Celtic Colours International Festival recognized by business community
JDess at aol.com
JDess at aol.com
Sat Nov 7 09:05:06 AST 2009
Hi Margaret,
As you can see here, some folks are starting to send out ideas for next
years Celtic Colours festival. We won't know how many of them are adapted
until next June though.
Joe
In a message dated 11/6/2009 7:53:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
mcmcheng at shaw.ca writes:
Well done, Judith!
I whole heartedly endorse your wish for "a really big piper's concert
for next year's festival, please"!!!
What about a focus on piping traditions? This would be an excellent
opportunity to foster dialogue on current piping practices versus
traditional piping practices. It would be great if young pipers
could interact and play with experienced pipers from around the world.
In addition to our own skillful Cape Breton pipers, excellent
practioners of the art could be invited from across the world. Some
examples might be: the MacDonald brothers of Glenuig, Scotland
(Angus, Allan and Iain) who always provide wonderful entertainment.
In addition, Allan MacDonald is a fantastic traditional (Sean-Nos)
Gaidhlig singer. This could reinforce the amazingly wonderful
impetus in Cape Breton to advance the learning of Gaidhlig language -
combining the piping traditions with Gaidhlig song traditions.
Bruce Gandy, with his Piobairachd expertise honed in the military
background of the 78th Highlanders, would be an interesting contrast
with Allan MacDonald, who has honed his Piobaireachd skills in a
traditional Gaidhlig speaking environment.
A favourite piper of mine is Fred Morrison from South Uist, who
always provides a fantastic show.
Then on the Uilleann Pipes, what about Mick O'Brien or Mickey Dunne
or both.
Wouldn't it be great if Celtic Colours could get the 91 year old
Asturian piper commonly known as Norino to come. He plays in a very
traditional way, and is truly a legend in piping circles. Or perhaps
Vincente Prado Suarez, who plays with his heart as well as his fingers.
Kathryn Tickell is fabulous on the Northumbrian pipes; she would make
an excellent addition to any group of pipers, and she takes pains to
explain the tunes and the traditions of her particular type of bag pipe.
Just some thoughts ...
Marlene MacDonald Cheng
On 6-Nov-09, at 6:36 AM, Judith Rosen wrote:
>> “Getting an award like this from the Chamber of Commerce is nice
>> because it
>> reinforces the role Celtic Colours plays in the economy of Cape
>> Breton
>> Island,” says Mombourquette. “It proves that tourism, based on the
>> island’s
>> unique culture, is still a driving force despite the economic down-
>> turn. It
>> attracts visitors to Cape Breton and makes a positive economic
>> impact on the
>> island’s communities. And it shows that the investment of sponsors
>> and
>> government partners pays off in a big way.”
>>
>> Although the final numbers are still being crunched, the Festival
>> typically
>> generates an annual impact of around $5 million on the economy of
>> Cape
>> Breton Island
>
> That's awesome! I can remember, when the festival was still just a
> baby-- maybe two or three years along-- we had a big "discussion"
> on this list about whether the festival was just a colossal drain
> on taxpayers in Nova Scotia or whether it had the potential to not
> only pay the bills but fix up the house too (and maybe cover a wee
> vacation with the leftover change...). I have always been of the
> opinion that the music had the power to draw people in,
> consistently. Over a decade has gone by and it looks like this has
> come to pass. What the article doesn't talk about is whether there
> is still government funding for the festival on any level or has it
> become completely self-supporting. Does anyone know the answer to
> that question?
>
> The other thing that might be worth pointing out is that this
> article doesn't look at the impact across the province; only in CB.
> I suspect that there is a ripple effect, with the biggest ripple in
> Halifax. Anyone know statistics on this (or can you give me a link
> to research it myself)?
>
> Judith
> PS: Hey, Joella-- if you're listening: Can you arrange a really big
> piper's concert for next year's festival, please??? I'm a-comin' up
> for that one, come hell or high water. (Actually, the trip is going
> to be in honor of my 50th birthday, so hell and high water are
> probably in the forecast at least for me, eh?!)
