Local artists perform in an Ulster Scots...

04 January 2016

Enjoy Ulster-Scots music at its best in The Castle Session, a one-hour celebration featuring local artists and invited guests from Canada and Scotland.

The Castle Session    

Sunday 10 January

BBC Two Northern Ireland, 10pm 

The show is hosted by Lurgan musician Mark Wilson and recorded at Lurgan Castle where the artists spent two days producing special arrangements for the show.

Performers include piper Andy Carlisle (pictured with fellow performer Gino Lupari). Originally from Ballygowan, Andy is now director of piping at Carnegie Mellon University in Philadelphia. A champion Highland bagpiper, he is also a renowned lowland piper. 

He leads the house band which provides backing for other artists including fiddle players Diane McCullough and Emma Smith from Ballymena (pictured) and young singer Rachel McLeister from Cullybackey. 

Also joining Andy on stage is Killyleagh’s Richard Parkes, pipe major of multi-world-champion pipe band, Field Marshal Montgomery.

Those musicians from foreign shores include Madison Violet, a Canadian folk music duo comprising singer-songwriters Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac, and Scotland’s Ailie Roberston, a traditional harpist recognised for her unique fusion of Scottish, Irish and contemporary styles.

Also appearing are We Banjo 3, a band from Galway who play music with old-time American and bluegrass influences which has its roots in the traditional tunes brought down the Appalachian Trail in America by the Ulster-Scots.