Celtic Colours: The Next Generation

Celtic Colours: The Next Generation showcase at the Savoy Theatre, September 5 at 2pm

The Celtic Colours International Festival's mandate is "to celebrate and sustain our living Celtic culture" -- the festival itself is the celebration, and the sustainability is nourished through ongoing work with various cultural organizations. One avenue of this work involves developing initiatives for Youth. Celtic Colours recognizes that in order to sustain the culture, it must thrive through the generations.

On Monday, September 5th at 2pm, young musicians and dancers will take the stage during a free daytime event at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay. Celtic Colours: The Next Generation, presented by Celtic Colours in partnership with the Savoy Theatre and the Cape Breton Post, will provide a taste of talent from the next generation of culture bearers, and some insight into Celtic Colours' youth initiatives.

 Celtic Colours: The Next Generation features Alexandria Samson, 16, from Arichat who has been playing the harp for several years now; Mckayla MacNeil, 16, from St. Peter's who has studied fiddle with Kyle MacNeil; Maggie Beaton, 16, from Mabou Harbour who has studied fiddle with Dawn and Margie Beaton; Donovan MacNeil, a 13 year old Gaelic singer from Glenville; Cullen MacInnis, 13, from Mabou who is a fiddler, step dancer and Gaelic singer; sisters Jessie Helen, Nora, Orianna, and Katie Agnes MacNeil from Castle Bay, who range in age from 4 to 10, will be singing and playing fiddle accompanied by their mother Tracey Dares MacNeil; and Sachelle and Mikayle MacLennan, sisters from Mull River who have been step dancing for years. Their mom is well known step dancer Kelly Warner.

The concert will also feature a performance by Anita MacDonald, a fiddler, step dancer and Gaelic singer from Little Narrows who will be accompanied by Susan MacLean on piano. Anita participated in the first Archie Neil Stage in 2008, a youth showcase and session that takes place during the festival this year on October 8th and 10th from 3-5 PM in the Masonic Hall in Baddeck. Admission is $5. The Archie Neil Stage features performances from a variety of young musicians and dancers and is followed by a participatory session. Anita is also one of the artists who delivers the Introducing Our Celtic Culture school program for Celtic Colours and is a featured artist in the festival for 2011.

There are two school programs produced by the Celtic Colours International Festival. Celtic Colours in the Schools is specially designed for Jr. & Sr. High School students and their educators, which will bring professional Celtic musicians into the schools for a performance-based presentation in October 2011. The goal is to expose young people to music that is rooted in the culture by providing lively and youthful acts that create original compositions and arrangements influenced by a traditional genre.

Introducing Our Celtic Culture is specially designed for Elementary School students and their educators and brings artists into the schools for an educational and interactive presentation during Gaelic Awareness Month in May.

Over the past year, both programs brought cultural presentations to more than 9 700 students in all four counties on the island.

Celtic Colours International Festival celebrates its fifteenth year in 2011 with 45 concerts and hundreds of community events taking place all over Cape Breton Island from October 7-15. For more information on Celtic Colours or to purchase tickets, visit celtic-colours.com or phone 1-877-285-2321 (toll free) or 567-3000 (local).