MNS FESTIVALS! supplement (May21-23)

MUSIC FESTIVALS - MUSIC FESTIVALS - MUSIC FESTIVALS - MUSIC FESTIVALS
Tradfest Enjoys Virtual Success
“I’d forgotten quite how heart-stoppingly beautiful Karine Polwart’s voice is.
What a joy to hear her sing and speak tonight.” - Rebellious Truth audience member
The first ever digital edition of
Edinburgh Tradfest came to a
crescendo on 10 May with the
rearranged Rebellious Truth
lecture from Karine Polwart, with
performances from Mike Vass and
Mairearad Green and presented in
partnership with the Department
of Celtic and Scottish Studies at
the University of Edinburgh.
The Festival’s programme travelled the airwaves around the
globe, reaching traditional music fans in America and
Australia, as well as across Scotland and the UK.
Over 400 people tuned in to Edinburgh Tradfest’s ‘live’
events, with a further 3,000 people enjoying the new
Edinburgh Tradfest Podcast – about four times the Festival’s
previously recorded largest audience. Overall the Festival
featured over 40 artists from the world of folk music,
producing around a total of 770 minutes of entertainment.
Highlights of the programme included the opening concert
Shetland Springs, presented in association with the Shetland
Folk Festival and curated by accomplished Shetland fiddle
player Catriona Macdonald; interviews with international
guests Aaron Jonah Lewis and J.P. Cormier; and insight into
the life of a folk musician, with stories from Kinnaris Quintet,
The Shee, and Gaelic supergroup Dàimh.
In addition to the University of Edinburgh and Shetland Folk
Festival, Edinburgh Tradfest once again partnered with the
Scottish Storytelling Centre for the launch of Scotland
Online: A Directory of Musicians which will celebrate the
online directory with an event on Tuesday 18 May.
The programme received praise across the board, with
audience members appreciative of the digital format for this
year:
“Thanks for that from the bottom of my heart. I enjoyed
every nanosecond of it.” - Shetland Springs audience
member
“I’d forgotten quite how heart-stoppingly beautiful Karine
Polwart’s voice is. What a joy to hear her sing and speak
tonight.” - Rebellious Truth audience member
“Loving these podcasts – entertaining me; educating me.
Thank you so much.” - Edinburgh Tradfest Podcast
listener
Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers
of Edinburgh Tradfest said: “In the circumstances
Edinburgh Tradfest 2021 exceeded our wildest expectations.
“Our first ever livestream - the Rebellious Truth lecture by
Karine Polwart - proved extremely popular as did our series
of podcasts (another first) which allowed our listeners to
hear directly from the musicians themselves how lockdown
had affected their lives and how they had coped. Some had
built home studios, others had delivered groceries or worked
on the fishing boats. All of them, however, displayed energy,
enthusiasm and a determination to hit the ground running
when the world returns to ‘normal’.
“The Shetland Springs recorded concert not only entertained
our audience but allowed Shetland Folk Festival to celebrate
their 40th anniversary with some island music performed by
some of their finest players.
“We’d like to thank all the musicians who took part, our
fantastic crew and PR team, our funders, partners, and
everyone who told us how much they enjoyed the festival.
We look forward to meeting you all again in the flesh at next
year’s Tradfest.”
Lori Watson, lecturer at the school of Celtic & Scottish
Studies at University of Edinburgh said: "Edinburgh
Tradfest created a brilliant first digital festival and I loved
every minute of it! The festival included two major
livestream events, the first lecture/performance Rebellious
Truth 2021: Karine Polwart (a brilliant night of ideas, difficult
questions and beautiful music) as well as Shetland Springs
and a series of podcasts that, quite frankly, were a stroke of
genius in these times. Edinburgh Tradfest’s response (after
having to postpone in 2020 and amid shifting rules in 2021)
has been energetic, culturally relevant and supportive of the
musicians. Long may it continue."
Siobhan Anderson, Music Officer at Creative Scotland
said: “Congratulations to Edinburgh Tradfest on a brilliant
10 days. The podcasts have provided a real insight into the
lives of musicians over the past year and the closing
Rebellious Truth Talk from Karine Polwart was inspiring. This
online edition of Tradfest has created an important moment
for the music community and fans to come together to
celebrate our world class trad and folk music until live events
can return to the festival circuit.”
Douglas
Robertson and
Jane-Ann Purdy,
co-producers of
Edinburgh
Tradfest said: “In
the circumstances
Edinburgh Tradfest
2021 exceeded our
wildest
expectations.
Laura-Beth Salter (The Shee, Kinnaris Quintet) said:
"The Edinburgh Tradfest podcasts have been a great way to
reconnect with the trad music scene. I've really missed the
chats on long journeys to gigs and gatherings that happen
after shows. The podcasts have been a great way to get an
insight into what loads of musicians have been creating and
how they are getting on. I even found out stuff I never
knew about my own band mates! What a lovely series to be
involved in. Thanks Jane-Ann and Douglas!”
Acid Croft pioneers Shooglenifty said: “We’ve been
pleasantly surprised at the response to the inclusion of our
chaotic ramblings in the Edinburgh Tradfest podcast. And we
were honoured that our Edinburgh-themed track 'Silence of
the Trams' was adopted as theme tune for the festival.
Thank goodness that Tradfest was anything but silent this
year. We loved it!”
Piper and fiddler Malin Lewis said: “ I was so glad to be
asked by Edinburgh Tradfest to take part in their podcast.
It's a really cool project full of interesting and uplifting
stories from so many awesome people! I got to know a little
more about some very talented people who I look up to and
with the lack of live concerts it felt very fresh to be making
something like this.”
The Edinburgh Tradfest Podcast will be available to listen to
for the next year, and the festival hopes to return in full
force 29 April - 9 May 2022.
Highlights from the 2021 programme are available on the
Edinburgh Tradfest website.
www.edinburghtradfest.com
www.twitter.com/EdinTradfest
www.facebook.com/tradfestedinburgh
Shetland Springs
(T-B Ross Couper, Margaret Robertson,
Catriona Macdonald, Chris Stout)
:: photo by Adam Bulley
Rebellious Truth Mike Vass and Mairearad Green
:: photo by Douglas Robertson
email your festival news to alastair.musicnewsscotland@gmail.com