Rhymes & Reels

Esther Swift and Jackie Kay bring their new Edinburgh International Book Festival commission to Celtic Connections. A series of poems by Jackie Kay set to music by Esther Swift, ‘The Small,’ uses four singers, double bass, spoken word and harp to explore themes of grief, ritual, peace and inter-generational protest. Tonight they perform alongside classical performers Sarah Shorter, Rosie Lavery, Poppy Shotts and Andrew Robb, in an emotionally affecting and eclectic mix of spoken word, folk music, jazz and classical music.

Duncan Chisholm and Liz Lochhead are two of the best loved and respected performers in their respective fields, and tonight they will explore their much-discussed aspiration to share the stage with poems and tunes. Duncan is one of Scotland’s most recognised and accomplished fiddle players, known for his powerfully cinematic and deeply expressive music, and over a career spanning several decades, he can boast of being one of only a handful of musicians who have performed at every Celtic Connections festival. Likewise, Liz Lochhead is a poet, playwright, performer and broadcaster, and is fast becoming a national treasure. She served a five-year term as Scotland's Makar, or National Poet, from 2011 to 2016, and was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 2015. Along with her many accolades and awards, audiences will be reminded of her iconic performances alongside the late Michael Marra, which provided the inspiration for tonight’s concert.

Brìghde Chaimbeul is a master of the Scottish smallpipes; a bellows-blown, mellower cousin to the famous Highland bagpipes. A native Gaelic speaker, Brìghde roots her music in her language and culture. She rose to prominence as a prodigy of traditional music, but has since begun a journey to take the small pipes into uncharted territory. 

Her mesmerising musicianship has won her many awards and media recognition, including the BBC Young Folk Award, BBC Horizon Award and a SAY Award nomination. For tonight’s performance, she joins forces with her father, Angus Peter Campbell, who is an award-winning poet, novelist, journalist, broadcaster and actor. Born and brought up in South Uist, he spent his teenage years in the Oban area where he was taught by Iain Crichton Smith at the local High School. He graduated with Double Honours in Politics and History from Edinburgh University, and, in 2001, he was awarded the Bardic Crown for Gaelic poetry. He recently released the stunning novel ‘Donald and his Seven Cows’, which reflects on the eternal circle of time and man’s relationship with the land.