a fun and relaxed environment after school, with a stellar team of local musicians, Fèis Club allows children and young people to develop their music-making skills, or perhaps participate in traditional music for the first time. Due to the pandemic, many children and young people didn’t have the opportunity to attend live music performances or take up a musical instrument, and Fèis Club provides a free opportunity in four communities across Ross-Shire. Fèis Rois is also currently recruiting four trainee musicians (paid) to come and support the project and learn from the experienced teaching artists in each community.
Also in Alness, Voices in Bloom, a community singing group for adults, continues to take place in The Perrins Centre on Tuesday mornings. This is a free fun and informal group led by musician, Jess Bates, and everyone is welcome.
In collaboration with New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute, Fèis Rois has run several instalments of Tàlaidhean Ura: The Lullaby Project, a heart-warming project which encourages local women who are pregnant or caring for babies and toddlers to explore song-writing and come up with their own lullabies with support from professional local musicians during a series of free workshops. An opportunity for women in Muir of Ord to take part in this project will take place from September to December.
The Kiltearn Fiddlers will also return after some summer performances across Ross and Cromarty. The Kiltearn Fiddlers is a performance group with predominantly fiddles, but all instruments are welcome. The group emerged from the original Fèis Rois weekly fiddle classes, taught by Alpha Munro, and held in Kiltearn Primary School in Evanton, before they moved to Dingwall. The group is now led by former Kiltearn Fiddler, Lauren MacColl and is open to young players in P6-S6. The monthly Sunday workshops at Dingwall Community Centre are free to attend and are aimed at intermediate and advanced players, with two groups on offer, depending on current level and age.
And if that wasn’t enough, Fèis Rois also offers an online Gaelic conversation class, Cearcall Còmhraidh, led by a different Gaelic speaker every month, giving learners the chance to practice the language in an informal, fun and relaxed setting. Past guest speakers include Kate Forbes MSP, Joy Dunlop and member of folk group Mànran, Ewen Henderson.
Teya-Jean Bawden, community engagement officer for Fèis Rois, said: “It is important to us at Fèis Rois that we have something to offer everyone, no matter age or ability, and we hope that our current diverse programme of music classes and projects demonstrates this. Learning an instrument and attending classes can not only be a great way to learn an instrument or improve your skills, but it is a great way to socialise with like-minded people. The young people who learn through Fèis Rois get the opportunity to perform at a variety of local events and our adult learners group, Fèis the Music, will often be seen entertaining audiences across Ross-shire whilst fundraising for Fèis Rois.”
If you are interested in registering for any of the classes, please visit www.feisrois.org for more information or contact Teya-Jean, community engagement officer, tj.bawden@feisrois.org.
Fèis Rois enable 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.
There are now more than 40 fèisean in communities across Scotland. However, Fèis Rois is unique within the fèisean movement as it has a team of full-time staff that enable the work of Fèis Rois to take place year-round and extend well beyond the local community.
