manx celtic music and dance

St Louis and Nuit Interceltique, Lorient

03 Sep 2012

Russell Gilmour and David Kilgallon
Russell Gilmour and David Kilgallon

Sacred music in Eglise St Louis, Lorient

Through official delegate, Aalish Maddrell, David Kilgallon approached the festival with the idea for a joint concert between Manx and Breton musicians. Together with Russell Gilmour (trumpet), and Ruth Keggin (vocals/whistle) and Dave Pearce (guitar), David set about arranging a programme of music which would contrast well with the Breton choir chosen to perform alongside them. The middle section of the programme was led by Manx Gaelic singer, Ruth Keggin, together with her Nish As Rish bandmate, Dave Pearce on guitar. She sang mainly religious songs - from carvals to new compositions - captivating the audience as she had done the previous year. David used the opportunity to perform his own works for organ - two commissions from the Manx Heritage Foundation - which sounded fabulous on the rich sound of the St Louis organ. Joined by graduate of the RCM, Russell on trumpet, they put together new arrangements of traditional tunes including Mylecharane’s March. Making full use of the acoustics and the balcony, the audience were bathed in glorious sound. The concert heralded a new stage in generating ideas for programming.

Nuit Interceltique

Ruth Keggin was invited to open the spectacle that is the Nuit Interceltique (previously known as the Nuit Magique) in the Stade du Moustoir in Lorient. The special evenings run almost every night of the festival and fetch some of the highest ticket prices as visitors are treated to a late night sample of musicians and dancers from all of the Celtic nations and a fi rework display. The event is projected onto huge screens at the back of a stadium and the atmosphere is electrifying! It is an honour to be chosen to sing the opening unaccompanied song - Ruth chose traditional love song ‘Geay jeh’n aer’ to set the mood for the event. One of the evenings was televised and an excerpt is available online here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcgQMh2RubA

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