Dagger Gordon weekend workshop by Loch Ness

**catmandu2** · Mar-04-2011, 7:30pm

Indeed--thank you!

**Dagger Gordon** · Feb-06-2012, 3:06pm

Time to put this old thread up again.

The Fort Augustus Feis starts this Friday. Always good.

http://www.feisgleannalbainn.co.uk/adult_feis.html

**Niall Anderson** · Feb-07-2012, 5:59am

Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon

Time to put this old thread up again.

The Fort Augustus Feis starts this Friday. Always good.

http://www.feisgleannalbainn.co.uk/adult_feis.html

Hope it goes well, Dagger. I'd wanted to join you again this year, but instead am heading south to celebrate my father-in-law's 70th birthday. Will miss the music fix and enthusiasm boost, but hope to come back up in a future year.

Niall

**Dagger Gordon** · Feb-07-2012, 7:32am

Sorry not to be seeing you again this time, Niall.

Hope to see you around some other time.

Best wishes,

Dagger

**Paul Cowham** · Feb-09-2012, 8:43am

Hi Dagger (and Niall),
I recently went self employed (ironically to leave more time for music), so am watching the pennies at the moment and won't be attending. I do hope it goes well though and am glad that it's going ahead as I understand there could have been an issue with funding.

I really enjoyed it last year though and it was really nice to meet you and have some craic ;o). If anyone is considering attending I would recommend it as a great weekend with loads of nice people, sessions, tea & home made cake breaks and in a very beautiful location.
all the best,
Paul

**Richard Moore** · Feb-09-2012, 9:31am

Hi Dagger,

Like Paul I now have to find self-employment for half the working week as I've been "downsized" in my job so money is an issue. I would have liked to have come otherwise and hope I'll be able to make it another time.

Richard

**Dagger Gordon** · Feb-10-2012, 12:30am

Hope to see you some other time.

All the best,

Dagger

**Dagger Gordon** · Aug-08-2012, 2:20am

You might be interested to know that the UK folk magazine The Living Tradition has an article on Feis Gleann Albainn, at Fort Augustus, written by Hugh Lee - one of my mandolin students. Indeed there is a picture of me teaching!

Here is an extract found on Feis Gleann Albainn's Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/F%C3%...n/177709865895

**Dagger Gordon** · Jan-11-2013, 2:46am

Time to flag the Feis Gleann Albainn at Fort Augustus, on the shores of Loch Ness, Scotland again. This year is from 8-11 Feb 2013.
People arrive Friday night for sessions etc and classes start Saturday morning till Monday lunchtime.

Mighty sessions every night. Lots of good music and generally a really enjoyable weekend.

http://www.feisgleannalbainn.co.uk/adult_feis.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/F%C3%...n/177709865895

And it's not always just Scottish music! Whitney Houston died during the Feis weekend last year, and during the tutors concert on Sunday night we knocked up a tribute version of 'I wanna dance with somebody who loves me' backstage, with the inimitable and multi-talented Innes Watson on lead vocals. If you want to hear what I sound like on Whitney stuff, here's your chance. Actually this is quite a good video - got a lot of atmosphere. Check out the crowd getting into it near the end.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

**Richard Moore** · Jan-11-2013, 5:11am

Having wanted to do this the last two or three years I'll really try hard to make it up this year, at least to one of the sessions if nothing else, although times are a little tight at present

**Dagger Gordon** · Jan-11-2013, 6:45am

Would certainly be good to see you!

**Niall Anderson** · Jan-11-2013, 7:54am

Dagger,

I won't make it this year (boo!), but my session mate, Vic Higham, is coming up with his octave mandolin. Treat him gently! ;-)

Hope it all goes well, and hope to make it back up next time round.

**Dagger Gordon** · Jan-11-2013, 8:01am

Originally Posted by Niall Anderson

Dagger,

Treat him gently! ;-)

Oh dear, I hope you didn't think I was too hard! I try not to be .....

