Friday 29 July 2011

Atlantic Voices 2011/2012 Season (MEDIA RELEASE)

Atlantic Voices, The Newfoundland and Labrador Choir of Ottawa, is starting it's 10th season on Tuesday September 6 at 7pm, at Pleasant Park Baptist Church, 414 Pleasant Park Road, Ottawa, ON. We are accepting new members, and we have a specific need for Tenors and Basses. No experience or music-reading ability is necessary, just a love for music from Canada's East Coast. See our website www.atlanticvoices.ca for more information.

Ottawa Cape Breton Session Update

Hello Everyone! Our website has been down for the last couple of days due to issues with the servers at the ISP that hosts the site. We do hope to have it back on track soon. If you need to access tunes or other information from the site send an email and we'll forward whatever you need.

July Events

NOTE: OCBS will be playing a set during the fiddle concert on Saturday afternoon at the Games between 2:30 and 3pm. Please try to be there and ready to tune up by 2:15. The sets played will be 36 and 6. Check with Brian MacLean for more info. Ernie asks that you try to manage without sheet music if you can.

July 29-30—Glengarry Highland Games: Loads of great Scottish and Cape Breton music at the games this year! The Barra MacNeils will be headlining the Friday Concert and Tattoo. Scottish Fiddling is a two-day event starting with the "Young Fiddlers' Showcase" on Friday afternoon in the air-conditioned Fiddlers' Hall in the arena. The show starts at 2:00 pm and will feature young musicians from Glengarry and surrounding area. The afternoon will conclude with a performance by the Massed Fiddlers at 5:30 pm as they warm-up before taking to the main stage where they will perform at 6:15 pm in the Pre-Games Tattoo . On Saturday morning in the Fiddlers' Hall of the arena, there will be two Scottish fiddle workshops. This year we welcome well known and popular Nova Scotian fiddler, Stan Chapman. He has taught the Cape Breton Fiddle Style to many students through private lessons; in addition, he has done workshops in both Canada and the U.S. and summer sessions at the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts in St. Ann's, Cape Breton. He has conducted fiddle groups including the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association and is currently a part time Lecturer in Heritage and Culture at Cape Breton University in Sydney, N.S.. Fiddlers are invited to bring their fiddles and music stands and take an active part in one or both sessions ( 9 am and 10:15 am). Scottish fiddling will continue in the arena hall on Saturday afternoon. The Glengarry Strathspey & Reel Society will open the program at 2:00 pm and from then until the massed fiddlers at closing, you will be able to tap your toes and clap your hands to the traditional music of Glengarry. Local and visiting fiddlers and pianists will entertain with jigs, reels and strathspeys, etc. until 5 pm. Come and enjoy! http://www.glengarryhighlandgames.com/

July 31—Fifth Sunday: What, you didn't get enough fiddling on Friday and Saturday?! Two whole days of Scottish fiddle at Glengarry? We have an addiction counsellor you may want to contact, one who specializes in fiddle addictions.

Aug 7 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren.

Aug 14 —House Session: 2pm-5pm -Volunteer Hosts Needed!

Aug 21 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren.

Aug 28 —House Session: 2pm-5pm -Volunteer Hosts Needed!

Sep 4 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren.

Sep 11 —House Session: 2pm-5pm -Volunteer Hosts Needed!

Sep 18 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren.

Sep 25 —House Session: 2pm-5pm -Volunteer Hosts Needed!

Oct 2 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren.

Oct 9 —House Session: 2pm-5pm -Thanksgiving Sunday. Give thanks for family, friends and music!

Oct 16 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren.

Oct 23 —House Session: 2pm-5pm -Volunteer Hosts Needed!

Oct 30 —Fifth Sunday: TBA

LOOKING AHEAD: Ottawa Cape Breton Session will be presenting a fall fiddle and piano workshop and square dance with Cape Breton musicians Dara Smith-MacDonald and Adam Young. Saturday afternoon workshops, Saturday evening square dance and Friday night house concert. Details coming soon!

