This year is a first for Islay Sessions, a new folk music festival held on the island. The festival started last Friday and today is the last day. The sessions took place in the Lochside Hotel, Port Charlotte Hotel and the Islay Hotel. Yesterday morning saw workshops for all ages in a range of instruments at Ionad Chaluim Chille ÃŒle. The highlight of the weekend was a grand concert and ceilidh in Bruichladdich Hall, yesterday evening.

Mark Unsworth from Islay Studios sent me a first picture today. Mark told me that most venues seemed to be fairly well attended, although he didn't go to the Ceilidh in Bruichladdich. In the next days Mark will upload a video with views and hopefully some good sounds from the festival, stay tuned for this one! For the latest pictures and other snippets you can visit Islay Sessions on Facebook or have a look at Armin's Blog, perhaps he has picked up some videos or other snippets and include them in his round-up. In the meanwhile I've found an interesting review on the Scratchy Noises Blog.

Mark: "The picture, taken outside ICCI on a beautiful sunny day, shows that there are no age barriers to learning music with young Aileas Colthart from Port Ellen learning the fiddle with Mina Carmichael from the Oa." Let's hope the festival was succesful enough to be held next year as well.

Tag: sessions music festival