Blas 2013 dips into the Well
Issued by Blas
One of the highlights of the opening weekend of Blas 2013 will undoubtedly be "Blasad bhon Tobar/Water from the Well" - a concert celebrating the priceless material to be found in Tobar an Dualchais, or the Kist o’ Riches.
The concert, at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Skye on Saturday September 7 is a complete celebration of Scotland’s traditional music and is presented by a great line-up of talented traditional singers and musicians who have themselves been inspired by Tobar an Dualchais. Renowned Gaelic singers Margaret Stewart and Gillebrìde MacMillan and accomplished Scots musician Steve Byrne all worked as song specialists on Tobar an Dualchais. They will be joined by acclaimed Skye singer Anne Martin and by award-winning piper Decker Forrest.
The Gaelic name “Tobar an Dualchais” literally means “Well of Heritage” – a singularly apt description for the wealth of material gathered there. The Scots term “Kist o Riches” conveys the same idea of a treasury of valuable material.
The vast store of material to be found on the websites www.tobarandualchais.co.uk or www.kistoriches.co.uk amounts to around 33,000 Gaelic and Scots recordings from all over Scotland and collected from the 1930s onwards. It has thousands of hours of songs, stories, instrumental music, radio programmes and conversations. The recordings have come from the School of Scottish Studies (University of Edinburgh), the National Trust for Scotland’s Canna Collection and BBC Scotland.
The initiative to create "Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches" was a collaborative one between the archive holders and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and brought together a dedicated team to digitise, catalogue and bring the recordings to publication. Many precious recordings which were in danger of deteriorating beyond use have been preserved and can now be heard freely throughout the world, bringing enjoyment and inspiration to many.
Arthur Cormack, from Blas Festival organisers, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, said: "We are delighted that Tobar an Dualchais will be showcasing sone of the material from its unique archive. "Blasad bhon Tobar" will be a celebration of Gaelic and Scots, both of which are represented in the archive and we welcome this collaboration between the local promoter, SEALL, and Tobar na Dualchais.
The concert is at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig at 7.30pm on Saturday 7 September. Tickets are available locally from 01471 844 207 or through ticketmaster.co.uk.
Tickets for all events are on sale now through ticketmaster.co.uk or local promoters. Blas 2013 is a partnership between Fèisean nan Gàidheal and its main funder, The Highland Council.
... Ends