Schedule
Friday Night Entertainment
Friday night session hosted by Boyd and Sheumas MacNeil. Bring your instrument to sit in on the tunes! All ages welcome.
Registered Highland Fèis participants - Free
Standard Admittance Fee - $15
Senior Admittance Fee - $10
12 and Under - Free
Registered Highland Fèis participants - Free
Standard Admittance Fee - $15
Senior Admittance Fee - $10
12 and Under - Free
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Boyd first received his first violin lesson at the age of four, and 4 short years later made his performing debut at a local Remembrance Day ceremony. In his mid-teens, Boyd and his brother Ryan were special guests in the odd concert with already established quartet, The Barra MacNeils; officially joining the group in 2005.
Later, music took on a greater meaning for him when he started travelling and performing with the Barra MacNeils’ and witnessed time and again how the groups’ music could move, affect and transform an audience. Boyd MacNeil has toured Japan with Celtic music legends the Chieftains, and continues to explore many musical ideas within and in addition to his work with The Barra MacNeils. When not making music, Boyd puts his interest in carpentry to good use around the house and is noted to be pretty handy in the kitchen too. |
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His earliest memories of music are of holiday, weekends or any family gathering at his grandmother’s home in Washabuck, N.S. where aunts, uncles, sister, brothers and cousins would fill the rooms with music, dance and laughter.
Sheumas was 8 years old when he first began to play, and now cites performing on stage at local concerts with his son, daughter and brother Kyle as one of his career highlights. This familial connection and the authenticity of the music that resonates in every Barra MacNeils’ performance creates a unity and connection between the performers and the listeners which Sheumas continues to be inspired by. |
Saturday Workshops
Come take part in up to four workshops featuring world class instructors for piping, drumming, piano and guitar.
John Walsh
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John was born in Bradford England. He graduated from Bradford Technical College - Radio and Television Engineering and emigrated to Canada in 1980. John worked in Mechanical and Electronic design in Toronto, Ontario. Antigonish Nova Scotia became his home in 1993 where John began teaching piping in the Atlantic Region. John designed the Shuttle Pipes and began marketing them through John Walsh Bagpipes in 1994.
John started piping at the age of 13. He has several solo piping awards to his credit and has played with top Grade pipe bands. He has been a band winner of the Grade 1 World’s Pipe Band Championship twice (1987 and 2005). Jean, John's wife is also a piper, and has worked with John in the business since its inception on the early 90’s. |
Workshop Focus
John Walsh has owned and operated John Walsh Bagpipes for 25 years and has been working with and playing pipes for over 54 years. Drawing on his experience as an expert pipe maker, he will conduct a session on care and maintenance of the Great Highland Bagpipe . Providing ideas on the how to keep your instruments in good working order that will help with the quality and consistency of sound produced .
John Walsh has owned and operated John Walsh Bagpipes for 25 years and has been working with and playing pipes for over 54 years. Drawing on his experience as an expert pipe maker, he will conduct a session on care and maintenance of the Great Highland Bagpipe . Providing ideas on the how to keep your instruments in good working order that will help with the quality and consistency of sound produced .
John MacLean
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John MacLean is widely recognized as one of the finest traditional/Gaelic style pipers in the world today. John was born into a family of tradition bearers from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He is descended from a long line of pipers, fiddlers and step-dancers. On his father’s side were predominantly fiddlers and step-dancers, originally from Barra. His mother’s side were Curries from South Uist and they were pipers.
John’s early piping was nurtured by people like Chris Anderson, P/M Reay MacKay of the 48th Highlanders, John Walsh and P/M Angus J. MacLellan. He won many prizes on the competition circuit with three times Atlantic Canadian Champion but John never lost sight of the music that was more “real” to him and that was the music that was played at the dances and house ceilidhs and the kind of music played by his grand uncle Alex Currie – music with the unmistakable “Blas na Gaidhlig” (sound of Gaelic) that many of the fiddlers and pipers in Cape Breton had and a few still have. John has been playing with many of the well known Cape Breton musicians like Jerry Holland, Dave MacIsaac, Mary Jane Lamond and performing only in the old style at festivals in Eastern Canada and the USA. John has also played and taught at the Ceòlas school in South Uist, Scotland. |
Workshop Focus
John MacLean will lead a workshop focused on piping for dancing. Areas of focus may include rhythms, tempos, and tune selection.