By the way Niall, I believe I read somewhere that you have a new baby. Congratulations, and I hope to see you again soon.

Kind regards,

Dagger

**Niall Anderson** · Jan-12-2013, 11:13am

Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon

Oh dear, I hope you didn't think I was too hard! I try not to be .....

By the way Niall, I believe I read somewhere that you have a new baby. Congratulations, and I hope to see you again soon.

Kind regards,

Dagger

Of course not... I jest....

Yes, new baby in the house (Finlay, born on 12/12/12). We're sticking close to home for now, but hope to be a little more mobile in 2014.

Best of luck with the weekend.

Niall

**Dagger Gordon** · Feb-06-2013, 9:32am

So ... just a couple of days to go!!

**Jock** · Feb-13-2013, 1:33am

Heard good reports from last weekend.

Thanks for looking after my pal Garry who was along for the extracurricular aspects of the feis. His mobility has been difficult and more problematic than usual, and it's been a difficult year for him generally. He mentioned you in particular as looking out for him on the seating front, a huge issue for him.

Anyway, it's the most positive mood I've seen him in a long time, glowing. So, here's to the therapeutic qualities of both music and good company.

Very many thanks from Lochalsh.

**Dagger Gordon** · Feb-13-2013, 2:59am

I'd only met Garry once before, I think, (at Andy Thorburn's) and I very much enjoy his company. He also produced a wild salmon which we did justice to after the tutors concert.

There are heaps of pictures and things up on the Feis Gleann Albainn Facebook site.

Here is a pretty rough video which gives you a flavour of one of the late night sessions which shows how effortlessly Highland musicians can segue from a wild reel into the Eurythmics 'Sweet Dreams'! Everyone in the wee bar seemed to know all the words! Most of the music was fiddle tune stuff of course, but it's fun to sing along with a song like that.

There was a lot (actually a hell of a lot) of really great music this weekend. A tremendous weekend!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=gZ6qCyvV5sw

and another of the same - more atmosphere maybe
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

https://www.facebook.com/pages/F%C3%...865895?fref=ts

**Jock** · Feb-13-2013, 10:35am

Aye, the old wild salmon trick

great stuff. Thanks for the link.

**Jock** · Feb-14-2013, 8:20am

Got a look at the youtube link, finally, problems with connections on the move, and it looks like all the tutors are having a good time. Your right about the sing along of course, everybody likes a song they can join in with, especially when the entire pub is involved, great stuff, the fort must have been jumping.

A serious collection of tune misters there of course and all in fine fettle (whatever their feeding Clements he's looking good on it, more than a portion or two of salmon involved there), have to say I'm feeling a wee bit jealous.

These days I tend to work weekends away. This is of course no good for getting out. Andy's 60th was one such missed event due to work commitments, and yes, I believe Garry was there. I guess I just need to create the time.

Keep up the good work.

**Dagger Gordon** · Feb-22-2013, 8:26am

You might be interested to see some footage of the three semi-organised tutor-led sessions which the Feis lay on for the participants, and perhaps get a feel for the type of people who go and what level of ability is involved.

The sessions are basically full-on at The Lock Inn led by John Somerville, Ross Coupar, Adam Sutherland and Innes Watson

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

Middle level in the Lovat Arms Hotel with Charlie MacKerron, Jarleth Henderson and Marc Clement

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

and relatively easy in the Caledonian Hotel (Caley) with myself, Kevin Henderson and Gillian Fleetwood

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

**Richard Moore** · Feb-22-2013, 10:27am

Excellent stuff... and one day I will make it!

**Vannillamandolin** · Feb-22-2013, 11:56am

Hi Richard - my sentiments too! One day, when the rand pound rand dollar exchange is kinder, I will stack my money in a heap and make it to one of these wonderful workshops - almost used South African English and said "lekker workshops" "Lekker" means "wonderful, nice, or great," it is a coloquial way for expression of delight in Afrikaans.

Happy strumming and picking to you and all others

Vanilla