Celtic Colours International Festival recognized by business community
Marlene Cheng
mcmcheng at shaw.ca
Sat Nov 7 11:44:48 AST 2009
Thanks Joe. Thanks Judith. Suas leis Cheap Breatuinn!!!
Màiri Éilidh (Marlene)
On 7-Nov-09, at 5:05 AM, JDess at aol.com wrote:
> 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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