Ceòlas Summer School 2023

Unbeatable tuition in Gaelic music, dance and language from the best traditional musicians in Scotland and Canada; guided walks, house cèilidhs and village-hall dances in the strongest Gaelic-speaking community in the world; authentic Hebridean culture alive in its heartland.

The Ceòlas summer school is an experience like no other. For a week in July, the Isle of South Uist is alive with an amazing buzz and electricity, Gaelic music, dance, language, a returning diaspora and over a hundred summer school students of all ages and backgrounds. Experience the essence of Gaeldom – the warm hospitality, the rich heritage and culture, the return home of family.

Ceòlas looks forward to welcoming students to South Uist once more and to our new premises at CnocSolleir.

The Ceòlas Summer School is on a mission to understand the natural rhythms which are inherent in the Gaelic language and to explore how these impact on the way tunes are played on pipes, fiddle and clarsach; how we sing Gaelic songs; and how we step dance percussively to the pulse of the music. Students are encouraged to immerse themselves in this understanding, not only in the classes but also at concerts, sessions and when visiting members of the community at a house cèilidh.

As usual students are asked to choose one main subject (the First Choice class) which has tuition twice each day. There is also a Second Choice class which is taught once each day. The classes in Reels and Quadrilles and Seanchas are only taught as a second choice class. There are Gaelic for All sessions each day and available at a range of levels. To finish each day students are mixed together, and guided rather than taught by the tutors, are challenged to create a short set of music, song and dance which can be performed on the final day of the Summer School.

Information on classes and levels will be published later in January 2023.