On Monday 24 January 2005, Patricia Ferguson, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport launched a radical new initiative to encourage songwriting in Scotland.  Led by Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association, funded by the Scottish Executive, and supported by the Scottish Arts Council, BBC Radio Scotland and Event Scotland, the project is called Burnsong, in celebration of the spirit and legacy of Robert Burns.

At its heart is a nationwide search for new and exciting talent; an open invitation to the people of Scotland to write a song.  The best will be broadcast across Scotland and performed at Burnsong, a new event celebrating contemporary music and song, in Dumfries in November, 2005.

Burnsong wants to honour every kind of song, to restore the writing of songs to mainstream life as one of the essentials for living, and to leave a legacy of new songwriters in communities across Scotland.  Jenny Wilson, Director, Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association, creator of Burnsong.

Burnsong will unfold in 4 stages –

The Gathering – from 25th January to 31st May 2005

An open invitation to the people of Scotland, whatever their age, wherever they live – to write a new song! 

Burnsong embraces every kind of song.  New Burnsongs can be written in any style – rock, pop, folk, hip-hop, bangra, classical, about anything.  Burns wrote about politics, love, social ills, the environment, and everyday life.  Songs don’t have to be performed as the emphasis of Burnsong is on the song, not the singer.  There are two age categories, under 16 and 16+.  Full submission details can be found at www.burnsong.com from 25 January.

A panel of distinguished songwriters, representing all genres, will meet in the summer to gather and review the songs submitted.  Selected Burnsongs will be broadcast by media partners BBC Radio Scotland and celebrated at the first Burnsong event in November.

26th – 30th November:  Burnsong – a celebration of music and songwriting

The first Burnsong event will be held from 26th to 30th November, St Andrew’s Day, to celebrate and perform new Burnsongs - the ‘fruits of the Gathering’.  Big concerts and small gigs, workshops, master classes and taster events aim to attract songwriters and song lovers from across Scotland.

Sangschools – developing songwriting skills in Scotland

Burnsong-writers will be offered an individually tailored package of practical support to develop their songs, and invited to take part in Sangschools, with master classes and advice from some of Scotland’s leading practitioners.  A Sangschool will also be held in Spring 2005 for emerging or established songwriters to develop workshop skills. 

Throughout 2005 – Burns and Rivers – nurturing a new generation of songwriters

Burns and Rivers offers songwriting workshops to encourage young people in schools to write songs, drawing inspiration from the natural environment, celebrating Burns’ own love of nature and natural heritage.

Children and teachers, from more than 20 schools across Dumfries and Galloway and Glasgow, have been working individually and in groups with experienced song writers in projects lasting up to 10 weeks to create the first Burnsongs.  Burns and Rivers continues throughout 2005 culminating with performances at the Burnsong event in November.

Where has Burnsong come from?

The Scottish Executive, Scottish Arts Council and BBC Radio Scotland is supporting this new national and inclusive contemporary song writing initiative, created by Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association, to give songwriters - hopefuls and professionals - the opportunity to learn, write, compose, experiment, collaborate, teach, motivate - and perform their new expressions of the great popular art to a wider public. 

Burnsong is planned on a two year cycle leading up to a major celebration in 2009 to mark the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns.

2004 – 2006 – 2008 : education, development and encouragement
2005 – 2007 – 2009 : creation, Gathering, Burnsong celebration

Burns + Song = Burnsong!

On 1 January 2000, millions of people around the world sang a song to herald the next thousand years – by Robbie Burns:  Should auld acquaintance be forgot . . .

As a lyricist and songwriter Burns has never been surpassed.  His lyrics spanned the political, social, environmental and romantic spectrum with an impact that very few song writers have achieved since.

Burns’ choice of tune was always impeccable – an instinct that thrived through his knowledge and enthusiasm for Scottish composers in his own time as well as being steeped in oral tradition.  A fiddler – although perhaps a rough one – Burns was also one of our greatest collectors and users of tunes and musical pieces.

Songs in any culture carry a people’s true voice and the daily understanding of their history and aspirations.  Think for a moment on the fundamental similarity between, for example, the black American James Brown’s Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud, and Burns’ A Man’s a Man for a ‘that.  What an impact both songs have made as milestones in their countries’ progress towards self respect and democracy!

The song is the most immediate, popular and accessible of musical forms.  And Scotland is hooching with young musicians who write and perform (or want to) their own songs, on themes from every corner of their experiences.
Scottish music has always produced exceptional professional musicians and songwriters in every style.  But whilst composition may be taught in colleges and academies, song writing, the people’s art, is by and large left to its own devices.

(Taken from ‘Burns, the song writer’, a Burnsong development paper by Nod Knowles, Head of Music, Scottish Arts Council)

Why Dumfries?

When Burns lived and worked in Dumfries he wrote some his most well known poems including Tam o’Shanter, and created many of his songs, Auld Lang Syne, Ae Fond Kiss and My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.  His creativity was high and his interests broad – politics, love, nature and sex –the songs he wrote relate to all these areas. 

So it seems appropriate to draw songwriters to the place where some of Scotland’s most oft-sung songs originated, and to invite them to respond to the challenge in contemporary terms.

Partnerships

Every song is a partnership between words and music.  Burnsong is a partnership between Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association and a range of bodies and organisations, including (in alphabetical order):

BBC Scotland, British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, Event Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Scottish Executive, Scottish Music Centre, Visit Scotland, World Burns Federation

Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association

DGAA is an independent arts development agency serving the South West of Scotland.  Established in 1985 it is funded by Dumfries and Galloway Council Education and Community Services Department and Scottish Arts Council.

DGAA’s art form development areas include creative and performing arts, including music, dance, drama and literature, arts in public and arts in community. 

DGAA is also a resource for information on regional arts and artists, organisations and contacts and on fund-sourcing for regional activities, on good practice in arts development and art form management.

For further information on Burnsong visit www.Burnsong.com