October 11th –19th, 2013
www.celtic-colours.com

Cape Breton musicians celebrated overseas, honoured at home.

Though Cape Breton Island is in the depths of winter, there is lots of musical activity to keep Celtic Colours’ staff moving.
In January, Celtic Colours’ Artistic Direction team of Joella Foulds and Dawn Beaton headed to Glasgow and Dublin to present the extremely well–received showcase A Taste of Celtic Colours.  Cape Breton artists Cyril MacPhee, Kimberley Fraser and the Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac band hosted Irish friends Nuala Kennedy and Liz Doherty at Dublin City Hall during Temple Bar TradFest, while Kennedy, Mairi Smith, and David Milligan and Corrina Hewat joined in at Glasgow’s Tron Theatre during Celtic Connections.

Back in Canada, Celtic Colours staff, and indeed the entire East coast music scene, is preparing for the 25th Anniversary of the East Coast Music Week Conference held in Halifax, Nova Scotia in early March. Up and coming Cape Breton trad musicians Sprag Session, Chrissy Crowley and The Beaton Sisters Band will showcase, while the Gala awards show will feature Cape Breton luminaries Ashley MacIsaac, The Barra MacNeils and Natalie MacMaster. Two Cape Breton culture bearers who passed away in 2012 will be honoured with special awards. Singer Raylene Rankin will be recognized with a Directors’ Special Achievement Award while fiddler Joe Peter MacLean will receive the Stompin’ Tom Award that celebrates unsung lifetime contributions to East Coast music.

The 17th Celtic Colours International Festival takes place October 11th-19th, 2013. The line–up will be announced in late June with tickets going on sale in early July.

For more information about Celtic Colours visit the following website www.celtic-colours.com