Celtic masters and students
alike dazzle
By Peter Rusland Jul 13 2005
News Leader
Local singer Eileen McGann wasn't kidding when she said, Celtic
music is a living tradition." Her understatement was cheered
during Friday's lively, laidback CeltFest staged in the Brentwood
College's T. Gil Bunch Theatre. The fifth-annual event saw instructors
and some students visit Cowichan after participating in last
week's Celtic performing arts summer camp in Parksville. The
Brentwood Sunset & Stars evening lacked the full festival gala
treatment that normally follows the camp held at Shawnigan Lake
School for the past four years. Still, organizers Carolyn and
Rene Cusson gave locals a serious Celtic fix spanning piping,
drumming, dancing, instrumentals and singing capped by a wicked
set from Scottish band Dochas (Celtic for hope).
Cellist Kathy Stacey cut to the collective Celtic soul with
the melancholy air She Moved Through The Fair before being joined
by guitarist Calum MacCrimmon for the fast and naughty Joyless
Fall. Kilt-clad bagpiper Rene Cusson gave us a lesson in Breton
and Scottish fingerings during a Scottish air then his upbeat
strathspey Wendy Goes West. East Coast fiddling champ Kendra
MacGillivray and brother/keyboardist Troy served a string of
hot Nova Scotian tunes including The Starlight Waltz and the
strathspey Little John's Hame, accompanied by nimble dancers
Crystal Van Boven and Meghan Malone.
Act two was opened by piper/ keyboardist Sandy Jasper and husband
Steve Tozer during a slate of Celtic tunes topped by the Scottish
anthem
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Andrew Leong
Cowichan tunesmith Eileen McGann at work during Friday's
CeltFest at Brentwood College.
Bonnie, Bonnie Banks of Loch
Lomond. A powerhouse quartet comprising pipers MacCrimmon,
Alan Walters, bodhran baron Martin O'Neill, and percussionist
Jamie Troy, Jr. delighted the crowd with a tag team of Celtic
fare.
Eileen McGann's sweet set of songs
got even better with vocals by David K. during [Water Kelpie,
Novbleman's Wedding], Wisdom Be My Guide and Wild Mountain
Thyme. Dochas suitably crowned the evening a set of jigs,
reels and marches. O'Neill was the willing thorn among roses
Eilidh Macleod (harp), Carol-Anne Mackay (pipes), Julie Fowlis
(whistles, pipes), Jenna Reid (fiddle) and Kathleen Boyle
(keys).
CeltFest is a buffet of the West Coast's irrepressible tradition
of old-country music in all its delicious forms. Let's pray
the summer school moves back to the Warm Land next year.
Celtic music concert rating:
8.5 tartans out of 10.
Reprinted from The Cowichan News Leader
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