Sabhal Mor Ostaig, isle of Skye

03.12.2011

Of all mammals, the seal has a larynx most like that of humans (don’t say we never teach you anything). This was the inspiration for composer Emily Doolittle’s remarkable and intriguing piece of music written exclusively for Paragon which was performed by Paragon Ensemble and young singers from Voice Factory on Wednesday 26 October 2011 at the CCA in Glasgow and will receive another performance on Saturday 3 December 2011 at 6.30 pm at Sabhal Mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye.

Emily tells the story of how Songs of Seals was originally conceived:

“I first came to Glasgow for a residency at the CCA in 2007 and became really enchanted by Gaelic folklore about seals, a mammal that also inhabits the coastlines of my native Nova Scotia.  I had heard that seals like music so I went with a friend to the Isle of Bute to see if this was true.  Sure enough, when we played, the seals came out of the water, listened, and sometimes even howled back.  I was immediately inspired to write a piece about seal folklore, and thus emerged Songs of Seals.   Since then myself and Paragon musicians have visited the children at the Glasgow Gaelic school and made field trips with them to sing to the seals.   At this time I met Rody Gorman who agreed to compose Gaelic verse for the children’s songs.   The narrator tells the story a fisherman and a seal skin that he takes home one moonlit night – while the children sing as a chorus of seals.”

The piece, conducted by Mark Evans and narrated by Wilma Kennedy, truly captures the mysterious relationship between human beings and seals. The show will also include traditional music by acclaimed Scottish composer and Whistlebinkie, Eddie McGuire.  The evening will bring together Gaelic and non-Gaelic speaking communities, as one of the 13 yr old singers from Voice Factory says: “I have never spoken Gaelic before in my life and although I always wanted to learn it I thought it looked very difficult, especially when I saw Gaelic words written down. Singing in Gaelic has made me realize how beautiful the language is.”

We are delighted to say that Mark Evans and Voice Factory have done a fantastic job of learning Rody’s highly evocative Gaelic verse thanks to coaching from the great experts of Gaelic song – Kenna and Seumas Campbell!

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Saoil am bi na ròin a’ seinn? Tha an neach-ciùil à Canada, Emily Doolittle, den bheachd gu bheil agus tha I air ceòl beothail a chruthachadh airson Paragon Ensemble agus còisir òg gus a dhearbhadh. Am measg nan sineach uile, ‘s e bràigh an sgòrnain aig an ròn am fear as fhaisg’ air a leithid aig mac an duine. Anns an obair aice air a bheil Ràn nan Ròn, tha I air ceòl a chur ri dàin Ghàidhlig le Rody Gorman, ‘s iad a-mach air ‘a mhuir agus air na ceanglaichean a tha aig clann nan daoine ris na creutairean mìorbhaileach a tha nan còmhnaidh ann. Bidh seinneadairean annasach Voice Factory còmhla ri Paragon Ensemble mar choisir nan ròn!