The Ceilidh Trail School of Celtic Music Ltd. was chosen by the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. during the summer of 2000, to record traditional Cape Breton Music in a 'natural' setting for their Archives.

By this we recognize that Cape Breton music has its illustrious beginnings with the original music of the Scottish Gaelic Highlanders; brought over to Cape Breton Island from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland after the Clearances in the late 1700's and early 1800's. But along the way Cape Breton stylizations in music have evolved to include contributions from other notable segments in Cape Breton Island; including Irish and French Acadian influences.

The Ceilidh Trail School of Celtic Music is a school dedicated to the culture of Cape Breton music and its standing in the Celtic Music World.
The music is indeed Scottish... but the sound is uniquely "Cape Breton". Cape Breton, not unlike Ireland and Scotland, has developed regional stylizations within the Island and we celebrate them all!
The Ceilidh Trail School of Celtic Music is especially interested in the unique regional stylizations developed along the Western side of the Island; notably along the Ceilidh Trail, Route 19; i.e. the 'Mabou' style of fiddle, the 'Inverness Set', the 'Scotch Four' as well as other aspects of regional culture including dialect in Gaelic, dancing and accompaniment in piano and some years guitar and/or piping.

We also celebrate the 'newer' contributions by young 'Celtic Stars' ie. Natalie MacMaster, Ashley MacIsaac or Richard Wood that have brought this very special music and place to new heights and popularity. This is an area especially where FIDDLE and DANCE are truly King, where the locals really 'know their music', and you are in the company of people who truly appreciate their musical culture and way of life!

"A school like this is very special, there's no other like it. It's directly targeted towards the Cape Breton fiddle style. There are all ranges of ability here, and everybody is getting along fine."

Natalie MacMaster
The Ceilidh Trail School is a private music school solely supported by the tuition of musicians far and wide and across the globe interested in the 'real thing'. We do not receive government subsidies or rely on the residents' tax dollars. The School was started BY Cape Breton musicians and their families..for MUSICIANS; and lovers of THE MUSIC and DANCE. It was developed with the idea of the fiddle and piano student and their needs in mind. Students are grouped by ability not age. Whole families can and DO learn together! The training is a combination of written music and learning by ear. Cape Breton music is an oral tradition and only by learning and listening to the tunes and stylizations will the sound truly be Cape Breton. We have guests drop in all the time that will come in and play and feature their style and their tunes; this is always a treat. We have a Ceilidh each afternoon between classes where the instructors will play a few sets; people will jump up to stepdance and people can mingle over tea and oatcakes and hear great performers.

Our schedule is implemented with the serious "ceilidh-er" in mind. After all - the word "Ceilidh" has become synomynous with "party"! Here the dances START at 10 pm. and don't get over till after 1am! So WE start the school day at 10 AM! So serious dancers & music lovers won't miss the class! There are ceilidhs several evenings and dances locally every evening. Each weekend there is a large outdoor festival in neighboring towns; full of music and dance.
We have a jam session on Tuesday evenings at the Bankhead Pub (plenty of food and drink here!) the Ceilidh in Mabou. Plan on a dance on Wednesday evening at either the Barn in Margaree or nearby Mabou featuring local talent like Natalie MacMaster or Ashley MacIsaac.

There's never a dull moment... "going far too fast. There's not enough time to see all the beautiful places. I came straight off the plane to the West Mabou dance hall. I never really saw anything like that. I'm going to Glencoe tonight!" John McCusker/The Battlefield Band.

Before you know it - Friday finishes the school week with a concert (where students play what they've learned that week with their instructors in front of the local audience) and continue to jam together at the Bankhead Pub in Inverness or the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou.

You still have the weekend to attend festivals and dances and maybe go the beach or catch the whale watch in Cheticamp or go around the Cabot Trail. Whatever you do while there your week at the Ceilidh Trail will be one that you long remember fondly and hopefully put you on the path to a new appreciation/ (love!) and understanding of Cape Breton music and culture.

Click to Enlarge
 BY BRENDON KENNEDY
SPECIAL TO THE POST

The hills of Inverness County will echo once again this summer with the sweet sounds of the fiddle, piano and dancing.

So what's new? That doesn't sound particularly out of the ordinary considering it's been going on here for more than 200 years.

The twist is that some of the music will be coming from the new Ceilidh Trail School of Celtic Music - a first for the area.....

"Besides the classes and workshops, we have at our disposal all the concerts, ceilidhs and festivals that go on all summer long in the area. We want students to attend dances at such places as Glencoe, West Mabou, Inverness and Margaree to immerse themselves into the true Celtic culture and music." Janine Randall

HOME | About | Courses | List of Instructors | Schedule | Director | Lodging | Registration | Comments | Links

 For general inquiries or registration information, send us an email at:
info@ceilidhtrail.com