Manx Music
Music has always played a strong role in Manx culture although, because the Island's old language, Manx Gaelic, is a vocal tradition rather than a written one, many songs and ballads have disappeared over time. Fortunately local musicians and groups such as Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh (The Manx Gaelic Society) have transcribed and recorded those that do survive, making them available to a wider public. The best known traditional English-language song (probably moreso than even the Manx National Anthem!) is the unashamedly sentimental 'Ellan Vannin', composed in the 1850s and recently introduced to a worldwide audience by the Manx-born pop group the BeeGees.
The most prominent showcase for live performances of Manx music and dance is the Inter-Celtic festival Yn Chruinnaght (loosely pronounced: 'n krun-yuk), revived in 1977 and now attended by visiting performers from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. It is just one of a number of festivals however, that provide major cultural platforms for the arts. Other major events include the Mananan International Festival of Music and the Arts, the Manx Music Festival and the Easter Drama Festival. A much more informal, but equally authentic, way of experiencing grass-roots Manx culture involves visiting one of the Island's many pubs, especially on the west coast where there is a very strong sense of Manx-ness and musicians will often band together at the table over a few pints.
Ceilidhs (pronounced kay-lee) are other lively events to watch out for. These are dances with music provided by local, celtic-influenced bands, usually held in community halls and marquees and often accompanied by a 'hot-pot supper'. A number of vocal groups and choirs also perform and record in Manx.
Much of the contemporary choral work around now is written in the unaccompanied, slightly mournful Celtic style but based on contemporary issues. A good deal of support for such artistic ventures comes from Manx Radio which plays an important role in supporting local culture through its Manx language and music programmes. Original music has also been given a boost recently with the establishment of new high-tech commercial recording studios, enabling a number of local bands to compose and record everything from soft rock, grunge and indie pop to folk and techno. Musical development is widely encouraged from an early age through schools, private academies and events such as the Manx Music Festival, better known as The Guild, which is the island's major public competition for the performing arts. The annual Spring contest at the Villa Marina tests instrumental, choral, solo, public speaking, operatic and character study skills, finishing with the prestigious Cleveland Medal contest for the Island's top singers.
Budding young musicians now also have a strong groundbase of practical help and advice from Soundcheck, an Education Department youth project which helps young bands with equipment, rehearsals and setting up of gigs. The Island doesn't have many major entertainment and cultural venues but those it does have are kept busy with packed programmes of mostly family-orientated entertainment.