How to Host a House Session: All you need is a space big enough to put 6-8 fiddlers in, some chairs without arms, and a willingness to listen to the same tune played over and over again as we practice. If you have a piano let us know, otherwise we'll bring our own keyboard. We can also bring folding chairs. Sessions are BYOB but usually the hosts provide some non-alcoholic beverages and a little something for snack time. Interested? Talk to Aylene or Beth or send an email to cbsession@ripnet.com

Thursday 28 July 2011

The Gladstone Theatre announces its 2011 Season

It's been a while since I've seen a play that John P. Kelly directed, so I'm delighted to share the following announcement from The Gladstone Theatre.

 - - - - 

Award-winning local theatre companies assume management of treasured institution.

Plosive Productions and SevenThirty Productions (John P. Kelly) have teamed up to bring you a "Larger than Life" season at the Gladstone...

... and we would like to invite you to celebrate!

Gladstone Season Launch Celebration
Friday, July 29 - 7 PM to 10 PM
Please join us at the Gladstone Theatre to learn more about our new season!
Come for nibbles, sips, announcements and to meet the members of the artistic team!
(Visit our season launch page on Facebook!)
Our 2011 season line-up includes:
Sept 6-24
Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, adapted by Patrick Barlow, directed by John P. Kelly
Oct 4-22
Speed-the-Plow, by David Mamet, directed by Teri Loretto-Valentik
Nov 1-19
I Do Not Like Thee, Dr. Fell, directed by John P. Kelly
Dec 6-17
The Shadow: A Christmas Mysteries Radio Show, directed by Kel Parsons
* As a bonus, we are pleased to announce that the new Gladstone season
will include the Phoenix Players, who have been bringing high-quality theatre to Ottawa audiences since 2011.
Nov. 24-26
The Phoenix Players present: I Remember Mama, by John van Druten and Directed by Jo-Ann McCabe

All performances at the Gladstone.
Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 PM / Saturday matinees at 2 PM

For more information about subscription packages or individual ticket purchases...
please visit www.thegladstone.ca or call 613-233-4523 (GLAD)
Welcome back to the Gladstone Theatre 2011!

CCE Ottawa Branch Ceili dates

The following are the CCE Ottawa ceili dates for the 2011 - 2012 season, now confirmed with Blessed Sacrament.

September 24 (may be subject to change)
October 29
November 19
December 17
January 21
February 18
March 17 (Annual Dinner and Ceili)
April 21
May 19

We also have the hall for Monday evenings (6pm to 10pm) starting September 12 and running through (aside from holidays etc) to May 28, 2012. This is for Irish language and dance classes.

Have a great day! And a great summer.

Slán,
Rita
Rúnaí, CCE Ottawa

Tuesday 26 July 2011

Téada Summer Camp

For those that like to travel a little farther afield. The Téada Summer Camp is taking place in Chicago August 09th-13th. Check out details at www.irishmusicschool.com http://fb.me/1c2TGxGtV

Read it online: http://twitter.com/teadamusic/status/95769597906661376

(Téada is an award winning Sligo based traditional music group, well worth a listen - CH)

Swan session cancelled for August

The celtic session at the Swan on the Rideau is cancelled for August. It will resume on the first Wednesday in September. 

See you then.

It's a GO for ceilis Blessed Sacrament church Hall

Great News!

CCE Ottawa has renewed the rental for the use of the hall at Blessed Sacrament, 4th Street, Ottawa, again this year. This comes after some turmoil at the church which put the ceili at some risk for a non-renewal.

The first ceili of the year will be Saturday, September 17.

Week at the Gaeltacht: Thuaisceart an Oileáin Úir

The Gaeltacht: Where Irish is First 
Freagraí as Gaeilge le do thoil, oiread agus is féidir

Dates: 7 – 13 August 2011

Full Package: $240
Banquet: $25
Field Trip: $15

Many have expressed interest in attending the Irish Language Summer Immersion Week at Gaeltacht Thuaisceart an Oileáin Úir, but have not yet registered.

Registration may be completed online at:
http://www.srayner.ca/comhaltas/M_Immersion Week Payments.htm

Brochure at:
http://www.srayner.ca/comhaltas/DOCUMENTS_TEMPORARY/Summer%20Camp%202011/Samhradh_Combined%202011.pdf

Further information:
bowesjulie@sympatico.ca

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Is ócáid iontach do Ghaeilgeoirí í an tseachtain samhraidh ag Gaeltacht Thuaisceart an Oileáin Úir. Tá cuairteoirí ann ó Cheanada, Éirinn, na Stáit Aontaithe, agus áiteanna eile nach iad. Is suíomh álainn suaimhneach í an Ghaeltacht, amach faoin tuath ar bhruach Abhainn na mBradán. Tá bia den chéad scoth ann, comhluadar breá Gaelach, aer úr, agus imeachtaí suimiúla lá agus tráthnóna.

