Ceilidh Trail
Applications to join the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail are now open – a paid summer job for four weeks from July 8th to Aug 3rd, 2024. Following an intensive training week from July 8th – 12th, successful applicants will then tour the country from July 15th to Aug 3rd 2024.
This year, we are auditioning for three Ceilidh Trails as follows:
- Two Ceilidh Trails of five musicians each who will tour for the entire three weeks from July 15th to Aug 3rd.
- An Inclusive Ceilidh Trail of three musicians who will play 5 or 6 performances over this period.
See the next tabs for more information each Ceilidh Trail.
Background to the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail
Fèis Rois established its successful Ceilidh Trail programme in Ross-shire in 2000. Following the success of the Ross-shire Ceilidh Trail, Fèis Rois started a National Ceilidh Trail for Scotland in 2012. This project has since gone from strength-to-strength and provides opportunities for young musicians from across Scotland to perform in locations across the country, not covered by the smaller community Ceilidh Trails.
As well as covering a significant area of the Highlands, Fèis Rois’ Ceilidh Trails visit perform in venues across the whole of Scotland and further afield.
Many previous participants of the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail have gone on to carve out successful careers in the Scottish music industry. These include Fraya Thomsen, Mairearad Green, Matheu Watson, Mischa Macpherson, and Rachel Newton, and many more!
The Ceilidh Trail is open to young traditional musicians aged between 16 and 25, who will spend the summer playing music, travelling throughout Scotland and beyond, and gain experience playing for just about every kind of gig you may encounter as a professional musician!
To apply, you are expected to play an instrument or sing to an advanced level, and we would expect you to have some performance experience. As well as performing, you are also going to introduce sets, call ceilidh dances, and work with your group to set up PA system and do your own sound, so some experience or the willingness to learn is essential.
You will be paid a stipend of £1,000 and meals, accommodation, and travel will be provided. We expect you to be available for the entire tour and training week, and the schedule includes days off from touring where you would go home. On the tour, you will always be supported by a Ceilidh Trail supervisor who acts as driver and mentor, as well as by the project coordinator.
The Ceilidh Trail is open to musicians from across Scotland. As an organisation based in Ross-Shire and committed to providing opportunities for the young people of our region, we do hold a majority of places for musicians who live in, or are from, Ross-Shire.
While we offer a new Inclusive Ceilidh Trail which provides a bespoke level of support for young adults with learning disabilities, we continue to welcome applications from other disabled musicians for our original Ceilidh Trail too.
Application Process & Timeline
Applications open: December 5th, 2023
Applications close: January 14th, 2024
Successful applicants will be notified if they are being invited to audition by January 18th, 2024.
Auditions will be held at the Fèis Rois office in Dingwall on Saturday, February 17th and on Sunday, February 18th. You will be invited to audition on either Saturday or Sunday, and the audition day will be from 10am – 4pm. Auditions will consist of an individual audition on one or two instruments or voice, and a brief interview. You will also take part in a group workshop with former Ceilidh Trail participant Mairearad Green.
Please note: you must be available to attend auditions on Saturday, 17th February or Sunday, 18th in person. This year, auditions are not residential, so we do not provide accommodation. For anyone travelling via public transport, we will cover your travel expenses.
If you have any questions about the Ceilidh Trail or the audition process, or if you want to have a confidential chat about any support you might need during auditions or during the Ceilidh Trail, please get in touch with Christian Gamauf at christian.gamauf@feisrois.org
We are excited to open up our Ceilidh Trail project to musicians who might otherwise be excluded from performance opportunities. After a successful pilot project in 2023, we are now calling for applications from young adults aged 16 – 25 with learning disabilities who are passionate about folk and traditional music.
Musicians on this Ceilidh Trail will be supported by music tutors and pastoral care staff to come up with a number of sets for their performances. We are looking for musicians with a passion for traditional music and who this project would help in their musical and personal development. The Ceilidh Trail is open to musicians from across Scotland. As an organisation based in Ross-Shire and committed to providing opportunities for the young people of our region, we offer the majority of places to musicians who live in, or are from, Ross-Shire.
If selected to take part, you will participate in the training week in Cromarty from July 8th-12th and you will perform at 5 or 6 performances including the final concert on Aug 3rd. During these performances, you will join some of the other Ceilidh Trails and will be supported by professional musicians.
Rather than being out on tour for the entire three weeks of the Ceilidh Trail, you will perform for 1 or 2 performances a week and travel home again. Assistance with travel planning will be provided, and expenses will be covered by Fèis Rois. We will pay a stipend of £400 to each musician taking part in the project.
To apply for this project, we ask for a referral from a professional (for example your music tutor, lecturer, or someone else who works with you on a professional basis). The application form can be filled in in full by the referrer, and we would get in touch with you separately to receive personal info like your date of birth, your access requirements, etc. You can also complete the form yourself, and you would include a reference and contact details of your referrer so we can get in touch with them too.
Application Process & Timeline
Applications open: December 5th, 2023
Applications close: January 14th, 2024
Successful applicants will be notified if they are being invited to audition by January 18th, 2024.
Auditions will be held at the Fèis Rois office in Dingwall on Saturday, February 17th and on Sunday, February 18th. You will be invited to audition on either Saturday or Sunday, and the audition day will be from 10am – 4pm. Auditions will consist of an individual audition and the chance to take part in a group music making workshop with former Ceilidh Trail participant Mairearad Green.