A musical composition which tells the tale of a message in a bottle washed up on the shores of Canna will be performed at Celtic Connections.
Acclaimed traditional musician Ingrid Henderson from Mallaig has created Message in a Bottle, a composition inspired by the movements of ocean currents.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has commissioned the work which celebrates the marine environment to mark the Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.
The piece starts with the true story of a message in a bottle placed in the sea by a young boy from Armagh in 2008 and washed up on Canna 10 years later.
It grows to explore the incredible journeys of marine wildlife and seabirds, people’s dependence on the seas over time and the exchanges of language and culture around the coast, while highlighting the impact of climate change on the world’s oceans.
Message in a Bottle will premiere at Celtic Connections’ Coastal Connections day on Saturday January 18 before touring festivals around Scotland.
Ms Henderson said: “I’m delighted to be working with SNH to help celebrate the Year of Coasts and Waters with this special composition.
“Growing up in the west coast fishing port of Mallaig, the themes of the year and the piece are very close to my heart. The connection of communities to the sea was all around me when I was younger – the gain from booming industries but also the loss both in terms of people and also environmentally.
“The influence of the sea is also so prevalent in the songs and music of the Highlands and Islands, with stories of love and loss, great voyages and tragedy.”
The commission is one of several special SNH events and projects to celebrate Scottish coasts and waters and their wildlife during the themed year and raise awareness of the importance of healthy oceans.
Becky Shaw, SNH Rural Development Adviser, said: “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Ingrid for this special performance which is sure to be a highlight of the Celtic Connections Coastal Connections day.
“There have long been strong links between traditional music, Gaelic language and Scotland’s marine environment and through music and song we hope this piece will help bring our seas and their wildlife to life for many more people.”
