Celtic Connections: Community and Creativity in Glasgow

Celtic Connections: that is the name for one of Europe’s best winter festivals, held every year in Glasgow, Scotland.

celtic connections Roaming Roots man with guitar on stage

Celtic Connections also makes a good description of the essence of the festival.

Its heart is music, especially the many sorts of music found it Scotland.

It also forms and makes possible connections with artists and audience members coming from Sweden, Ukraine, Africa, Ireland, India, Australia, France, Canada, the US, and other parts places in the world, as well as from communities all across Scotland.

Glasgow is a UNESCO City of Music, after all. The community, creativity, and connections which take place during Celtic Connections show why Glasgow has received this recognition.

Side note: if your plans do not allow a trip to Glasgow this winter to take part in Celtic Connections in person, I’ve suggestions later on about finding Celtic Connections events through online and broadcast programming.

There’s a lot going on. Several hundred events take place across Glasgow’s city center through nearly three weeks time; this year Celtic Connections runs from 18 January through 4 February.

That said, Celtic Connections is structured and presented in ways emphasize community and connection. Audiences and performers both feel welcome, and form connections over shared stories whether they meet in large or small spaces.

Those spaces range from purpose built concert halls and historic buildings to intimate recital rooms, pubs, and small halls.

Connection and community begin with the opening concert which finds mandolinist Chris Thile, perhaps best known for his work with acoustic bands Nickel Creek and the Punch Brother, joining forces with with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Scottish singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni for the European premiere of his orchestral work Attention!

Blazin Fiddles band on stage celtic connections

It should be an evening which which sets the stage for the many days and nights of musical collaboration and adventure which will follow.

Highlights include

The Bothy Band: They blazed a high energy trail across Irish traditional music in the 1970s; the albums they recorded continue to carry that legacy as do the careers band members Donal Lunny, Kevin Burke, Triona Ni Dhomnaill, Paddy Glackin, Paddy Keenan, and Matt Molloy forged as they went their separate ways. A recent reunion for a film project had the musicians recalling how much they enjoyed playing together. They have not played a major live show together in more than forty years.

“To have one of the most beloved bands of all time accept our long standing invitation to play Celtic Connections and to see them come together for the first time in four decades is one of the highlights of my festival career,” said festival artistic producer Donald Shaw. “The band represents the innovation and energy of the tradition and the extraordinary ability music has to connect us, and stay with us for decades.”

Growing up in Benin in West Africa, exploring R&B and blues in the Americas, time spent in France, singing in languages of the African diaspora, passion for social justice: all of these inform what musician and activist Angélique Kidjo brings to the Celtic Connections stage.

Blazin’ Fiddles is always a festival favorite, showcasing original and traditional music of Scotland. They will bring their, yes, blazing fiddle frontline of Bruce MacGregor, Jenna Reid, Rua Macmillan, and Kristan Harvey, with Anna Massie on guitar and Angus Lyon holding the rhythm line.

Blazin Fiddles band on stage celtic connections

There’s always a strong Irish presence at Celtic Connections: two ways you could hear that this year come from Altan, who are based in and draw on the music of Donegal in Ireland’s northwest, and Cherish the Ladies whose members come from Ireland and Irish America.

celtic connections cherish the ladies on stage

Top Irish singer songwriter Nuala Kennedy will return to Celtic Connections with music inspired by her current home near the coast of Clare.

Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas bring their fiddle and cello with creative original music along with equally creative takes on Scotland’s tradition to the festival.

Alasdair Fraser Natlaie Haas fiddle and cello at Celtic Connections

Legendary Breton harper Alan Stivell will add his music; on another evening Maggie MacInnes will bring Gaelic song and harp to the mix, sharing an evening bill with a project of new music from Gaelic singer and multi instrumentalist Ewen Henderson.

Top Scottish band Breabach with share what’s sure to be a lively evening with their friends in the band Beolach, who come from Cape Breton in Atlantic Canada.

celtic connections scotland band breabach group shot 5 musicians

Breabach includes Highland snd uileann pipers among its members; there will be plenty of pipes in evidence elsewhere, too, from traditions of Scotland, Spain, and other places, and pipe bands to enjoy as well.

