Tain musician Chloë Bryce to highlight important cultural role of Gaelic-speaking travelling people with The Summer Walkers for Blas Festival
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A new musical work which will highlight the central role Gaelic-speaking travelling people played in the preservation and transmission of Highland traditions will be performed at this September’s Blas Festival.
The event, which celebrates Gaelic culture, will run from September 2 to 10.
The Summer Walkers, a newly-commissioned piece from Highland musician, Chloë Bryce, will showcase stories and songs from prominent voices from within the travelling community and incorporate archive recordings of some of the Highland travelling people.
The piece will also feature new music inspired by the Summer Walkers, whilst celebrating the culture of gathering together and sharing stories.
Chloë Bryce, originally from Tain, said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to shed light on the lives and stories of the Summer Walkers. The old traditions and customs of these Highland travelling people are fast disappearing. It is the voices of prominent figures within this community who will feature at the heart of this commission; the stories they carried forming the basis for this new music.
"In a year that marks a significant birthday for Essie Stewart, one of the last remaining people to have taken part in the summer walks, this commission will celebrate the vital contribution the travelling community has made to Scottish traditional music and storytelling.”
Calum Alex Macmillan, Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s development manager, said: "2022 is the Year of Scotland’s Stories. In awarding this year’s Blas Festival commission, we wanted someone to create a new piece of music which would celebrate iconic stories, people and places across the Highlands and Islands.
"The region is home to a wealth of stories, legends and tales, some of which have become famous around the world, and Chloë’s commission will give a real insight into the crucial role the Summer Walkers played in the preservation of so many songs, stories and traditions.”
“We are delighted to be returning to our traditional September dates for this year’s Blas Festival, visiting communities across the Highlands with a programme that will celebrate our rich Gaelic culture and heritage, including newly composed Gaelic songs, collaborations between young people from Scotland and Wales, two birthday celebrations for treasured tradition bearers, an extensive education and communities programme as well as our online offering which will include workshops and livestreamed concerts.”
Siobhan Anderson, music officer at Creative Scotland says: “It’s great to see a commission celebrating this important part of Highland culture and Blas will provide a wonderful platform to share this exciting new piece from a talented emerging musician. The festival has a long history of commissioning interesting and innovative new pieces of work and The Summer Walkers will be a fantastic addition to the festival’s programme.”
The festival, which is organised by Gaelic arts organisation Fèisean nan Gàidheal, in partnership with The Highland Council, will launch its full programme in the next couple of weeks and the concerts, cèilidhs and workshops will take place in a variety of performance venues across the Highlands. For further information about this year’s festival, please visit www.blas.scot.
