We were delighted to welcome over 30 cello and harp students to the 2008 festival. Many came from the central belt but we also had participants from Arran, Oban and Northern Ireland. There were a few more harpers than cellists but on the whole students were spread fairly even over the four groups.
In the main upstairs room we had a small bar in the evenings and cello and harp related displays. Cheyenne had some Morley Harps, which she is able to rent or sell, and we had books, CDs and DVDs by workshop tutors. But the main attractions were the dispays by Brenda McCulloch of the Violin Shop and luthier, Marion Bennardo.
Brenda had a wide range of materials related to traditional cello and harp as well as essential odds and ends such as rosin and strings and a varied selection of bows for people to try out.
This came in very handy when one of the particiapants had a broken bow. She also displayed an accoustic cello and an electric one (like the one Seylan plays) and a great wooden-effect music stand .
Luthiers, Marion Bennardo and her partner, Douglas Macarthur, are both part of Violin Makers Scotland, a group of 8 new makers based in Scotland and they displayed three wonderful cellos made by themselves and by colleague, Colin Adamson. Douglas' cello - a large, resonant, instrument with a very sweet tone - and Colin's - smaller and light with a big booming voice and a lovely antiqued finish - were both available to be played and that was a joy - they seemed to play themselves! The cello Marion brought is not yet completed so we were able to see exactly how cellos are put together - and admire its beautiful purfling.
Marion and Douglas also had a slide show of instruments being made and Seylan was thrilled to see pictures there of her own cello being made -it is by a colleague of Marion and Douglas - Eric Jackson.
Cheyenne and Seylan performed the Friday night concert to a large, friendly crowd. It was the first ever performance in the newly built theatre of the College of Piping and we found it to be just the right size - spacious yet cosy and with great accoustics.
They performed material from their CD - 2:forty - and a few new numbers, Unusually, each did a solo - Seylan played the fiddle pibroch, Mackintosh's Lament, and Cheyenne did a 'blues' improvisation.
Classes started Saturday morning and it was a long day! Tutors were Wendy Stewart and Cheyenne (harp) and Christine Hanson, Trish Strain and Seylan (cello). The harpers and cellists all learned the same tunes - including Trip to Pakistan by Niall Kenny, and The Lochaber Badger by Fred Morrison. The tutors moved between classes so everyone could experience their different teaching styles and repertoire.
One of the teaching spaces was a bit cramped so on the Sunday we spread ourseles out a bit more with one group moving into the College's Museum and Library. For the last hour on Saturday, the advanced harpers and cellists came together with Wendy Stewart and Christine Hanson while Cheyenne and Seylan took the beginner groups together.
Saturday's concert started with Breton harper, Tristan le Govic. He grabbed the audience's attention from the first second with an acappella song which he began singing at the back of the hall. Christine Hanson was up next, performing some numbers from her recent 'Cremation of Sam McGhee tour, joined by Wendy Stewart on many sets. Wendy entertained us with harp and song for much of the second half and was then joined by Christine and Tristan for the finale. The audience throroughly enjoyed the evening.
More hard work on Sunday was rounded up in the afternoon with everybody together in the theatre making a wonderful racket.
Cheyenne and Seylan would like to thank everybody who helped to make the festival a success - the tutors and performers, the College of Piping and in particular Willie Park, all those who helped us out over the weekend and those who attended the classes and concerts.
We hope to put up some photos in our gallery page soon.
We're planning to run the festival again next year - provisional dates are February 20th - 22nd.
Comments from 2008 festival:
The festival was excellent - a great success.
You and Cheyenne went to so much trouble to ensure that everyone felt welcome and looked after.
Thank you - your efforts were greatly appreciated.
Dan
Comments from 2007 Festival:
»I found the Harp and Cello Festival most enjoyable, and it's certainly got me interested in taking the harp further.« – Kim Edgar (harp)
»Just to let you know how much I enjoyed the harp/cello festival on Saturday. It was so good to meet other people in a similar position and to play along with a group. You were so patient with us all!«
»I thought the concert on Saturday evening was absolutely fantastic and your playing was amazing – what an inspiration! The combination and style with the cello just works so well.«
|