Fèis Rois will livestream a virtual festival with an evening of traditional music from well-known artists to mark the 30th edition of their Fèis Rois nan Inbheach (Adults) festival on Sunday evening (3 May).
A selection of performances from some of Scotland’s premiere traditional musicians, all from the comfort of their own homes, will then be shown on BBC ALBA on Monday evening, as part of Fèis Rois’s anniversary celebrations.
Fèis Rois had intended to host a live ‘physical’ concert with some of the festival’s best-known musicians, but the Covid-19 crisis didn’t allow for that to happen. Instead, they decided to go ahead with this weekend of virtual celebrations.
Gaelic singer Joy Dunlop will be hosting the program on BBC ALBA, with some of the highlights from the 3-hour virtual concert.
The line-up features stalwarts of the Scottish traditional music scene, such as Donald Shaw and Karen Matheson; West Highland Cèilidh royalty Iain MacFarlane and Ingrid Henderson; Gaelic singers Mischa MacPherson, Brian Ó hEadhra and Fiona MacKenzie, amongst many others.
Fèis Rois Chief Executive, Fiona Dalgetty, said: “We’re so glad to have the backing of BBC ALBA to help bring some of our 30th Anniversary celebrations to a wide audience, and to showcase some of the amazing talent that Fèis Rois has helped to cultivate over the years. It’s always great to be bringing more attention to a movement that has gone from strength to strength over the past three decades and more, and we would invite people to get involved in our online activities at this time.”
Margaret Cameron, Channel Editor at MG ALBA, which operates BBC ALBA in partnership with the BBC, said: “Being able to showcase grassroots movements, particularly in the arts, is something that BBC ALBA has always aimed to achieve, and the ability to collaborate with Fèis Rois on this project has been invaluable – it brings together different audiences, at a time when it’s easy to feel disconnected.”
The three-hour extravaganza of musical talent will be streamed live on Fèis Rois’s Facebook page on Sunday 3 May from 8pm. Find out more about Fèis Rois on their website, www.feisrois.org, and catch the livestream on their Facebook, here: www.facebook.com/feisrois
Fèis Rois| Bheir Dhomh am Fonn, produced by Bees Nees Media, will broadcast on BBC ALBA the following night, Monday 4 May 9pm and will then be available on the BBC iPlayer.
