Fèis Spè

Cuairt Chèilidh A’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh | Cairngorms Cèilidh Trail

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The Cairngorms Cèilidh Trail is one of nine Cèilidh Trails organised by local Fèisean under the umbrella of Fèisean nan Gàidheal.  The first Cèilidh Trail project, established by Fèis Rois in 1999, was designed to help teenage musicians develop their performance skills and to create a vibrant traditional music entertainment programme in the Highlands and now beyond. Over the last eleven years, the project has been replicated in other areas and has proved to be an over-whelming success.

The Cairngorms Cèilidh Trail, now in its thirteenth year, offers training and performance opportunities to musicians aged 16 to 22yrs. Some of them may be considering a career in traditional music and the tour gives them a supported taste of life on the road at the same time as sharing their skills and enthusiasm with a wide audience. Working with local businesses and promoters to develop cultural tourism throughout the National Park, the Cèilidh Trail offers a unique experience.
Auditions are held in February and the six successful musicians attend a training weekend at the beginning of June, then a further week in Plockton at the beginning of July.
​As CCT is a developmental project, to ensure maximum benefit to participants, two years is the maximum ‘stay’ in the band. The band tours the National Park and surrounding area for two weeks in July. The tour is co-ordinated by Fèis Spè and the band is accompanied on tour by a Leader and a driver.

The Cairngorms Cèilidh Trail is funded by a number of organisations including Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Creative Scotland, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and The Robertson and Gannochy Trusts. Further details are available at ​http://www.feisean.org/ceilidh/en/home/​ 
 

“The Cairngorms Ceilidh Trail is a great opportunity to share musical heritage and it has influenced me immensely in many ways. I feel I have gained a lot out of the two weeks and feel I have progressed in both arranging sets and stage presentation. Ceilidh Trail is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and visit new places and I am vastly grateful that I was given such a great opportunity.”   Kaitlin 

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“I feel the opportunity to go on tour with seven other young musicians has not only developed my playing ability and skills of working in a group but has also gained me new friends and connections. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to any young trad musician.”  

Ceitidh, Cairngorms Cèilidh Trail musician 

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