Empire Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 18 March 2011

THE GAELIC Society of Inverness was actively supporting Gaelic long before the dawning of the Bòrd na Gàidhlig age.

Established in 1871 with the intention of “cultivating the language, poetry and music of the Scottish Highlands and generally furthering the interests of the Gaelic-speaking people” the society has now been organising annual themed showcase events for several years.

Recognising that the future of Gaelic rests firmly in the hands of the language’s young speakers, the theme of this year’s event was Guth na h-Òige – the Voice of Youth.

Darren MacLean (photo ©Louis De Carlo)

In a concert promising a youthful, fresh approach to the Gaelic singing tradition, the continuing significance of the Royal National Mod and its medal competitions was, perhaps conversely, plain to see. The four young solo singers present – Jenna Cumming, Steven MacIver, Darren Maclean and Kirsteen MacDonald – have, in recent years, all joined the ranks of Mod Gold Medallists.

Jenna Cumming

Beginning with Cumming’s interpretation of ’S ann a bhruadar mi raoir – I dreamed last night, all gave performances befitting of the accolade, performing a broad range of songs, all unaccompanied, and showing a level of confidence, maturity and technique with which it would be difficult to find fault.

As well as introducing the performers, the evening’s hosts – the society’s chairman Allan MacDonald and, continuing the theme of youth, Ellen MacDonald, a pupil at Inverness’s Millburn Academy – also introduced the songs and told a little of the stories behind them.

Here, the evening’s multimedia element came into play, in the form of an ‘interpretive simultaneous display’ which provided a written English translation while the two spoke. This presentation allowed the evening to be entirely bilingual, without relying on repetition (or simultaneous interpretation gadgetry).

This forethought was however, at times, to the detriment of the performers’ connection with the audience – when they appeared on stage, they had little else to add.

The shining stars of the evening were the members of choral group Canntaireachd, Gaelic-speaking teens from the Inverness area. While still singing unaccompanied, their intricate harmonies brought a depth and substance not present in the solo performances.

Canntaireachd

The group was unique, too, in introducing a contemporary, self-penned piece to the evening, beginning with, A hug-a, a hug-a, written by the group for the Year of Homecoming. The traditional Mo Nighean Donn Bhòidheach, sung as a round with beautiful, multi-layered harmonies, was another vibrant highlight.

In an evening dominated by unaccompanied singing, The Monach Isle Ceilidh Band provided a welcome change of tempo, with Michael MacMillan – notably the only non-Gaelic speaker to address the gathering – leading the group through sets of Gaelic waltzes, reels and jigs.

At first, they appeared to suffer from the quandary which besets the best of ceilidh bands – cracking sets of tunes, and a seated audience. This was, however, somewhat remedied in their final set as Canntaireachd’s young singers took to the stage, dancing a Schottische, Strip the Willow and Canadian Barn Dance as the band blistered through the tunes.

The Monach Isle Ceilidh Band

Mention must be made too of award-winning young piper Brìghde Chaimbeul, who treated her audience to another meticulous, assured performance.
It is a given that in order for a language to survive, it must have young speakers. By the same token, for a musical tradition to endure, it requires not only that young people engage with and carry forward the human history embedded within it, but also that they contribute to it, and thus allow it to evolve.

This is happening. Young people are penning new Gaelic songs and composing new tunes, and adding their youthful voices to this living tradition in a very real way. It is a pity, therefore, that in an evening given over to the voice of youth, we did not see more of this.

© Joanne Stephen, 2011

Links

• Gaelic Society of Inverness