Artist Exchange Program
Since 2011 the Artist Exchange Program (AEP) has included well known PEI artists including Catherine MacLellan, Meaghan Blanchard, Tim Chaisson, Dennis Ellsworth, Ashley Condon and Nick Doneff in partnerships with England, Wales and Denmark.
2019 Program Details
For Showcase PEI 2019 Music PEI partnered with with Wales and will be bringing internationally touring duo Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita to PEI. They have been partnered with PEI’s Acadian powerhouse Vishtèn.
Catrin, the former royal harpist for the Prince of Wales, is one of the UK’s most highly regarded harpists. Her playing partner Seckou Keita, originally from Senegal, is also considered one of the leading practitioners of the African kora. They have been steadily winning fans across Europe and the UK. This will only be their second time to perform in North America.
Vishtèn have made their mark from France to Australia, Louisiana to England. For well over a decade, the power trio of twins Emmanuelle and Pastel LeBlanc along with Pascal Miousse have been bringing their brand of Acadian traditional music to audiences around the globe. Each an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, they bring a contemporary approach to both their original music and tunes that are hundreds of years old.
The Artist Exchange Program will include 3 days of collaborating, co-writing and recording between Vishtèn and Catrin & Seckou, a showcase during the Showcase PEI conference and a public concert at the College of Piping in Summerside Thursday, October 3rd. These 2 internationally respected artists are considered innovators and at the top of their respective genres. The concert will be a unique opportunity to see multiple cultures and styles come together to create new sounds. Tickets are available at the College of Piping website.
Vishtèn will travel to Wales, England and Scotland in 2020 to showcase at Focus Wales and tour with Catrin and Seckou as part of the exchange.
For more information, please contact Rob Oakie at [email protected].
