www.celticconnections.com

Glasgow Thursday 15th January - Sunday 1st February
Sponsored by ScottishPower
www.homecomingscotland2009.com

The 16th festival, and the 3rd to be sponsored by Scottish Power, features approximately 1500 artists performing in over 300 events taking place over 18 days across 14 venues in Glasgow. Celtic Connections will launch the national  Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations with a salute to Robert Burns on the 250th anniversary of his birth

The Celtic Connections Education Programme enters into its 11th year in 2009. Over 15,000 children will enjoy 8 free schools concerts in January, with a further 2000 children benefiting from free in-school workshops. Celtic Connections attracts a wealth of home-grown and international talent to Glasgow every January. This year, acclaimed acts such as New Orleans legends, Dr. John and Allen Toussaint, New York blues master, Eric Bibb and Michael Nyman (composer of the The Piano soundtrack) feature on the bill alongside folk favourites Judy Collins, Kate Rusby, Kathy Mattea, Michael Marra, Lúnasa, Dervish, Shooglenifty, The Sharon Shannon Big Band, Julie Fowlis, Blazin’ Fiddles, Karine Polwart, Rachel Unthank and The Winterset and Drever, McCusker, Woomble.

As a fitting finale to Celtic Connections’ celebration of Homecoming Scotland 2009, Transatlantic Sessions - Bringing It All Back Home highlights the traditional songs and tunes which crossed the Atlantic with Celtic immigrants to form the bedrock of American roots music. These two concerts feature Nanci Griffith, Kathy Mattea and Union Station’s Dan Tyminski (also known as the singing voice of George Clooney in the Coen brothers’ classic O Brother, Where Art Thou?) as well as a host of Celtic talent.