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Get in tune for the traditional singing weekend!
The twelfth staging of the Traditional Singing Weekend at Cullerlie Farm Park and Heritage Centre on July 20-22 is expected to attract scores of song enthusiasts to the Aberdeenshire steading.
The festival, jointly organised by the University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute and Cullerlie Farm Park, brings together outstanding traditional singers from Scotland, England, and Ireland for a weekend of ceilidhs, singarounds, workshops and talks.
Held in memory of Tom and Anne Reid, the legendary North-East singers, the festival was shortlisted for Event of the Year at the Scottish Trad Music Awards 2011 for the second time.
Tom (known as ‘Tam’) was crowned the Bothy Ballad King in 1977 before a crowd of 10,000 at the Haughs in Turriff – a title that he kept until his death in January 2003. Anne, also a fine singer, died in June 2006.
This year a stellar line-up of singers from Cork to Kirkwall will descend on Cullerlie for this year’s gathering.
Professor Ian Russell, Director of the Elphinstone Institute, said: “The weekend is designed to be informal and friendly and is a great way to hear some of the finest traditional singers from across the UK and Ireland.
“Last year was a great success and a most fitting salute to Tom and Anne’s memory. We have another wonderful line-up for the coming weekend including concerts with guest singers, singarounds, and craft workshops, so there is something for people of all ages to enjoy.”
Guest singers at the event include: from Scotland – champion bothy ballad singers Joe Aitken and Jock Duncan, Natalie Chalmers from Fraserburgh, Kate Taylor from Garlogie, Sarah Jane Gibbon from Orkney and Chris Wright from Dundee; from England – Mike Tickell from the North Tyne Valley and Jeff Wesley from Northamptonshire; from Ireland – Len Graham from County Antrim and Irish Traditional Singer of the Year 2012, Nell Ní Chróinín.
The Traditional Singing Weekend at Cullerlie takes place from Friday, July 20 – Sunday, July 22. Although all the weekend places are sold, there are still tickets for the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon concerts. To book, phone 01224 645486 or 01330 860549. For further information on the guest singers, visit:
Notes to Editors
- Cullerlie Farm Park and Heritage Centre was set up by Tom ('Tam') and Anne Reid in 1993 and is now run by Anne’s daughter, Tracey and her husband Eric Walker. Tom moved to the Cullerlie Estate with his parents when just a toddler in 1935, and worked with his father in the traditional way of farming. He kept the traditions alive by turning the old original steading into a farm museum with one of the largest privately owned collections of farming and domestic memorabilia in Scotland.
- Anne was also a fine singer and promoted the traditions of the North-East through singing and speaking workshops with schoolchildren and adults at local schools, and at the museum, as well as hosting regular Saturday-night ceilidhs. It is her family’s express wish that the festival should continue to run in memory of Tom and Anne.
The Park nestles at the foot of the Hill of Fare where the battles of Corrichie and Cullerlie Moor were fought. It is 6 miles north-east of Banchory and 12 miles west of Aberdeen. From Aberdeen follow the A944 to the Westhill roundabout, then fork left on the B9119 to Garlogie, then fork left again on the B9125 for 3 miles. The Park is on the right.
Photo opportunities best between 1pm and 2.30pm on Saturday (July 21)
Issued by the Communications Team, Office of External Affairs, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen. Tel: (01224) 272014.
Issued on: 17 July 2012
Ref: 206Cullerlie 12
Contact: Joanne Milne
