The second instalment of our multi-arts inter-island project funded directly by The Scottish Government, Treòir Voar Virr kicked off again the first week of term with schools on different islands scheduled to re-join at various points throughout the term.
Last year’s ambitious covid recovery project (*click here to access a short film about it*) saw everything from the Herring Girl industry to Norse art chosen as topics through which the primary schoolchildren explored themes related to locality and expressed those through visual art, craft, film, dance, song and music.
This time round, Lost Songs is the over-arching topic with research into songs deemed fragile in some communities carried out by Anne Martin, Alasdair Whyte, Maureen Flaws, Barry Nisbet and Jenny Sturgeon among others and supplemented by Fèisgoil staff with support from Tobar an Dualchais.
Many of the tutors involved last time round are back on board to deliver, but some new artists are also joining the ranks, among them contemporary landscape artist, Ellis O Connor:
‘I’m really looking forward to working on the Lost Songs project as it is a project that means so much to me in terms of conserving and retaining such important fascinating knowledge but it’s also wonderful to be able to work with the primary school pupils of Skye and challenge myself in a new creative way!’
While music and song are centre stage this time round, the opportunity to broaden the experience of the children by once again engaging lots of different artistic skill sets is being widely encouraged with everything from Skekler hats in Shetland to links to social sciences through song and drama in some western isles schools, particularly through the collaboration with CnES on their Dìleab – Marloch & Metagama project.
We can’t wait to see where TVV Lost Songs heads and to share some of the highlights here.
Amy Dunnachie
I’m really looking forward to getting involved in the spin off project with FnG and working with the Jura and Islay children again. I feel that this is a huge education for me as well as the kids as we navigate our Gaelic past together. It’s always exciting at the beginning because you just don’t know what the workshops will result in!
Ciara MacTaggart
I’m very excited to deliver this workshop on Islay & Jura. I’m always so inspired after working with the children, their imaginations and creative thinking are endless. Bringing in elements from our heritage and allowing the children to carrying them forward is always a special experience!
John Lowrie
I’m delighted to be working with Fèisean nan Gaidheal in Orkney in order to help some of the local young folk explore their Orcadian traditions. The Orkney Islands are a rich source of traditional songs and rhymes, and we are just scratching the surface! I’m also learning loads myself through the project, and discovering some wonderful old songs.
Maureen Flaws
Throughoot TVV 2021/22 I fund immense joy in exploran writeens in dialect and sharean the treashursh I fund. I became quite steeped in some o the writer’s works.
When I furst received the invitation tae be involved in TVV 2 “Lost Songs”, I wis excited tae winder what maey be “Lost” and fur the challenge again o’ learning it tae bairns and enrichan their connection wae hid aal, Orkney and hid’s owld language, and music
During TVV 2021/22 I found immense joy in exploring writings in dialect and sharing the treasures I found. I became quite steeped in some of those writers’ works. When I first received the invitation to be involved in TVV 2 “Lost Songs”, I was surprised and delighted. I was excited to wonder what may be “Lost” and to the challenge again of learning it to bairns and enriching their connection with it all, Orkney and its old language, and music.
