Don’t miss Blas Festival talents celebrating Highland culture

Venues across the Highlands and Islands will host a celebration of Gaelic music, language and culture this September as the Blas Festival returns with nine days featuring the cream of young traditional musicians and singers.

Arthur Cormack of Blas Festival organisers, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, said: “At its core Blas is a celebration of Highland culture in its widest form with the Gaelic language part of that.

“This year there’s a focus on young people with the Ceol Na Feis concert as a finale and a lot of them are taking part in other concerts – quite a number of them former Feis musicians themselves.

“And as in previous years, we will be celebrating the birthdays of four individuals who have made big contributions and have supported Highland culture in different ways over the years.”

Highlights this year include the opening night, when Inverness Cathedral will host an evening of beautiful music and song with special guests, Connemara siblings, Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta.

Highland multi-instrumentalist, composer and member of folk super-group Mànran, Ewen Henderson, unveils his Blas Festival commission Lèirsinn for the first of three performance, starting in Nairn Community and Arts Centre on September 4. Joining Ewen will be Megan Henderson, Hamish Napier, Innes Watson, Iain MacFarlane and Su-a Lee.

Skye singer Anne Martin will present her musical work, An Tinne, at Croy Village Hall on September 8, a piece of music featuring Aboriginal and Australian work alongside Scots and Gaelic, with musicians including Anna Murray, Anna-Wendy Stevenson, Hannah Moule, Ingrid Henderson and Maggie Rigby.

Click here for ticket and festival programme information.

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