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Fèis Rois at 40: A celebration of music, community and culture
On 8th September, the stage of Eden Court Theatre in Inverness will come alive with something truly special; a once-in-a-generation celebration marking 40 years of Fèis Rois.
This concert will showcase the enormous impact of Fèis Rois over four decades as a leading force in teaching and promoting traditional music and Gaelic culture in the Highlands and beyond. It's guaranteed to be a powerful gathering of community, culture and creativity, bringing together well over 100 performers spanning generations.
From an initial event that attracted 50 people in June 1986, Fèis Rois has grown to become widely recognised as a national leader in traditional music education in Scotland. With a busy year-round programme and a local, national and international reach, the charity now contracts nearly 200 freelance musicians to work with 5,000+ children, young people and adult learners every year.
Under Musical Director, Innes White, a former Fèis Rois participant, this special anniversary concert will bring together a 40-piece house band featuring some of Scotland’s finest musicians, all former Fèis Rois participants who are now working in the music industry in Scotland, including: Fiona Dalgetty, Mairearad Green, Lauren MacColl, Louise Mackenzie, Mischa Macpherson, Ronan Martin, Rory Matheson, Olivia Ross, Gillian Stevenson, Rachel Walker, Laura Wilkie and many more.
In addition to the house band, there will be performances from a number of duos and trios who met through their involvement in various Fèis Rois programmes over the last 40 years, including Fell Line (Chloe Bryce, Megan MacDonald and Calum McIlroy) and dynamic duo, Emma Donald (fiddle) and Isbel Pendlebury (clarsach).
With additional performances from this year’s Ceilidh Trail, the Kiltearn Fiddlers, Cluich Rois, Fèis the Music, singers from Voices in Bloom, and young people representing our schools’ projects, the evening will showcase the extraordinary breadth of talent that Fèis Rois has nurtured over four decades.
Based in Dingwall, Fèis Rois has grown to become a nationally recognised leader in traditional arts and music education. Our work enables people of all ages to access, participate in and enjoy traditional music and the Gaelic language, not only across Ross & Cromarty, but throughout Scotland and beyond. At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to helping people build confidence, develop social connections and realise their full potential through music and culture.
"I remember my first Fèis, aged 10 - the joy of meeting new people, some of whom became lifelong friends, and the enthusiasm of tutors glad to share music with us. I’m delighted that over 35 years later my daughter is having the same experience, with many more opportunities! It’s been lovely as a parent to see strong friendships grow across the Highlands and beyond, and to see how much enjoyment they get from playing together. I’m very impressed with the confidence my daughter and her friends have in arranging and performing music in a variety of situations - this is testimony to the work of the Fèis Rois tutor team, and to the wide range of performance opportunities Fèis Rois opens the door to." Jan Racionzer, parent and former participant
Our renowned residential fèisean continue to bring people together to learn, collaborate and immerse themselves in traditional music and Gaelic arts. These are supported by a vibrant year-round programme of activity, partnerships at home and internationally, and a wide range of learning resources for the traditional music community.
Why We Need Your Support
To mark our 40th anniversary, we’re aiming to raise £40,000 - a target that reflects both the scale of this concert and our ambitions for the future.
There are a few ways you can help:
- Be sure to buy a ticket and join us for this unforgettable night - https://eden-court.co.uk/event/feis-rois-at-40
- Share the event with your friends and family on social media and by word of mouth!
- Make a donation to this fundraising campaign which will help to fund the costs of producing such a huge event and ensuring our musicians are paid fairly.
We are committed to paying musicians fairly. We will pay the freelance musicians in our 40-strong house band a fee of £500 per musician which reflects the time required to learn 1.5 hours of music, attend rehearsals and perform at the concert. This is the standard Musicians' Union rate for a rehearsal and performance (£435.90) with a small additional sum to reflect their preparation time in learning the music before they show up in the rehearsal room.
"Fèis Rois has been a constant in my life. It is of massive significance to me that the organisation I grew up learning music from is now one of my main employers. Over the last decade I estimate that employment from Fèis Rois represents on average 20% of my annual income, and some years a significantly higher percentage." Lauren MacColl, musician and former participant
Your support will also help us:
- Bring in additional sound equipment and skilled technicians required for a performance of this scale
- Provide meals for all performers on gig day
- Cover accommodation and travel for artists returning home to the Highlands to be part of this milestone celebration
What your donation could do
- £500 would sponsor a musician
- £300 would cover a sound technician for the day
- £200 would support travel, meals and accommodation for one returning performer
- £50 could cover travel for one musician travelling from the Central Belt
Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a vital role in making this event possible, and ensuring that our musicians are paid fairly for their time, effort and talent.
If we are fortunate enough to exceed our £40,000 target, any additional funds will go directly towards sustaining and growing our year-round music-making programmes in Ross-Shire, ensuring that future generations can continue to experience the joy and connection of traditional music and Gaelic culture.
"I was lucky enough to be a participant for many years at Fèis Rois growing up and the experience from this has proved invaluable to my life as a self-employed musician now. In fact, I would go as far to say I would never even have considered the idea of doing music as a career or, realised it was possible before opportunities such as the Ceilidh Trail." Mairearad Green, musician and visual artist, and former participant
To find out more about what we do, please visit our website, feisrois.org, and follow us on social media for up to date news.
Be part of this special milestone - a celebration of 40 years of creativity, community and culture, and an investment in the future of traditional music in Scotland.