Thanks to the Malcolm Scott Dickinson Trust, a newly commissioned piece celebrating Celtic music, song, language and dance, will be premiered at Yn Chruinnaght’s Inter-Celtic Celebration at Peel Centenary Centre on Saturday 18 July. Talented multi-instrumentalist and composer, David Kilgallon, has created this new work in such a way that it can be performed by a flexible ensemble at festivals and events around the world.
The piece will move through a series of movements and sections, featuring talented Manx, Scottish, Irish, Breton, Welsh and Cornish singers, musicians and speakers.
For its premiere, the ensemble will include visiting musicians from Brittany Lors Landat (vocals) and Thomas Moisson (accordion), from Scotland, Rachel Hair (harp) and from Cornwall, Cas Davey (dance), Lauren Chandler (vocals and dance) and Lowenna Hosken (dance).
Manx performers will be David Kilgallon (keyboard), Matt Creer (percussion), Malcolm Stitt (bouzouki), Tom Callister (fiddle), Ruth Keggin (vocals), Gilno Carswell (clarinet), Russell Gilmour (trumpet), Grainne Joughin (dance), Ali Carroon (dance), John Kilgallon (dance).
The commissioned piece will have an immediate legacy in the form of the finale to one of the gala nights at Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany – Europe’s largest Celtic festival, attracting 800,000 visitors over ten days. The piece will show how partnership and solidarity are at the heart of the presentation at this year’s festival by jointly honoured nations, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. Paul Rogers will join the commission in Lorient with spoken Manx, Irish and Welsh, with Jamie Smith (accordion), Adam Rhodes (bouzouki) and Greg Barry (percussion) completing the line-up.
David says: “It is an honour to have been supported by the Malcolm Scott Dickinson Trust, and for the opportunity to bring this commission to Yn Chruinnaght & Festival Interceltique de Lorient for the Year of the Isle of Man and Cornwall. The piece explores the rich cultural intrigue within the Isle of Man and hopefully captures the spirit of the Manx appetite for embracing Celtic music, dance, language & culture whenever they touch our shores”.
Tickets for the concert, which will also feature a concert set from renowned Breton duo Landat-Moisson and Cornish dancers and singers, are available online at www.ynchruinnaght.com or from the usual Peel Centenary Centre outlets – Celtic Gold (Peel), Shakti Man (Ramsey), Peter Norris Music (Douglas) and Thompson Travel (Port Erin).
Photo - David Kilgallon. Courtesy of Phil Kneen.
