Wide Ranging Gaelic Music Report published at Mod
24 October 2006
A major report looking at the future of Gaelic music was published on the18th October at the Royal National Mod in Dunoon. The report, commissioned by Pròiseact nan Ealan (PNE) – the Gaelic Arts Agency, was written by Dr Anne Lorne Gillies and is based on the findings of the ‘Iùl Ciùil: Gaelic Music’ Conference held in the Glasgow City Halls earlier this year.
The conference was described as “a key stage in the development of Gaelic music in Scotland” which brought together a wide range of people involved in Gaelic music in Scotland, as well as a number of other key stakeholders.
Dr Gillies describing the scope of the conference in her report said: “The aims of Iùl Ciùil were ambitious: ‘to share ideas, contacts, and to help develop future strategy for Gaelic Music in Scotland’; its objectives were loosely defined – perhaps deliberately so. For Gaelic music is not homogenous: professional Gaelic music-making takes place across a variety of styles, tastes, contexts and modes of delivery – traditional, rock, semi-classical, country, fusion, choral etc, even, in the shape of Seattle-based band Mill a h-uile rud (Ruin everything) punk.”
Welcoming the report Arthur Cormack, Director of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, said: “Research has shown that the Gaelic arts are a vital means of attracting people to the language and with the Fèisean, for example, we have found out that participation in the arts encourages people to learn Gaelic. We welcome the Iùl Ciùil report, and we look forward to working within the framework of the Gaelic Arts Strategic Development forum (GASD) on creating a strategy for the Gaelic arts, and to implementing a number of the recommendations in this report.”
Dr Gillies’ report details a number of challenges which were identified at the conference and which are seen as key to the future of Gaelic music in Scotland. Among these challenges are: new Gaelic talent should be nurtured, and new Gaelic music should be composed and promoted; Gaelic musicians should be allowed to develop the technical, creative and business skills and acumen needed to sustain professional careers; public service broadcasters and independent companies publicly funded to produce Gaelic programmes, should show real commitment to Gaelic music and support it fully in terms of production values, scheduling, airplay, promotion etc.
