The Castalia Podcast
By Isla Ratcliff
In 2019, Scottish fiddle player Isla Ratcliff spent four wonderful months in Cape Breton, an island in Nova Scotia, on Canada's east coast, with a rich traditional music culture. Isla fell in love with the music, the people and the place. Her experiences there, and in neighbouring New Brunswick inspired her to release The Castalia, her debut album of traditional and self-composed fiddle music. In this series to accompany the album, Isla introduces us to the people she met in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, some of whom were involved in the making of her album. Find Isla’s music at www.islaratcliff.com/the-castalia.
Podcast production by Bespoken Media, with cover art by Elly Lucas and original music by
Isla Ratcliff. Created with invaluable financial support from Creative Scotland.
Podcast production by Bespoken Media, with cover art by Elly Lucas and original music by
Isla Ratcliff. Created with invaluable financial support from Creative Scotland.
Latest episode
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Màiri Britton
Màiri Britton is a stepdancer, Gaelic singer and Gaelic cultural educator from Edinburgh, who now lives in Cape Breton. Isla and Màiri first met in Scotland many years ago and reconnected with each other during Isla’s time in Cape Breton. Find Isla’s… -
Mairi Rankin
Mairi Rankin is a fiddle player and step dancer who has grown up immersed in Cape Breton musical traditions. She has toured internationally as a member of the Cape Breton super-group Beòlach, the highly acclaimed Celtic folk band The Outside Track, a… -
Peter Corfield
Peter Corfield is a fiddle player and composer from Saint John, New Brunswick. Isla met him at a traditional music session when she travelled to New Brunswick to meet her 3rd and 4th cousins. Peter wrote a tune for her, ‘Isla Be Home for Christmas’, … -
Chrissy Crowley
Chrissy Crowley is a fiddle player from Margaree, Cape Breton. She performs both solo and as a member of contemporary band https://coig.ca/ (Còig). Isla enjoyed playing tunes with Chrissy every Wednesday night at the session at the https://governorse… -
Paul Cranford
Paul Cranford is a well-known fiddle player, composer and publisher in the Cape Breton traditional music scene. Isla played tunes with him every Thursday night at the Blue Mist session. She was honoured when he wrote her a strathspey, ‘Isla Ratcliff’… -
Heather Sparling of Cape Breton University
Heather Sparling was Isla’s professor at Cape Breton University. Her research interests include Cape Breton dance traditions, Gaelic song in Nova Scotia, and the revitalisation of the Gaelic language through music. In this episode, she tells us about… -
Annabelle Bugay on stepdancing
Annabelle Bugay is the stepdancer on Isla’s album The Castalia. Annabelle and Isla were both students at Cape Breton University. Isla recorded the tune that she wrote for Annabelle, ‘Tune for Annabelle’, as Track 4, accompanied by Annabelle stepdanci… -
Dawn and Margie Beaton
Dawn and Margie Beaton are a fantastic fiddle-and-piano duo from Cape Breton. Isla met Margie on a drive from the Brook Village Square Dance to the Festival Club at Celtic Colours International Festival 2019, of which Dawn is the Artistic Director. I… -
Kyle MacNeil of the Barra MacNeils
Kyle MacNeil was Isla’s fiddle teacher at Cape Breton University. He performs with The Barra MacNeils. He taught Isla the tune ‘Kilts on Fire’, which she recorded on Track 7 of her album The Castalia. Find Isla’s music at www.islaratcliff.com/the-cas… -
Coming soon: Cape Breton conversations with Isla Ratcliff
In 2019, Scottish fiddle player Isla Ratcliff spent four wonderful months in Cape Breton, an island on Canada's rugged east coast with a rich traditional music culture. Isla fell in love with the music, the people and the place. Her experiences in No…
