Over Two Thousand Folk & Indie Artists to Perform at Celtic Connections

Rhiannon Giddens

Over Two Thousand Folk & Indie Artists to Perform at Celtic Connections

Rhiannon Giddens with the Celtic Blues Orchestra and Karine Polwart and Kris Drever with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra among headline events.

Celtic Connections has just announced its programme for next year. Taking place from 17 January to 3 February, the 2019 festival will feature 2,100 folk, world, traditional and indie artists performing in over 20 venues across Glasgow. 

The festival’s theme for 2019 will be ‘passing traditions between generations’ and will open with a concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall titled Syne of the Times. The concert will feature 60–70 young players performing newly arranged excerpts of Duncan Chisholm’s Kin, Lauren McColl’s The Seer and music by Dáimh, Aidan O’Rourke and Brighde Chaimbeul. The New Voices series of lunchtime events will also present specially commissioned projects by emerging artists such as harpist Mischa MacPherson, fiddler Gráinne Brady and fiddler and singer Megan Henderson. 

Headline events for the festival include American singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens performing with The Celtic Blues Orchestra (28 Jan.); a celebration of the legacy of John Martyn with Paul Weller, Eddi Reader and more (27 Jan.); and Karine Polwart and Kris Drever performing new orchestral versions of their songs with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (27 Jan.). 

Also featuring at the festival will be amiina with Maarja Nuut and Ruum (20 Jan.), Sam Amidon (23 Jan.), Slow Moving Clouds with Lisa O’Neill (2 Feb.), and Susheela Raman’s ‘Ghost Gamelan’ project (26 Jan.). Throughout the festival there will be late night sessions at 11pm at the Drygate Brewery.

Celtic Connections also includes an education programme designed to introduce young people to traditional Scottish music, with children’s workshops, schools events and free concerts for teachers and pupils. The education programme for 2019 will be announced soon. 

For the full line-up, visit www.celticconnections.com

Published on 6 November 2018

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