http://northings.com/2011/02/04/save-the-national-centre-for-excellence-in-traditional-music/ Cultural magazine for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland Fri, 22 Jul 2016 10:39:52 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.38 http://northings.com/2011/02/04/save-the-national-centre-for-excellence-in-traditional-music/comment-page-1/#comment-653 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:31:34 +0000 http://northings.com/?p=9138#comment-653 Agree completely with both the above – Highland Council may well be strapped for cash, but what right do they have to close a National Centre? What public consultation has been carried out, or evidence produced to support this? The Scottish Government partially fund the Centre, should they not have a say? If Highland can’t afford it, perhaps the Centre should be moved somewhere else where Scotland’s traditional music is held in higher esteem. Voluntary organisations like the Fèisean do a wonderful job, as do individual music teachers and initiatives like YMI, but if we are serious about strengthening Scotland’s cultural identity and national heritage as an economic as well as a social advantage, we need more Centres like this across the country, rather than suggest closing the only one we have.

]]> http://northings.com/2011/02/04/save-the-national-centre-for-excellence-in-traditional-music/comment-page-1/#comment-649 Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:22:41 +0000 http://northings.com/?p=9138#comment-649 Agreed on all of that, but playing Devil’s Advocate here, how about the argument that if it is a national centre, then central government rather than Highland Council should be funding it?

]]> http://northings.com/2011/02/04/save-the-national-centre-for-excellence-in-traditional-music/comment-page-1/#comment-648 Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:14:53 +0000 http://northings.com/?p=9138#comment-648 Please sign the petition!
Dougie Pincock has been an inspirational Director of the National Centre since its inception and he and his team of dedicated tutors have been hugely influential in the resurgence of traditional music in recent years. There is an exciting, vibrant scene in Scotland with great numbers of astonishingly talented young players making traditional music visible, accessible, popular – and audible! This is in no small part the result of what has been achieved at Plockton.
There is no question that the cultural, social and economic impact of Plockton has been enormously significant.
The National Centre is a National Treasure – keep it!
Go to http://www.gopetition.com/petition/42495.html to sign the petition and encourage all friends and colleagues to do likewise.

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