John MacLean will lead a workshop focused on piping for dancing. Areas of focus may include rhythms, tempos, and tune selection.
Kylie MacHattie
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Kylie has been a full time piping instructor at The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada since 2010.
Kylie has been piping since the age of 7, and has been a member of Grade One bands since her mid teens. She played with the Vancouver Ladies, Triumph Street and Abbotsford Police pipe bands in BC before moving to Ontario in 2000. There she spent 6 seasons with the Toronto Police Pipe Band and three with the 78th Fraser Highlanders. In this time she was a member of the North American Championship winning grade one pipe band on 5 occasions. Kylie was a member of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band in 2010. She is an accomplished professional solo competitor. In 2017 she was the Pipe Major when the band won the World Championships in 4B at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Kylie holds a BA (Honours) in English from York University. |
Workshop Focus
Kylie will run a workshop on leadership, and how to become a leader. She never aspired to be a Pipe Major, and yet led a grade 4B band to win a World Championship. She will share tips on how to lead, motivate and prepare a team effectively. Combined with the talk will be a female's perspective on being both a leader and band member in a traditionally male-dominated environment.
James MacHattie
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James began piping in a youth pipe band in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and the formative experiences he enjoyed there have carried him to become one of Canada’s most respected active pipers. He played with the Edmonton Caledonia (now Alberta Caledonia) Pipe Band before moving to BC, where he played one year with the City of Victoria Pipe Band before joining the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. With SFU he won the World Pipe Band Championship in 1996 and 1999, performed at Carnegie Hall and participated in two live recordings. In 2000 he moved to Toronto, and joined the Toronto Police Pipe Band. In 2004 he became the Pipe Major and led the band to North American Championship wins in 2004 and 2006. He played with the 78th Fraser Highlanders from 2007 to 2009 before moving back to BC. He played the 2010 season with SFU before moving to Summerside.
James has enjoyed a successful career as a solo competitor, having won major prizes across Canada, the US, Scotland and France. He is a consistent prize winner in the Gold Medal contests at Oban and Inverness. He is an active composer, judge, performer and teacher, having taught at schools across Canada. One of his proudest achievements in his piping career was working with the Robert Malcolm Memorial (Juvenile) Pipe Band from 1998 to 1999, culminating in the kids winning both the Juvenile World Pipe Band and Cowal Championships. James holds an MA in Classical Studies from the University of British Columbia. He has worked in disparate areas, ranging from lecturing at the University of Toronto, to developing and producing business conferences, to working for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. |
Workshop Focus
James will lead a discussion on effective practice habits throughout the process of learning tunes, memorizing them, and refining them. He will touch on technique, flow and musicality as well as the instrument itself, so you can be as effective and efficient as possible with your personal practices at home.
James will lead a discussion on effective practice habits throughout the process of learning tunes, memorizing them, and refining them. He will touch on technique, flow and musicality as well as the instrument itself, so you can be as effective and efficient as possible with your personal practices at home.
Mac Morin
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Mac started his music career early which was humbly nurtured in the home. Step dancing came first, with his earliest steps and guidance provided for by his mother, Mary Catherine. By 15, Mac was known as one of Cape Breton’s finest dancing performers and began teaching traditional dance in Cape Breton. He continues to travel through out Canada, the US and Europe teaching/performing the traditional dancing of the Island.
He has also recently performed several tours with Dannsa, a Scottish dance/music ensemble during the winters of 2009-2013. Although piano was not his first display of the Cape Breton culture, it has become another element that Mac is now known for. Since he began to play nearly 20 years ago, he has managed to record and tour with many great performers including Yo-Yo Ma, the Rankin Family, Ashley MacIsaac, Allison Krauss, Dianna Krall, the Cheiftains, Art Garfunkle, and many more. He was also cofounder/coproducer of the Cape Breton traditional group, Beòlach. He has most recently recorded with Natalie MacMaster on her ECMA award winning album, Cape Breton Girl, and continues to tour with her throughout North America and Europe. On rare occasions when he is home in Cape Breton, he is highly sought after to lend his skills at dances, concerts, ceilidhs, and the house parties. |
Workshop Focus
The Cape Breton piping tradition not only contains the important elements of technique and precision of the competition piping style but also the feel and drive of the music of the island.
