Burnsong 2009

Press release about the Burnsong 2009 winners here
http://www.burnsong.org/news/article.php?id=5
really excited about this opportunity - sure it will be a tiring week but also very creative! And delighted that I am the first Gaelic writer to have won a place in the House!

Short & Tweet with Gaelic Twitter

My daily short doses of Gaselic Tweets on Twitter really seem to have caught the imagination of Gae;ic learners and those interested in Gaelic Culture! I've now got alomost 750 people following me to learn the langauge including Mr George Sorial, Donald Trump's righthand man! He s now learning Gaelic from the top of Trump Tower and says it takes him back to his childhood summers spent on Lewis where his granny came from. The Tweets re complied weekly onto podcasts on my website so why not come join the merry band of GaelTweets!
My Twitter name is Gaelicsinger of course

Short and Tweet - Gaelic Twitter

Piece on BBC website about the wee Gaelic phrases Ive been posting on Twitter and the amount of interest shown in it across the world! Just delighted if it helps folk to access Gaelic easier! Follow me on Twittername- Gaelicsinger
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8314860.stm

Photo of Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond kissing Fiona at Conference 2009

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaron-sneddon/4023098610/in/set-72157622604534252

A photo of Mr Salmond giving me a kiss after my songs at the SNP Conference today in Inverness. A lovely welcome and I think the Gaelic song went down very well.

Scottish National Party Final Day @Conference - Gaelic Song!

Just preparing to go off for sound check at Conference- singing Cuir Culaibh ri Asainte- an emigrant song from Sutherland - and the classic Scots 'anthem'- Scots Wha Hae. It is rumoured that Mr Salmond has a very fine singing voice! More news later!

Mod an Obainn

Coming to end of 3rd day at Royal National Mod in Oban. A Marathon but fun too! Watch out for news and photos in a couple of days.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Gaelic Song to Bring SNP Conference to close

Delighted to have been asked to mark the Year of Homecoming by bringing the SNP Conference to a close this weekend in Inverness by singing a Gaelic emigrant Song and Scots Wha Hae. The Gaelic speaking emigrants from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland helped to create the Modern World and it is only right that their language and culture should form a part of the Homecoming Celebrations. Watch out for more news on the SNP site at www.snp.org
I will be singing Duthaich MhicAoidh - Mackay Country, a song telling of the bitterness and despair at the laying waste of the lands of Sutherland, by The Big Sheep in the 19thC - clipp at

Some pictures of Juzcar in Andalucia where the 2010 Gaelic Course will be held

Learn Gaelic Song & Language In Spain!

A quick 'heads up' to keep an eye out for more information on next Spring's Gaelic Song and Language course- Gaidhlig Thall Thairis- in Andalucia, Spain. Dates- 28 April- 2nd May 2010. Learn Gaelic Song and Langauge at all levels, with myself and Gillebride Macmillan. Through the medium of Spanish if you wish! venue- Hotel Bandolero , Juzcar, Andalucia
www.hotelbandolero.com
Watch for more details

Promoting The Lassies Reply

Busy getting 'Pur's' new release, The Lassies Reply, out there! This Cd is unique in thats the only CD of the Songs of Robert Burns sung in Scots and Gaelic - to show that the 2 languages CAN co-exist in harmony - literally! 'Pur' are Shona Donaldson and Katie Mackenzie and met whilst both studying at the RSAMD in Glasgow. Shona sings in Scots and Katie sings in gaelic - but on this Cd they also both sing the 'other' language too. Its arranged in bright and fresh, contemporary arrangements by Irvin Duguid who produced my recent album 'A Good Suit of clothes'. Lets give these two talented you musicians a real career boost and gettheir music out there! You can hear a sample here-
www.macdug.co.uk/Burns_in_Gaelic.html
Available from here
www.footstompin.com

Good Suit at Brodie for A'Chraobh- Highland Homecoming

Update on the Good Suit Recital at Brodie Castle on Sunday 25th October for Highland Homecoming. Am delighted that I am going to be joined by young Inverness contemporary dancer Gemma Giubarelli, who will 'translate' some of the songs for me- a new departure for Gaelic Song.Gemma will interpret the songs for the audience using her beautiful , elegant and emotive style of dance. I will also be joined by Ross-shire fiddler Eilidh Ramsay who will play sets of tunes from The New World.
There will also be photos on display relating to the new World and a display of art by local school pupils, inspired by sessions I have been working on with the pupils, on the songs of emigration.
Get you tickets soon - they are extremely limited !

BURNSONG 2009

Delighted to be able to say that I've been named a winner in the prestigious Burnsong House this year! A song I wrote last year, Guthan air a'Ghaoith has won me aplace inthe house which takes place late Novmeber this year. I will have the opportunity to live with 9 other winners , drawn from hundreds of entries from all over the world - all genres of songs, not just Trad. We will debate, write, work with industry professionals and ultimately perform our winning songs in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrews Day! This is a great opportunity and I am very excited to have been selected. More details are available on www.burnsong.org.
http://blip.fm/home?quickBlipId=101568
Guthan air a Ghaoith - Voices on the Wind, No matter where you live in the world, Song unites races.