Final Night Sunday 3 January at Celtic Connections 2008

The final day aof celtic Connections 2008 will be Sunday, February 3rd. The program for Sunday includes the New Voices Series
with Patsy Reid, a finale showcasing Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Winners 2007, the popular Transatlantic Sessions, a Final Night Bash with Malinky & special guests, Mary Ann Kennedy & Na Seòid, The Music & Song of the North East of Scotland with Paul Anderson & Shona Donaldson, Trilok Gurtu & the Arke String Quartet with India Alba, as well as multiple workshops.

Complete program:

come&try
Irish Dance
Sun 3 February, 11am
£6
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Riverdance continues to inspire people to try out the Irish form of step dance so here’s your chance! This workshop will be led by Louise and Mary Hunter who will teach basic steps and rhythms to get you started. Complete beginners are very welcome.

Public Workshops
Learn the Irish Pipes in a Day
Sun 3 February, 11am
£30
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite

This instrument has a reputation for being difficult to learn but in the skilled hands of Dave Shaw, piper and pipe-maker from North Durham, you will find that you can learn this sweet instrument in just one day. Over 14’s and complete beginners please.

Public Workshops
Clarsach for Beginners
Sun 3 February, 11am
£6
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Lomond Foyer

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand on Scotland’s most beautiful of instruments, here’s your chance. You will learn the basics with some simple tunes and melodies. Please book early to avoid disappointment as numbers of harps are very limited.

Public Workshops
Bodhran & Spoons
Sun 3 February, 11am
£6
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer

The workshop program wouldn’t be complete without the cutlery cacophony of Eddie Scott. Norman Chalmers will lead the bodhran players and the space will reverberate with the clattering rhythmic sounds. Some spoons will be provided but if you have a favourite set, bring them along. GFW will provide the tunes.

New Voices Series
Patsy Reid
Sun 3 February, 1pm
£10.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

Two-times Glenfiddich Fiddle Champion, aged just 15 and 16, Perthshire-born fiddler Patsy Reid released her debut album, ‘With Complements’, in 2004, and plays with the Danny Award-winning Breabach.

Her New Voices composition, ‘Bridging the Gap’, combines her love of traditional and classical music. While studying at the Royal Northern College of Music, Reid recalls, ‘I would put on my "classical hat" during the week, and at some point during the commute between Manchester and Friday night’s gig, that hat would be flung aside to reveal the more rebellious "traditional hat". Featuring fiddle, string ensemble, piano, guitar and bass, Bridging the Gap sets out to transcend such divisions.
Sponsored by Sunday Herald

Public Workshops
Jembe
Sun 3 February, 1:30pm
£6
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

The jembe, although originating in West Africa, has been growing in popularity as an accompanying instrument in Celtic music over the last few years. Allan Hughes will show you how to get the most out of your drum, learning specific rhythms and developing hand co-ordination. Some drums are provided.

Public Workshops
Already Harmony
Sun 3 February, 1:30pm
£6
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Lomond Foyer

Do you already love singing in harmony? Would you like to expand your creativity and technique, while learning a new song? Corrina Hewat has designed this workshop specifically for singers who want to improve and develop their range of harmonies and take their harmony singing to another level.

Public Workshops
Mandolin for Players
Sun 3 February, 1:30pm
£6
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer

This workshop with the Lanarkshire Guitar and Mandolin Association will develop your skills on the mandolin. Further plectrum techniques are introduced and the possibilities of musical interpretation are explored. Pieces are taken from a variety of styles including folk, classical and popular music.

Danny Kyle’s Open Stage hosted by Gibb Todd
Finale showcasing Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Winners 2007
Sun 3 February, 5pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Hosted by Danny Kyle’s good friends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year’s festival – and all absolutely free!
In partnership with the Evening Times

Transatlantic Sessions
Sun 3 February, 7:30pm
£24, £22
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium

Following the acclaim heaped on BBC Scotland’s third series of The Transatlantic Sessions, broadcast in autumn 2007, Celtic Connections presents another glittering line-up of Celtic and American stars, all of whom were featured in the recent programs.

Since their inception, these concerts have consistently ranked among the festival’s fastest-selling tickets, hence the decision this time to stage the show twice, with the same line-up of artists on both nights, although – given the proceedings’ traditional element of spontaneity – the set-list may well vary between the two.

