The Medieval Manuscript the 'Chronicles of Mann and Sudreys' mentions various locations, including the Isle of Man, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and even places as far away as Norway and Brittany.
Russell Gilmour (trumpet) and David Kilgallon (organ) use melodies from these countries and they merge and fuse these ideas together with their own to create unique compositions for trumpet and organ. The idea behind their musical collaboration is to explore traditional music from these countries and to adapt the music, interpret it and explore it. Chronicles' musical format is slightly unusual in that it combines trumpet and organ - not the instruments you may initially associate with folk music - but it is an approach that has sparked a lot of interest.
Their limited edition EP "Prologue" is a sample of things to come, as the production of a full album is underway. The full album will be Chronicles' musical impression of the Isle of Man's influences and rich history - as documented in the Chronicles of Mann.
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writing on music, photography, travel and life as a freelance professional musician.
Manannan's Isle - Culture Vannin - Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2016, %RCulture Vannin put on a show on Sunday 24th of July at the Gaiety Theatre in the Isle of Man called ‘Manannan’s Isle’. It combined Manx music with Manx dance and Manx folklore and gave the audience a flavour of a similar show given at the 2015 Festival Interceltique de Lorient (FIL). 2015 had been ’the year of the Isle of Man and Cornwall’. Click here to read my earlier blog about the 2015
Festival Interceltique de Lorient - The Year of Cornwall and the Isle of Man
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2015, %RFestival Interceltique de Lorient (FIL) was one of the highlights of summer 2015. The festival jointly featured the Isle of Man and Cornwall as host nations - in what they call the ‘Année de la Cornouailles et de l’Île de Man’. The festival ran from the 7th to the 16th of August 2015 and it incorporated a staggering number of events and cultural delights from numerous Celtic nations. The festival
Yn Chruinnaght 2015
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Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Performance
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I performed with 'Chronicles' (Manx Trumpet and Organ duo) in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on the 25th of July 2014. Liverpool University hosted the event, as part of their "Festival of Ideas", which included several other events around Liverpool. Other Manx musicians, including Ruth Keggin, Mec Lir and Nish as Rish, were also involved in the festival, giving performances in a large marquee in