There has been widespread media coverage to promote the recent launch of an interaction exhibition and website, Seinn Spioradail: Sacred Soundscapes of the Highlands and Islands, which highlights important research by Dr Frances Wilkins, Senior Lecturer in Ethnomusicoloy at The Elphinstone Institute.
Dr Wilkins has been working on the project, which received funding from The Carnegie Trust, British Academy and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, for the past six years. The exhibition, which she co-curated with designer Ronan Martin, is currently on display at Museum nan Eilean in Stornoway.
Media coverage includes:
BBC Radio 4 interview on The Sunday Programme (21 January 2024) with William Crawley (from 26:10)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001vl28
BBC Alba coverage on An Là (22 January 2024)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/naidheachdan/fbh/68063760
The Scotsman feature:
https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/gaelic-sacred-and-spiritual-songs-of-highlands-and-islands-preserved-for-the-future-4476853
Stornoway Gazette feature:
https://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/showcasing-importance-of-gaelic-spiritual-singing-4478657
To help support the safeguarding of the tradition Dr Wilkins has been documenting and recording Gaelic sacred and spiritual singing to create an archive and bring the music to a wider audience. The website, at www.seinn.org, showcases her research and includes an extensive sound archive, soundmap and virtual tour.
The exhibition is at Museum nan Eilean in Stornoway from 20th January – 12th April 2024 before touring Highland and island communities including Balallan (Lewis) from April - June 2024, Portree (Skye) from June - November 2024, Lochmaddy (N.Uist) from December 2024 - February 2025, and Ness (Lewis) from March -December 2025. Visitors can learn more about sacred song traditions of the region and explore sound recordings, film, objects, and a digital archive, soundmap and interactive virtual tour.
Website address: www.seinn.org