Arts News

THE 2011 Spirit of Voice festival takes place from this Friday to Sunday November 13 in Galway at various venues including the Galway Rowing Club, Club Aras na nGael on Dominick Street and the Crane Bar, and one of the performers is Seamus Ruttledge from Tuam. Singers and performers in concert will present Opera, Reggae, Sean nós, Barbershop, Folk, Trad and Hip hop musical genres. Everyone is welcome to take part in the festival voice workshops to learn the art of beatbox and improve vocal skills. There is also the opportunity to bid for the painting Polaroid by artist BAQSR in the festival raffle. This exciting and unique cultural event is now in its eighth year and continues to grow in popularity. The Spirit of Voice 2011 Festival begins on Friday 11-11 with an 11 11 11 line up to include music from the 1940s with the Bugle Babes, a female melody trio plus operatic baritone Darragh McGann (aka the singing taxi driver) with barbershop quartet Chill singing harmonies. Songwriter Nina Viertel will bring her Berlin sound to Galway for the first time, together with traditional sean nós songs from Connemara's own Orlaith Ní Mheachair. Entry is €5, or €10 after 10pm. The annual voice workshops will be held on Saturday 12, providing a selection of vocal classes starting at 11 am with Kundalini yoga voice chants as taught by Nina Viertel to open the day. From 12.30 Helen Webb invites you to a 'world singing space'. After lunch, Mallika McCarthy will show you how to be 'the connected voice'. The final workshop at 4 pm is hosted by Ireland's champion beatboxer Cian Sayles aka Whitenoise beatbox. This is a great opportunity to learn the skills and techniques to play the beat urban street style. To book call Lisa at 087 6748557, €12 per class or €40 all day including free admission to the Saturday evening show. Email lisa.voiceworkshops@gmail.com. Later on Saturday, from 9pm funky Reggae masters Madu arrive in town direct from their successful tour promoting new album 'from the elders' yard'. Salim and Aminah have spent the summer playing at festivals dubbing up their Malaysian roots reggae with sublime vocals to mix dance hall and dub style sounds. Beatboxer Whitenoise keeps the groove moving making mouth music to dance to as the chance to hear the angelic voice of singing prodigy Casey Leigh who will showcase her new recordings in concert as Sweden's Erika Feeney plays her latest soulful melody rock n blues. Admission is €10 or €5 before 10 pm. From 8 pm at the Crane bar on Sunday 13th a selection of Galway voices will take centre stage. Seamus Ruttledge, poet and songwriter from Tuam speaks from the heart, and captivates your soul, and brings us on a wonderful journey from his album Songs To Have With Your Tea. You'll also hear National ESB Feis Ceoil 2011 winner Kayla McDonagh from Connemara, whose repertoire now consists of advanced classical and operatic pieces along with traditional irish sean-nós. Music from Nina Viertel and guests will produce once again a memorable occasion to close the festival. €5 admission on the door â€â€ for more info visit www.spiritofvoice.com   New book on Galway artist A NEW full colour book on the life and art of Dutch artist Marja van Kampen will be launched by Ronnie O'Gorman in The Kenny Gallery, Liosbán Retail Park, on Saturday 12, at 2 pm. Written and designed by Dick Donaghue, the book traces the life and influences of Marja's determination to live the life of an artist to the full, from her primary school days to art college in Holland and through Europe and the South of France to Galway. Marja was an inspiration and driving force behind the success of Artspace Studios before moving on after ten years and opening her own studio and gallery in Galway. Now in her youthful sixties, she has stood the test of time and has produced a significant body of work in 25 solo shows, over 90 group shows from Ireland to China, represented her adopted city and country in residencies abroad; has won many Arts awards and has many of her works in prestigious collections including the Dept of the Taoiseach, Microsoft, The Arts Council, The Radisson, AIB, Aalborg City Council Denmark, Jurys Inn Newcastle, and Crumlin Children's Hospital. The book, A Determined Life In Art, with its many photographs tracing her life and artistic journey, is a fitting tribute to her courage and vision, and presents many pages of full colour paintings.   Talk on history of the Diocese of Galway A LECTURE entitled 'History of the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora' will be delivered by Peadar O'Dowd to the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society in the Harbour Hotel on Monday November 14 at 8 pm. All are welcome. The lecture will contain some details of the Early Christian Period from Patrician times with its subsequent emphasis on monastic rather than diocesan authority prior to the Synod of Kells (1152). The story of subsequent episcopal succession amid the vicissitudes of change from the advent of new religious orders in the aftermath of the Norman invasion, through to the English Reformation and subsequent Penal Times will be discussed. The erection of the wardenship of Galway leading eventually to the initial singular diocese of Galway and its subsequent amalgamation with those of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora will also be covered, as will the formation of the present four deaneries and 41 parishes (16 at present within Galway City) in the modern diocese.