For those accompanying the pipe tunes, their sometimes ambiguous chordal structure can sometimes provide some challenges.
This workshop with show some examples of piano accompaniment to several tunes and provide a few general tips for those who find themselves in the accompaniment role.
Patrick Gillis
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From Scotsville, Cape Breton, Patrick Gillis grew up with traditional music being played almost constantly in his home. His father, uncle, and two older brothers playing the fiddle gave Paddy a great appreciation and understanding of Cape Breton music. Along with his love for the music, he brings a great amount of energy that can be heard in his accompaniment and in his solos. Being left handed and only having right handed guitars around, Patrick learned to play up-side down and backwards, because “no one ever told me the difference,” he says.
Patrick has toured the USA with Cuillin, appeared in Howie MacDonald’s Celtic Brew, played with Ashley MacIsaac, Natalie MacMaster, and Glenn Graham, and has performed in festivals throughout the USA, Canada and Europe with Beòlach. He has played on many recordings including two Beòlach albums and regularly performs with the new pipe group Nuallan. |
Workshop Focus
Patrick will be teaching basic chord patterns as well as bass lines for guitar accompaniment. Additionally, for whomever wants to learn to pick out a tune he will gladly show them how note for note!
Sean Morton
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Sean Morton has over 30 years experience teaching pipe band snare drumming and leading drum corps, including the Gaelic College Pipe Band who won grade 3 at the World Pipe Band Championships in 1994. His ensemble driven focus strikes at the essence of successful accompaniment.
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Workshop Focus
Sean will lead workshops that focus on snare drumming elements including technique, rhythm, tone, and tuning. There will be an opportunity to discuss the importance of score writing, dynamics, and understanding melody with respect to creating complimentary percussion.
Sean will lead workshops that focus on snare drumming elements including technique, rhythm, tone, and tuning. There will be an opportunity to discuss the importance of score writing, dynamics, and understanding melody with respect to creating complimentary percussion.
Highland Fèis Open Quartet Contest
Kick off your Saturday evening by participating in this inaugural event! Contest requirements include having a quartet of 4 pipers, and performing a medley selection of your choosing between 3 and 7 minutes. The winning quartet will be decided by our panel of workshop hosts and receive $500 in prize money. This is an informal event so there will be no adjudication sheets and no uniforms are required.
Please register your quartet with Trevor Kellock at cbupb2014@gmail.com and include a short bio and tune selections. Registrations are restricted to workshop attendees.
Not a piper? The event will be open for all Highland Fèis participants to go and spectate. Cheer on your favourites!
If you are not registered for the Highland Fèis there is a $15 entrance fee which covers the quartet contest and the Saturday Night Piper's Ceilidh.
Please register your quartet with Trevor Kellock at cbupb2014@gmail.com and include a short bio and tune selections. Registrations are restricted to workshop attendees.
Not a piper? The event will be open for all Highland Fèis participants to go and spectate. Cheer on your favourites!
If you are not registered for the Highland Fèis there is a $15 entrance fee which covers the quartet contest and the Saturday Night Piper's Ceilidh.
Saturday Night Piper's Ceilidh
Trevor Kellock, Ryan J MacNeil, Boyd MacNeil
Registered Highland Fèis participants - Free
Standard Admittance Fee - $15
Senior Admittance Fee - $10
Please note this will be a licensed event and limited to patrons over 19 years of age.
Standard Admittance Fee - $15
Senior Admittance Fee - $10
Please note this will be a licensed event and limited to patrons over 19 years of age.
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Ryan J MacNeil, Trevor Kellock, and Boyd MacNeil will kick off the Saturday Night festivities. When time allows this trio has been performing locally including at the Celtic Colours Festival. They’ve been working together to craft some thoughtfully arranged sets for the occasions they do get to perform together.
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Kenneth MacKenzie
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Kenneth MacKenzie is a piper and fiddler from Mabou, Cape Breton Island. He grew up in a Gaelic-speaking household and the Gaelic culture has been an integral part of his life from the early years. Having studied the pipes with Scott MacAulay at the College of Piping in Summerside, in Scotland, and at the Gaelic College over the years, his music is becoming well-known for its irresistible drive and lively, traditional feel.
