Sharing Music & Song Across the Highlands and Beyond: Fèis Rois
Our traditional music and Gaelic language is something to be treasured and proud of; it truly is the Spirit of the Highlands.
The Highlands of Scotland are rich in music, song, dance and stories, an important and precious part of our culture. And this is why at Fèis Rois we are passionate about providing people of all ages and abilities with the opportunity to experience and engage with traditional music and Gaelic culture in a way that builds community and inspires people to reach their full potential.
Through a diverse year-round programme of activities in communities in Ross & Cromarty, across Scotland and beyond, we provide young people and lifelong learners with the ability to access, participate in and enjoy these incredible traditional arts. With our range of formal and informal educational activities, we aim to nurture and develop the skills and passions of those who come and learn with us.
Community is at the heart of what we do. Starting in 1986 with a small fèis in Ullapool with 50 participants, today we engage with thousands of people in communities across Scotland and further afield. From weekly music classes across Ross-shire including fiddle, accordion, guitar and clarsach, to our key residential music weeks in Ullapool to musical collaborations as far afield as Australia, our activities bring people from all walks of life together to learn skills in traditional music, have fun and meet new people, as well as explore a range of other art forms including dance and Gaelic language. Many of those who participated in the very first Fèis Rois workshops have now gone onto carve out very successful careers in the Scottish music industry and they regularly return to teach the next generation of young musicians coming through Fèis Rois, and so the cycle continues.
Our traditional music and Gaelic language is something to be treasured and proud of; it truly is the Spirit of the Highlands.
Image provided by Fèis Rois
A group of talented artists from Fèis Rois outside Urquhart Castle, Inverness-shire
We Want to Hear From You!
Share your stories of music, song, and dance in the Highlands and Islands
Stories are at the heart of what we do as a project and we are always looking to learn more about what the Highlands and Islands means to people who live, work, and visit here.
Nothing brings a community together like music, song, and dance. All of which also form a crucial part of a sense of cultural identity. We would love to know, what are some of your favourite songs, music and dances from the Highlands and Islands? How does it represent the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' for you? Tell us below, we can't wait to hear from you!
Click here to share your story through our online story portal