Raised on soul, swing, rock n roll, puppetry and some Gaidhlig song, Scottish singer-songwriter Ewan Macintyre has spent much of the past year in Canada recording his first solo album, You Probably Look Better Naked Anyway, which will be launched at the first TradFest club session on Thursday 28 April. Here he tells us more … Continued
Blending traditional Gaelic song with electronic sounds, Niteworks are one of the most exciting bands on the Scottish music scene. With just a few days to go until they open TradFest 2016 at The Caves, along with Griogair’s Ghettocroft and Dàimh, we spoke to drummer Ruairidh Graham about his influences and inspirations and the band’s … Continued
Applications are open for a unique PhD opportunity at the National Library of Scotland and Scotland’s Sounds, in conjunction with Heriot-Watt University. Starting in October 2016, the studentship is a full-time, three-year position with an additional six-month work placement at the Library. The research The project is entitled: ‘Collecting and preserving access to Intangible Cultural … Continued
How much do you know about the traditional Celtic origins of our country and how that rich culture influences our lives today? The Celtic roots of our country, preserved in the language, song and stories of our forefathers, play a vital role in shaping our national identity. Newbattle Abbey College offers two courses for those … Continued
The clue to the Soundhouse’s origins can be found in its name: this Edinburgh-based organisation dates back to 2002, when singer-songwriter Dean Owens asked his friend Douglas Robertson, a photographer living in a converted shop on the edge of Holyrood Park, if he could host a gig in his house. By 2012, Douglas and his … Continued
Having wowed crowds at last year’s Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival and Edinburgh Mela, Scottish-Iranian band GOL are back with their incredible fusion of traditional Persian arrangements, electronica, jazz and world music. Lead singer Roxana Vilk tells us about the artists who have influenced the group and what tradition means to her. Tell us about … Continued
Folktales have inspired artists of all kinds for centuries, and continue to do so – in the past year alone, films based on the stories of Krampus and Snow White have reached the cinema, and weekly Twitter event #FolkloreThursday has become something of a phenomenon. This year’s TradFest features a number of storytelling events inspired … Continued
Creative Scotland’s ‘Nurturing Talent – Time to Shine Fund’ aims to support young people aged 14-20… Are you interested in developing your skills in one of the following areas? Drama Dance Music Film Visual Arts Literature Digital Arts Sometimes creative talent needs a little bit of financial help to reach its full potential. Whatever … Continued
Written by broadcaster Fiona Ritchie and Doug Orr (with a foreword by Dolly Parton, no less) Wayfaring Strangers: The Musical Voyage from Scotland and Ulster to Appalachia tracks the musical journey of traditional Scots and Irish songs, transported across the sea by generations of emigrants to America, where they blended with the sounds of their … Continued
“At the approach of May, the people assembled and chose some respectable individuals of their number – very grave and reverend citizens perhaps – to act the parts of Robin Hood and Little John, of the Lord of Disobedience or the Abbot of Unreason, and make sports and jocosities of them.” [1] Over the past … Continued
TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland, SCIO SC043009) is a co-operative network which champions our shared traditions of music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, customs and local languages. TRACS brings together the Traditional Music Forum (SCIO SC042867), the Scottish Storytelling Forum (SCIO SC052330) and the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (SCIO SC045085). Together we celebrate the local distinctiveness of Scotland’s places: our intangible cultural heritage. TRACS and the Forums have their registered office at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR.
