Benbecula Stars shine and sparkle at Celtic Connections

Review by Marrie Morrison

St. Andrews in the Square, Glasgow was a sell-out on the evening of Friday, January 29th for the celebration of Lews Castle College on Benbecula’s ten years of teaching the unique, Traditional Music and Gaelic course, both at F.E. and HNC levels. Students, past and present, came together with tutors, past and present, for an inspirational feast of music from Uist and Eilean nan Siar.
And what a testimony to the versatility of talent and musicality, to the richness of the islands’ living and evolving traditions, the evening was!
Will Lamb and Anna-Wendy Stephenson, current course leaders, hosted this magical performance, which was choreographed expertly to showcase the singing, composition and playing of about forty  participants, working sometimes in single instrument ensembles of fiddlers, whistlers or pipers, but more often in imaginative groupings of instruments to suit the choice of song or instrumental piece. This is where the real flair which lay behind the programming of the two sets was most evident. The logistics of getting so many performers to work together over the preceding forty eight hours in so many different combinations was extraordinary and a real treat for the audience. Other impressive tutors from the course who came together to work with the students, (some of whom had originally benefitted from being students on the course themselves), included Mhairi Hall, Naomi Harvey, Kathleen MacInnes, Paul McCallum and Rick Taylor.
One highlight of the evening was the first performance of a striking collaboration;  the poetry of Paul McCallum had inspired the painting by Michael Felix Gilfedder displayed on a easel on the stage, and words and visual images were set hauntingly to music by Anna-Wendy Stephenson. The piece, entitled ‘O Gloir is Moladh Dhut a Dhia’, meditates compellingly upon the ways the sacred nature and relationship of the ancient trinities of the sunrise, hills and machair and sunset are celebrated and in turn reflect the early Christian worshipping of God and the Trinity. The painting is complex, jewelled through the medium of stone, with the gold and brilliance of the strong primary colours of a Fra Angelico or a Byzantine icon. The performance was equally moving, the depth and richness of allusion to sacred musical and religious settings, through the faultless singing and accompaniment, hushing the audience.
And, tha mi dulich, it would be impossible to detail each contribution faithfully, or to name all those whose compositions and performances delighted those of us present. Compositions by current and past students, together with three winning compositions from last year’s Ceolas competition, stood out as examples of the creativity of the course. The excellence all the players and singers at whatever level, was skilfully combined within a very wide range of appealing pieces from different genres, periods and styles. Yes, there were some outstanding soloists, but their emphasis seemed to be matched by a desire to include others in their performances. This was one of the most vibrant and encouraging aspects of the concert; the synergy between the accomplished, ‘already’ stars and the opportunities for success they were opening so generously to their apprentices excited and affected us all. The final set, conducted by Rick Taylor, incorporated African and other global influences, and some of the audience who had been tapping feet, swaying shoulders throughout, stood up, clapping and dancing in the aisles.