On Burns Night, there will be a special supper of haggis, neeps, and tatties, along with a few drams and music from Fiona Hunter, Sean Gray, and other musical guests.

Ukrainian quartet DakhaBrakha brings traditional music of their homeland along with world music influences to a performance which always includes a strong visual element.

celtic connections scotland band breabach group shot 5 musicians

They will share an evening with Slovakian-Norwegian orchestra Angrusori, who draw on fusion and interaction between those two traditions.

Rachel Hair and Ron Jappy join Scotland’s oldest instrument, the harp or clarsach, with one newert to the tradition, the guitar, as they explore traditional and newly composed tunes. They will add song to their mix as well, as they will be joined by top Gaelic singer Joy Dunlop.

celtic connections gaelic singer joy dunlop

Gaelic song is also the focus as Julie Fowlis brings music of the Highlands and Islands to Celtic Connections.

Su-a Lee created many connections in the collaborations for her album Dialogues. At Celtic Connections, the world renown cellist brings them together for a celebration of the the cello’s place in the folk music of Scotland. Karine Polwart, Duncan Chisholm, and Maeve Gilchrist are among those set to take part.

Banjo is Alison Brown’s instrument. With it she explores bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, and country ideas in music from those traditions and from her own creation. The Grammy winning artist will share an evening with New England based Celtic folk band Low Lilly.

celtic connections alison brown with banjo

There are many places to explore the music of up and coming musicians at Celtic Connections. Alice Allen, Charlie Grey, and Ali Levack have each been commissioned to create an hour of new music on a theme of their choosing; this New Voices strand always offers excellent music, great storytelling, and many surprises.

Surprise is part of the Roaming Roots Review too. Its tagline is songs of modern Scotland. Roddy Hart invites musical friends along for an evening — this year, two evenings — of musical adventure.

You can also catch emerging talent in the early evening most days of the festival at the Danny Kyle Open Stage, where a range of musicians compete for opening slots at next year’s Celtic Connections. You can cast your vote for which ones you like best, too.

There are concerts for children under 5 on the schedule, as well as schools concerts. Weekends include workshops for many levels of learners on songs from Gaelic to Scots , songs of the sea to songs to try with a chorus, and instruments including banjo, guitar, and a big session with all instruments welcome.

As main concerts of a Celtic Connections evening wind down, on many nights you will have late night choices.

At the Festival Club schedules are not revealed so you never know who may appear, perhaps for a rare solo set or a spontaneous jam. Late Night Sessions happen many evenings too, often offering a more relaxed late night than you usually find at the Festival Club.

There is quite lot going on, isn’t there? and all this is just a taste of it.

Whether you go for an evening, a day, a weekend, an afternoon, or for the whole run of the festival, you will find much to explore and enjoy.

celtic connections podcast nts robert burns statue george square glasgow scotland scotland

If you will not making it to Glasgow for Celtic Connections this year though…

If you are within BBC television license area, you may be able to see broadcast of some events.

You will also want to keep your eye out on Irish language television network TG4 and RTE, the English language television broadcaster in Ireland. There are sometimes Celtic Connections events in their programming and they often allow viewing outwith Ireland.

To be clear, events of the festival are rarely televised live or streamed on line, though some may be available as part of later programming. But…

You will also want to check online radio schedules for BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gaidheal. Many regular music shows on both channels host Celtic Connections programming.

Celtic Music Radio broadcasts the Danny Kyle concerts and often other Celtic Connections programming online as well.

However you join in the connections and the memories you will make at Celtic Connections will be well worth your time.

Photographs of Chris Thile and from Roaming Roots Review by Gaelle Beri; photographs of Blazin Fiddles, Cherish the Ladies, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, and Robert Burns statue in George Square by Kerry Dexter; photograph of Joy Dunlop by Euan Robertson; photgraph of DakhaBrakha courtey of Celtic Connections; photographs of Breabach and of Alison Brown counrtery of the artists.

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