The annual School of Scots and Gaelic traditional song, music and dance, organised by Càirdeas nam Piobairean, Hamish Moore’s fellowship of pipers is in full swing in Barga.
Day two and the lessons started in earnest in various studios around Barga Vecchia.
By the afternoon the interest then moved to the piazzas which were once again filled with the sound of bagpipes, violin, guitar and voices joined in Scots and Gaelic traditional song.
Then it was the dancers who took centre stage.
Jenny MacKenzie from Cape Breton talking about the Cape Breton Inverness county square set
A Cape Breton square set is a form of folk dancing, done in several parts (known as figures), traditionally in sets of four couples, each element of the figure being repeated four times (hence the designation “square” set).
Square sets are danced throughout Cape Breton, each with its own local variation, but the Inverness County square set as it exists today is comprised of three figures, danced to accompanying music in the tempos of two jigs and a reel.
Tutors:
Kathleen MacInnes– Gaelic song.
Kenneth MacKenzie (Cape Breton) – Fiddle (Pipes).
Annie Grace – Pipes and Scots Song.
Annie is a piper, singer, actor, and writer of tunes and songs. She was a founder member of Iron Horse, and after several years of international touring with the band, embarked on a solo musical career and also began working in theatre as an actor/musician. Annie has recorded two solo albums, and been involved in numerous musical projects such as The Unusual Suspects, Grace Hewat and Polwart and The Grit Orchestra. She was an original member of the cast in the award-winning National Theatre of Scotland production The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, and is also playing Mrs Dee the landlady, in the 2018 Northern stage production of Sting’s musical,
The last Ship.
Brighde Chaimbeul – Pipes.
Hamish Moore – Pipes.
Jenny MacKenzie (Cape Breton) – Step Dance and Quadrilles.
Sylvia McGowan and Eileen Penman – Scots song.
Eileen and Sylvia, both from Edinburgh, have years of experience in singing, performing and teaching traditional Scots song, individually and as members of a cappella group Stairheid Gossip.
With an extensive repertoire between them and great love of singing they are still actively involved at local sessions, folk festivals and political events. Participants can look forward to an exhilarating experience while learning songs and harmonies in the Scots tradition.
DAY one |