Highland fiddle legend inspires Ross teenagers
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YOUNG musicians from Ross-shire have been working with a fiddling legend to produce a multimedia arts project.
The six lucky youngsters from Feis Rois received inspiration and tutelage from Duncan Chisholm, the renowned Highland fiddle player.
The Kin and the Community project saw the young people working alongside Duncan to explore their cultural heritage and learn new skills in composition, film-making, research and ethnology.
The group, Joseph Peach (Achiltibuie), Sara Johnston (Gairloch), Ruairidh Gollan (Edderton), James Bauld (Dornoch), Duncan MacLeod (Bonar Bridge) and Robbie MacKenzie (Inverness) were selected following an open application process.
They studied material in the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness and at the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh. They chose to focus on the life of Sandy Murdie, a drover from Lochbroom, as a stimulus for creating a new 20-minute film which features archive recordings of Sandy Murdie singing, as well as contemporary traditional music.
The young musicians will premiere their work at a concert at the Macphail Centre in Ullapool at 7.30pm on Saturday July 4.
Artistic director Duncan Chisholm said: "I have tried throughout the project to instil in the group the need for attention to detail in every aspect of the production and they have very much embraced this.
"For me, it is, and always has been about the creation of something special and these young people should be very proud of what they have achieved.
"My hope is that they will take away from this a clear picture of how a project can be brought together and how to create emotive moments within that project using all the skills they have studied over the past four months."
James Bauld (14) said: "I am delighted to be participating in this Kin and the Community project.
"It has opened a lot of doors for me. I have had opportunities to develop and improve my music and film making skills, and I have met some great people."
The Kin and the Community project has been co-ordinated by Feis Rois and funded by Creative Scotland through the Highland Youth Arts Hub. Eden Court Theatre’s digital team also supported the project.
Feis Rois chief executive Fiona Dalgetty said: "The Kin and the Community project has enabled young people to connect with the rich heritage of their local community and then use this as a stimulus to create innovative contemporary work."
Tickets for the Ullapool premiere cost £5 for adults and with entry free for young people.
The performance will be followed by a drinks reception where members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask Duncan Chisholm and the young musicians about the project.