Kenneth has recorded on several albums and in 2010, was the recipient of the Celtic Colours Driv’ers Award and released the album Pìob is Fidheall (Pipes and Fiddle) with older brother Angus, a well-known musician in Scotland. Kenneth’s music has taken him through Atlantic Canada, the US, Ireland, Scotland, the UK, and Central America. Kenneth joined the staff of Colaisde na Gàidhlig as Director of Education in 2019, and will also serve as the VP of the College’s satellite location in Mabou. Kenneth will be joined by Patrick Gillis and Mac Morin. |
Sunday Keynote Speaker
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Dr. Heather Sparling teaches a range of music courses. Her current research projects include traditional Cape Breton dance and disaster songs of Atlantic Canada. She also has expertise in Cape Breton Gaelic song and is the author of Reeling Roosters and Dancing Ducks: Celtic Mouth Music (CBU Press, 2014). She is the editor of MUSICultures, the premier Canadian ethnomusicology and popular music journal.
Her research interests include the role of music in language and cultural revitalization; exhibiting music; change in traditional culture; competition; and genre theory. A Gaelic speaker, she is actively involved with both local and international Gaelic organizations. She is also principal flutist with the Cape Breton Orchestra. |
The (Musical) Key to Language Learning: Music as Motivation to Learn
Gaelic in Nova Scotia
In this paper, I consider how playing traditional music may motivate
people to learn Scottish Gaelic in Nova Scotia. Together with psychology
colleagues with expertise in motivation and language learning, I
interviewed a small number of Nova Scotians who began as traditional
musicians and later went on to learn Gaelic to varying degrees.
Psychologist Zoltán Dörnyei argues that we are motivated to learn another
language when it helps us to achieve our "ideal selves." I will consider
how the "ideal Gael" is expected to have both fluency in Gaelic and
musical skills, and how traditional musicians use their musical
experiences and skills to learn Gaelic language.
Highland Fèis participants have access to this fascinating discussion to close out a busy weekend!
Gaelic in Nova Scotia
In this paper, I consider how playing traditional music may motivate
people to learn Scottish Gaelic in Nova Scotia. Together with psychology
colleagues with expertise in motivation and language learning, I
interviewed a small number of Nova Scotians who began as traditional
musicians and later went on to learn Gaelic to varying degrees.
Psychologist Zoltán Dörnyei argues that we are motivated to learn another
language when it helps us to achieve our "ideal selves." I will consider
how the "ideal Gael" is expected to have both fluency in Gaelic and
musical skills, and how traditional musicians use their musical
experiences and skills to learn Gaelic language.
Highland Fèis participants have access to this fascinating discussion to close out a busy weekend!
Fees and General Information
Early registration (fee) has expired. We are still accepting standard registrations and will up until the start of the Highland Fèis.
Join us for the first annual Highland Fèis presented by the CBU Pipe Band on May 31 - June 2, 2019. Registration includes entrance into Friday and Saturday night entertainment, access to four workshops of your choosing on Saturday, and the Key Note Speaker presentation Sunday morning. If registering before April 30th, 2019, fees are $100.00 per person. Families of 3 or more get a 10% discount on their registration fee. If registering after April 30th, fees are $150.00 per person (family discount still applies).
To register please contact Trevor Kellock at cbupb2014@gmail.com or by phone at 902-577-8661. Payment is due at time of registration and we will accept electronic transfers and PayPal payments.
The Highland Fèis will take place at the Gaelic College in St. Anne's, Cape Breton.
Registration does not include accommodations and food, however both are available onsite through the Gaelic College. If you are not planning on staying at the Gaelic College but still planning on eating there you must contact the Gaelic College at least 2 weeks prior to the event to order your meals. Contact the Gaelic College directly for more details.
Visit @highlandfeis
To register please contact Trevor Kellock at cbupb2014@gmail.com or by phone at 902-577-8661. Payment is due at time of registration and we will accept electronic transfers and PayPal payments.
The Highland Fèis will take place at the Gaelic College in St. Anne's, Cape Breton.
Registration does not include accommodations and food, however both are available onsite through the Gaelic College. If you are not planning on staying at the Gaelic College but still planning on eating there you must contact the Gaelic College at least 2 weeks prior to the event to order your meals. Contact the Gaelic College directly for more details.
Visit @highlandfeis