>
> On Nov 6, 2009, at 7:58 AM, Celtic Colours International Festival
> wrote:
>
>> *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NOVEMBER 6, 2009*
>>
>> *Celtic Colours International Festival recognized by business
>> community*
>>
>> (Sydney, NS) Celtic Colours International Festival wrapped up its
>> thirteenth
>> year with recognition from the local business community. A week
>> after the
>> Cape Breton Island-wide festival’s closing show on October 17,
>> Business
>> Manager Mary Pat Mombourquette and Jacke Scott, Chair of the
>> Celtic Colours
>> Festival Society, accepted the Sydney and area Chamber of Commerce
>> Business
>> Excellence Award in the Tourism category during an awards ceremony
>> at the
>> Membertou Trade and Convention Centre.
>>
>> “Getting an award like this from the Chamber of Commerce is nice
>> because it
>> reinforces the role Celtic Colours plays in the economy of Cape
>> Breton
>> Island,” says Mombourquette. “It proves that tourism, based on the
>> island’s
>> unique culture, is still a driving force despite the economic down-
>> turn. It
>> attracts visitors to Cape Breton and makes a positive economic
>> impact on the
>> island’s communities. And it shows that the investment of sponsors
>> and
>> government partners pays off in a big way.”
>>
>> Although the final numbers are still being crunched, the Festival
>> typically
>> generates an annual impact of around $5 million on the economy of
>> Cape
>> Breton Island with about half of the audience coming from off-
>> island. With
>> the numbers that have been calculated so far, it looks like the
>> festival is
>> on track to maintain that level.
>>
>> Despite having three fewer shows in 2009 than 2008, the total
>> number of
>> tickets sold for the nine-day event is up from last year. Twenty-
>> five of the
>> 44 shows sold out and 85.6% of all tickets available were sold (up
>> from 82%
>> in 2008).
>>
>> The Irish theme of the Festival this year marked a departure from
>> other
>> years when artists came from a more diverse variety of
>> backgrounds. This
>> allowed for a chance to fully engage in one specific aspect of
>> influence on
>> Cape Breton’s traditional culture and music, and also to re-
>> connect with
>> ties between local and visiting artists established over 15 years
>> ago.
>> Two-dozen Irish artists were featured at Celtic Colours, and
>> although few of
>> their names were recognizable to many, they represented the top
>> players in
>> the tradition. This attention to detail, according to Artistic
>> Director
>> Joella Foulds, is what continues to draw crowds to the Celtic Colours
>> International Festival.
>>
>> “Excellence has always been the most important criteria in
>> programming
>> Celtic Colours,” says Foulds. “This year we worked closely with Irish
>> fiddler Liz Doherty and local Artist in Residence Paul Cranford to
>> explore
>> the ties between the Irish influence and local tradition. And
>> audiences
>> responded. The priority we have put on excellence over the years
>> has helped
>> establish the Festival’s reputation for presenting top-notch
>> entertainment,
>> and Festival patrons have come to trust the Festival’s choices,
>> whether they
>> recognize the names of the performers or not.”
>>
>> Now Festival organizers turn their attention to next year’s event,
>> scheduled
>> for October 8-16, 2010. For those who missed Celtic Colours this
>> year, a
>> number of video clip highlights and media coverage is available at
>> www.celtic-colours.com.
>>
>> - 30 -
>>
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
>> Joella Foulds or Mary Pat Mombourquette
>> 902-562-6700
>>
>> --
>> -------------------------------------------------------
>> Dave Mahalik - Information Officer
>> Celtic Colours International Festival
>> 850 Grand Lake Road, Suite 8
>> Sydney, NS
>> B1P 5T9
>> 902 562 6700
>> www.celtic-colours.com
>> -------------------------------------------------------
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