Heading a truly stellar cast of singers, soul/country diva Joan Osborne makes her Celtic Connections debut. Finding inspiration in sources as diverse as blues, gospel and Indian devotional music, Osborne has collaborated with the Dixie Chicks, the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal, combining her arrestingly sensuous voice with direct, emotive songwriting. Also from Stateside comes a phalanx of top roots vocalists, including Tim O’Brien, Mindy Smith and Darrell Scott, with the Scottish team featuring Eddi Reader and Karen Matheson .

Also assembled for this year’s ‘ultimate back-porch session’ are a mouthwatering dream team of renowned instrumentalists, with Shetland fiddler Aly Bain and dobro king Jerry Douglas  (CMA Musician Of The Year 2007) once again acting as musical directors.

Among the remaining US visitors are guitarist Russ Barenberg, bassist Garry West and banjo ace Alison Brown, while accordionist Phil Cunningham, percussionist James Mackintosh, Donald Shaw on piano and accordion and Michael McGoldrick on flutes and whistles complete the Celtic contingent, for what promises to be two very special concerts.
Sponsored by ScottishPower

Final Night Bash with Malinky & special guests
Sun 3 February, 7:30pm
£12.50
The Classic Grand

End the festival with a bang and enjoy a closing concert to remember with Malinky and their friends. Having first emerged at Celtic Connections 1999 as winners of a Danny Kyle Open Stage Award, Malinky are now ranked among today’s foremost young exponents of Scottish song.

The quintet have a diverse range of influences and backgrounds, with their fast-track progress on the international Celtic scene underpinned by outstanding musical prowess and a maturity well beyond their years.

Their superb original songwriting together with "Magnificent vocal talent" (Scotland on Sunday) sets them apart from the crowd and this evening they will welcome on stage some special guests, including Canadian folk singer-songwriter David Francey.

Mary Ann Kennedy & Na Seòid
Sun 3 February, 8pm
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

Premiered at the 2007 Blas festival, Na Seòid (The Heroes) is Mary Ann Kennedy‘s gathering of a seven-strong ensemble showcasing today’s finest young male Gaelic talent. Alongside 2004’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year, James Graham, a dream-team vocal cast includes three Mod medallists – Calum Alex MacMillan (Daimh), Tormod MacArthur (Meantime) and Gillebrìde MacMillan – plus Norrie MacIver, of Young Folk Award winners Bodega .

The instrumental talents of Griogair Lawrie (bagpipes) and Angus MacPhail (bagpipes/accordion) round out an awesomely powerful line-up.

The Music & Song of the North East of Scotland with Paul Anderson & Shona Donaldson
Sun 3 February, 8pm
£12.50
St Andrew’s in the Square

The musical riches of the region that Francis J. Childe called ‘the singing land’, also home to a world-renowned fiddle tradition, are explored by two of Aberdeenshire’s leading cultural ambassadors, fiddler Paul Anderson and singer Shona Donaldson.
 

Trilok Gurtu & the Arke String Quartet with India Alba
Sun 3 February, 8pm
£16
Old Fruitmarket

Having worked with artists as diverse as Jan Garbarek, Neneh Cherry, Salif Keita, Nitin Sawhney, Sting, Annie Lennox and Huun Huur Tu, master Indian percussionist and composer Trilok Gurtu is a true fusion virtuoso, bringing the folk and classical traditions inherited from his musical family into new and unexpected spheres of influence, with consistently dazzling results.

His latest collaboration, as captured on 2007’s superb Arkeology album, unites Asian, Balkan, Celtic and Mediterranean influences in cahoots with Italy’s Arkè String Quartet, an alternative-classical outfit featuring double bass instead of cello, plus unconventional extras like recorder, thumb-piano, Indian dilruba and ukulele.

India Alba bring together leading players of North Indian classical music, Sharat Srivastava (violin) and Gyan Singh (tablas) with two Scottish Traditional musicians, Ross Ainslie (bagpipes and whistle) and Nigel Richard (cittern) in a unique fusion of their musical cultures.

With a rich area of common ground, since both Indian ragas and Scottish pipe music are based round a drone, they produce "genuinely new and exciting music" (The Herald)

Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
Final Night
Sun 3 February, 10:30pm
£7.50
Central Hotel

The late night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.

With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.

Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
The 15th Celtic Connections festival takes place over 19 days in January and February in 14 venues across Glasgow, Celtic Connections is the UK’s premier Celtic music festival, with over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops.

Tickets can be booked:

In person Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
2 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow, G2 3NY
City Halls and Old Fruitmarket
Candleriggs
Glasgow, G1 1NQ
By phone 0141 353 8000
Online www.celticconnections.com

For further information  check www.celticconnections.com.

Photos: Malinky & Trilok Gurtu