Saturday 16 July 2011

Concert - July 28th: Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre Event

A fundraiser for the Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre:

Caladh Nua 
- A Traditional Irish Band from Co. Waterford - 
Thursday July 28th 7:30pm
Hosted at the Residence of the Irish Ambassador
291 Part Road, Rockcliffe Ottawa

Tickets $30

Contact: Austin Comerton: austin@thegaelichour.ca or through our website using paypal: www.roseoftralee.ca

Hope to see you there!

Friday 8 July 2011

Rideau Canal Festival - Irish Concert Series

The Rideau Canal Festival will be holding an Irish Tribute concert on Saturday, July 30th and we're looking to generate interest in the Irish community on this event. The URL below has more details on the concert series (near the bottom).

CLICK for DETAILS

via Krystin Kowbel

Almonte Celtfest Saturday Workshops

Almonte Celtfest 2011 Instrument Workshops
(sorry for late posting, but I get this stuff a bit late, too....)

Saturday, July 9, 2011

All workshops are 1 1/2 hours and will be held between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Please register at the Old Town Hall before 11:15 – room locations will be provided at that time. We intend to hold all workshops within the Old Town Hall except for piano, which will be at the Mississippi Mills MusicWorks (we will give you directions at registration)

Fee is $20 cash or cheque (payable to Almonte Celtfest) at registration

While not necessarily intermediate, the workshops are intended for those who are familiar with their instruments and have mastered basic fingering and/or chording patterns, know some tunes, and would not be completely intimidated or uncomfortable playing with others in a slow jam. The intent of the workshops is to allow participants to hone the skills they have, pick up some new tips that will their improve playing, and possibly learn a new tune or two. The workshops being offered this year are listed below with their instructors, many of those being well-known to Valley Celtic musicians.

Irish Style Fiddle with Matt Pepin. Matt is well known to the Ottawa Valley traditional music scene having performed at Celtfest and regional events many times and through teaching fiddle at the Ottawa Folklore Centre and the Ottawa Valley School of Traditional Music in Almonte. Matt has toured extensively outside of Ontario, notably in Newfoundland and Ireland. Matt's fiddle playing blends traditional Irish and Scottish with his Old-Time, Valley, and Québecois roots to create a refreshing style of his own, which can be heard on his CD Pass It Down.

Cape Breton Style Fiddle with Don Fletcher. Don has been playing fiddle for over 25 years and enjoys many styles including Cape Breton, Irish, Québecois, and Bluegrass, and also teaches these styles. Don's playing is influenced by Jerry Holland, Howie McDonald, Liz Carroll, Jim Van Cleve, André Brunet, to name a few. He has been taught by many well-known fiddlers including Pierre and Louis Schryer, Denis Lanctot, Jerry Holland, JP Cormier, and Alasdair Fraser. Don is a regular at the many sessions held in and around the Ottawa area.

Piano Accompaniment with Jim Hunter. Jim is a well-known session piano player in Ottawa and began chording as a kid when the world was a lot younger. Over the years Jim has played piano accompaniment with many local Canadian and Celtic fiddlers and groups including the Ottawa Fiddle Ensemble, the Ottawa Comhaltas Ceili Band, the Dunvegan Ceilidh Band, the Valley Stompers, and the Sarah Burnell Band.

Bodhran & Bones with Alistair Dennett. Alistair spent 25 years in Winnipeg where he was involved with organizing their annual Irish Fest. During that time he learned to play the bodhran, bones, and other percussion instruments and played in various traditional folk bands such as Meadowlark, Marty's Party, Skruj McDuk, and The Duks. He also taught the bodhran privately and at various music camps, and also built drums and invented a single key tunable bodhran. Alistair continues to teach in Ottawa and also plays the drums with various artists around the city including Ball and Chain, Sneezy Waters, Keith Glass (Prairie Oyster/Lynn Miles) and Pat Moore's Vinyl Frontier.

