The Cottars Thrill Vancouver Island
NANAIMO - They're mega-talented, young and, during their recent cross-country tour they came to Vancouver Island for what was surely an unforgettable concert.
 |
CIARAN MACGILLIVRAY
(PHOTO : John Simmons) |
The Cottars, a sensational Cape Breton group consisting of two sets of siblings between the ages of 14 and 17, performed on December 31 at Beban Auditorium in Nanaimo to over 500 people.
The audience, clearly touched by the performance, were on their feet, locking arms with each other and singing. “Where else do you see this spirit but on New Year's Eve?” a member of Victoria Gaelic Choir, who was in attendance, asked at the end of the evening.
“We're absolutely thrilled that The Cottars agreed to perform a benefit concert for our Celtic Performing Arts Summer School Scholarship fund," says Carolyn Phillips-Cusson of the Pacific Institute of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts, the group that presented The Cottars on Vancouver Island.
“This fund was set up for the education of young Celtic musicians and dancers from all schools and geographical areas who travel to us on the Island to study. Last year, for instance, our committee hosted students from as far away as Finland, Sweden, Japan and Pennsylvania.”
 |
| JIMMY AND ROSEANNE MacKenzie |
Carolyn and her husband, world-renowned piper and composer René Cusson, are the organizers of CeltFest, an annual event that provides a unique learning experience in a full range of Celtic arts. Music, dance and art instruction are delivered by a world-class faculty. It will be held again this year in Parksville and Nanaimo in July. Nanaimo Parks Recreation and Culture were their co-presenters.
The Cottars are not only ace musicians and step dancers, they perform in three of the “official” languages of Cape Breton: Gaelic, English and French. They are East Coast Music Award winners and in January will begin a 25-city tour of the United States with the Irish supergroup, The Chieftains.
“These kids are positive models for youth and great ambassadors of our Canadian heritage,” says Phillips-Cusson. “Kudos from the public are still coming in. We're very fortunate to have hosted them in their own country immediately before their U.S. tour with the Chieftains and play Carnegie Hall.”
 |
| RENÉ AND CAROLYN Cusson backstage with the Cottars. |
The Cottars end their U.S. tour with a St. Patrick's Day performance with The Chieftains at Carnegie Hall on March 17.
*
More information on The Cottars' tour can be found on their site at: www.thecottars.com, and CeltFest 2006 July 9-14 : www.celticperformingarts.com , or by calling (250) 758-0208.
|
