The Centre for Cape Breton Studies at CBU is holding a workshop and lecture series in partnership with Celtic Colours. It’s an opportunity for the campus community to partake in the festivities, and for anyone who would like to learn a thing or two about the culture, heritage and work that underpins the music and artistic expression. Most of the sessions are hosted with free admission.
On October 12, Dr. Burt Feintuch will host a discussion on cultural sustainability concerning Cape Breton’s fiddle music. He will address questions of how Cape Bretoners can maintain the vitality and interest in the music, and what people and organizations are doing to make sure fiddle music has a place in Cape Breton’s future. The session will take place in CBU’s Sydney Credit Union Boardroom, located in room CE265. Later that day, the launch for Dr. Feintuch’s book In the Blood: Cape Breton Conversations on Culture will be held in the CBU Art Gallery from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, accompanied by an exhibition featuring the photographic works that appear in the book.
On October 13, Fiddler Liz Doherty will host a session titled “From Buncrana to Cape Breton”. Doherty was brought up in Buncrana, Ireland, and is an accomplished fiddle player and academic. Her PhD dissertation examined the evolution of Cape Breton fiddling traditions from 1929 to 1995. Doherty’s current project is compiling an A to Z guide on Cape Breton Fiddling for CBU Press. The session will be held in 11:30am to 12:30pm in the Sydney Credit Union Boardroom.
On October 14, the Scottish band Meantime will lead a musical presentation and discussion titled Gaelic Songs Today. Meantime uses the Gaelic language in original compositions and storytelling, continuing the traditions of the language in a contemporary way. Gaelic Songs Today will take place in the CBU’s Rotary Music Performance Centre.
The final event in the workshop and lecture series will be the Folklore and Ethnomusicology Jam Session, lead by Scottish acoustic guitar virtuoso Tony McManus, CBU student and rising fiddling star Anita MacDonald, and the students of CBU’s Ethnomusicology Program. Attendees are encouraged to bring their instruments and jam along. It will take place on Friday, October 15th at 12:30pm to 1:30pm in the Rotary Music Performance Centre.
The Centre for Cape Breton Studies is engaged in promoting and preserving the intangible cultural heritage of the island, and was established when CBU Professor Richard MacKinnon was awarded the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Intangible Cultural Heritage. Through research, visiting scholars, lecture series, study programmes and special events, the centre works to provide an enriching set of opportunities for students, scholars, and the community