Whistle & Flute with Chuck Quick. Chuck has a love of Celtic music and plays the whistle, wooden flute, and uilleann pipes with several Brockville groups includingFiddlers Plus and Avalon who perform regularly at community and related events in that area. He has taught whistle to seniors at St. Lawrence College in Brockville several times as a part of their Encore Programme.

Irish/Celtic Harp with Clare Dwyer. Clare grew up with Irish music and has been playing Irish and other Celtic music on the harp for many years. In addition to traditional music, step-dancing is also in the family and Clare has studied dance with the Canadian dance master, Gilles Roy. She is also well known in the region for generously hosting her house concerts throughout the year featuring Irish, U.S., and Canadian artists in all forms of Celtic music from fiddle to song. Clare recently spent a year in the Galway area, Ireland, where she studied both Irish harp and Sean Nos style step-dance.

Tuesday 5 July 2011

BBQ and Ceili on the Canal: Ottawa CCÉ Member Appreciation Day!

(...actually a picnic not a BBQ! But the fun and appreciation are still on!)
MARK THE DATE . . . 

SATURDAY JULY 30th on the banks of the Rideau Canal
by the Bytown Museum

for the 
OTTAWA CCÉ BRANCH
BBQ AND CEÍLÍ 
IN APPRECIATION OF ITS MEMBERS!!
2-5 PM
COST IS FREE!

REMINDER - 15th Annual Almonte Celtfest - this weekend!

Just a quick reminder . . . check the recent blog posting here.  See you there!

Irish Traditional Music Archive Dublin

Here's a rare tweet for you, a Tweet from @ITMADublin (Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin):
"Happy Canada Day! Among the Canadian material in ITMA we have recordings from Newfoundland made in the 1970s in areas of Irish settlement."
I can imagine what a treasure trove of traditional music the archive in Dublin is for musicians and historians alike.  Must be worth a visit if travelling to Dublin!  Check them out via their home webpage and their Facebook page.

(Apology: I didn't tweet in time for Canada Day!)

Friday 1 July 2011

Canada Day Weekend - Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada!


OIREACHTAS GAEILGE CHEANADA, 1 - 3 July 2011


A Historic and Fun-filled Celebration of the Irish Language and its Cultural

Friday, 1 July

Freagraí as Gaeilge le do thoil, oiread agus is féidir !!

Canada Day Parade in Tamworth Ontario
Irish Language Play, La Buí Bealtaine (Directed by Award Winning Director John P Kelly)

Saturday, 2 July

Open Air Festival, North American Gaeltacht, Tamworth/Erinsville Ontario, 
Banquet and Céilí (Club na Féile), Kingston Ontario,

Sunday, 3 July

Farewell Brunch, Kingston, Ontario

Special Guests: Liam Ó Maolaodha, Máirín Uí Chéide, Labhrás Sonraí Choilm Learaí, 
Celia Ní Fhlatharta, Nan Tom Teaimín

Accommodation: 

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Faoi Dheireadh tá "Oireachtas na Gaeilge" ag teacht go Meiriceá Thuaidh

OIREACHTAS GAEILGE CHEANADA, 1 - 3 Iúil 2011

Clárú Paypal

Ceilíúradh don Ghaeilge a bheidh Stairiúil agus lán le Spraoi

Dé hAoine, 1 Iúil 2011

Máirseáil Lá Cheanada, Tamworth, Ontario
Dráma - Lá Buí Bealtaine (le Stiúrthóir Ardaitheantas - John P Kelly)


Dé Sathairn, 2 Iúil 2011

Féile Faoin Aer, Gaeltacht Thuaisceart an Oileáin Úir, Tamworth/Erinsville Ontario
Féasta agus Céilí (Club na Féile), Kingston, Ontario

Dé Domhnaigh, 3 Iúil 2011

Bróinse Fágála, Kingston, Ontario

Aíonna Speisialta: Liam Ó Maolaodha, Máirín Uí Chéide, Labhrás Sonraí Choilm Learaí, 
Celia Ní Fhlatharta, Nan Tom Teaimín

Spriocdháta do Chlárúchán agus Seomraí Óstáin a chur in Áirithe: 15 Bealtaine 2011

Lóistín: 

Freagraí as Gaeilge le do thoil, oiread agus is féidir !!

The Gaelic Hour now on Facebook

Check out what's happening at The Gaelic Hour with Austin Comerton, now via his Facebook group.