This is a past event
The Festival is a unique celebration, bringing together outstanding traditional singers from Scotland, England, and Ireland.
The event is especially for those who like to hear, enjoy, and join in unaccompanied traditional singing. Essentially informal, friendly and non-competitive, it will be just the place to encourage the young and less experienced as well as the old hands. The weekend includes ceilidhs featuring the guest singers, singarounds for everyone who wants to join in, workshops, and a talk. As part of the Homecoming celebrations, we mark the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns in 1759 with a talk and a workshop on the Bard.
Cullerlie Farm Park and Heritage Centre was set up by Tom (‘Tam’) and Anne Reid in 1993 and is now run by Anne’s daughter Tracey Walker and her husband Eric, as well as other members of the family. Tom moved to the Cullerlie Estate with his parents in 1935, and worked with his father in the traditional way of farming. He kept the traditions alive by turning the old original steading into a farm museum with one of the largest privately owned collections of farming and domestic memorabilia in Scotland. Anne, who was from nearby Peterculter, joined Tom when they married in 1975.
Tom (born 1929) was a legendary singer, having been crowned, in 1977, the Bothy Ballad King before a crowd of 10,000 at the Haughs in Turriff, a title that remained his until his death in January 2003. Anne (1939-2006) was also a fine singer and promoted the traditions of the North-East through singing and speaking workshops with schoolchildren and adults at local schools and at the museum, as well as hosting regular Saturday-night ceilidhs. It is the family’s express wish that the festival should continue to run in memory of Tom and Anne.
At the Park there is a large tearoom where the staff serve soup, sandwiches, and lots of delicious home baking. They cater for all needs with a baby changing area plus disabled facilities.
The Park nestles at the foot of the Hill of Fare where the battles of Corrichie and Cullerlie Moor were fought. It is 6 miles north-east of Banchory and 12 miles west of Aberdeen. From Aberdeen follow the A944 to the Westhill roundabout, then fork left on the B9119 to Garlogie, then fork left again on the B9125 for 3 miles. The Park is on the right.
The Guests
James Graham is a Gaelic singer from Lochinver in the far northwest corner of Sutherland. He studied at RSAMD and in 2004 won the BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award. He has performed at festivals in the UK and abroad, both as a soloist and in his trio, and with the acclaimed all-male group 'Na Seòid'.
Ken Hall is a fine singer, originally from Liverpool, who was much influenced by Bob Davenport, Reg Hall, and the traditional singers he has met. He relishes Northern Irish singing style and the contemporary satirical song-writing tradition. With Peta Webb, he champions unaccompanied singing in London at the Musical Traditions Club and the Keith Summers Festival.
Alana Henderson is a young singer from Belfast who sings in both English and Irish languages. She specialises in her native Ulster songs, including the Lough Neagh shore songs of Sarah Ann O'Neill. Passionate about song, she has taught at the renowned Armagh Piper’s Club and has performed as a guest artist at many festivals, clubs, and singing circles.
Roger Hinchliffe, son of the legendary Frank Hinchliffe, was brought up on a small beef farm on the outskirts of Sheffield. He sings his father’s songs and those he learnt from his mother’s brother, the late Stanley Marsden. It was not until his father died in 1995 that Roger sang in public, but since then he has performed at several festivals.
Christine Kydd is a full-time singer, singing teacher (including Plockton High School), educational project and community choir leader, who has performed internationally. She delights in the songs of Robert Burns, to whom she is distantly related. Based in Kirriemuir, she is currently studying for an MLitt in folklore and ethnology at the Elphinstone Institute.
Gordeanna McCulloch, born near Glasgow, is recognised as one of the finest singers of traditional songs of her generation. Influenced by Norman Buchan and Ewan MacColl, her style represents a link with the older generation of ballad singers, such as Jeannie Robertson and Belle Stewart. She has been a member of several notable groups including Clutha and Palaver, and currently tutors at RSAMD.
Adam McNaughtan has sung, collected, edited, and written songs since the 1950s. Several of his songs have achieved legendary status, including ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Yellow on the Broom’. As a Glasgow Eastender, he is fondest of his City’s traditions – music-hall songs, children’s rhymes, Poet's Box ballads, but he also just enjoys singing, wherever the song originates.
Con ‘Fada’ Ó Drisceoil is a celebrated songwriter and button accordion player from Cork. He has written comic songs on a wide range of subjects including canine castration, Shakespearean tragedy, unwelcome percussionists, and the wildlife of County Clare. His recent book, The Spoons Murder and Other Mysteries, is a delight with enchanting illustrations by Édaín O’Donnell.
Hector Riddell was brought up in Leochel Cushnie, a farming community in west Aberdeenshire. From a musical family, he sang in the local choir and has travelled the North-East with dance bands singing ‘Country and Irish’. It is only three years since he went back to singing bothy ballads and he has won several competitions. He is a finalist in the 2009 Champions competition at Elgin.
Irene Watt was brought up in Gardenstown (‘Gamrie’) on the Moray coast from fishing stock. She is a fine singer and player of the clarsach, whose repertoire includes traditional and contemporary Scots song. She is currently undertaking PhD research in ethnomusicology, researching the power of the lullaby at the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen.
Organisers
Tracey Walker (Anne’s daughter) and Jim Taylor (Tom’s nephew) on behalf of Cullerlie Farm Park and Ian and Norma Russell on behalf of The Elphinstone Institute.
Thank you to our sponsors
Coupers (Fish Processors) of AberdeenDavidson & Murison LtdThe Friends of the Elphinstone InstituteEcht & Skene Community Council
- Hosted by
- Elphinstone Institute and Cullerlie Farm Park
- Venue
- Cullerlie Farm Park