Skipinnish Cèilidh House require
Full Time (Seasonal) Traditional Musicians / Singers / Bar workers
42 Hours per week, from 20th June – 11th September 2011
£252.00 per week. (Applicants should be over 18 on 20th June)

Skipinnish are looking to recruit full time traditional musicians and singers for the busy summer season at the Skipinnish Cèilidh House, Oban, and the brand new Skipinnish Cèilidh House in Fort William, from 20th June - 11th September 2011

You will be playing for the “Scottish Cèilidh Show”, which runs nightly throughout the summer, as well as working shifts in the bar, and assisting with the general running of the venue.

Instrumentalists
You should be able to play your first instrument to a high standard, the ability to read music and follow chord charts is vital.

Singers
You must be able to sing in both Gaelic and English, and should be able to present your-self well, and introduce songs confidently on stage.

For both singers and instrumentalists, the following skills will be looked upon favorably: Abilities on any secondary instruments, ability to sing, Highland dancing, step dancing, Cèilidh dance calling. The ability to learn new material quickly, and work well with other musicians is essential. Previous experience of bar work is desirable.

This post offers exceptional opportunities to work within the traditional music world, in a vibrant and exciting business, which is continually growing and developing. For those who are willing to work hard there may also be gig opportunities, recording experience, and the option for additional year round work within the Skipinnish enterprise.

Full training will be given, and will start on 20th June. You will be expected to learn and prepare material for the show prior to the start of training.

If you are interested in applying for this exciting role, please send your CV detailing your past musical and employment history and details of two referees, along with a short summary of why you are interested in working at the Skipinnish Cèilidh House and what particular skills you will bring to the post.

Rented accommodation will be provided in Fort William and Oban if required.

Auditions will be held week commencing Monday 11th April
Applications to: Rachel Walker, Skipinnish Head Office, Cairn Dearg House, North Road, Fort William PH33 6PP, or by e-mail to info@skipinnish.com By 5pm Friday 1st April 2011

Seems a derisory fee for what's required - play gigs and work behind the bar!

Even Aberdonians are more generous, Rob?
:-)

"Seems a derisory fee for what's required"

It's not a FEE ................ it's a wage! Morre than likely for young musicians
to have the opportunity to learn their craft in a 'live' situation.
It's also much more generous than the £12 per week plus all meals and
board paid by McTavish's Kitchens in a similar deal back in '69 when I managed
to put up with the management for a whole five weeks!

Indeed it is a wage, competitive with other summer jobs, and offers excellent training opportunities for those who want to go on to make a career in music once they've finished uni / studying.

Admittedly, it's not for everyone, but we're looking forward to whatever the year brings! A few applications coming in already....

A wee bump for the weekend.

Very excited by our applications so far, and looking forward to the auditions!

Sounds barely better than slave labour.

I think it's great! I certainly wouldnt turn my nose up at it for what it is! Great opportunity, lovely town, good company - pretty cool Summer!

Wouldn't do a student harm in a bit of hard graft for a few months!

£6.00 per hour for what is being asked? Opportunism surely.

Beats working in a call centre! I'm sure they get tips, free drams etc too!

We have got a girl working for/with us at the Whisky Festival and we snapped her up because she'd been at the Ceilidh House - so it definitely works in people's favour to have had the experience.

Free drams!!!!!!
Where's that phone number? :)

I'm just guessing - it's what I'd do if I was boss...maybe that's why I'll never be a boss! Not stingey enough!

Plug

"Sounds barely better than slave labour."

It does seem low, but if candidates could get a better job elsewhere, don't you think they would?

"but if candidates could get a better job elsewhere, don't you think they would?"

How very Iain Duncan Smith.

Ouch - that was low.

OK, let me rephrase that.
Until Scottish traditional musicians work together to achieve their aims, they will always be under the heel of their bourgeois slave masters.

Unionise, comrades, and stop the exploitation of the working man by the rich!

Given the level of repeat employees, and applicants we're getting can I suggest that the negativities aimed at this are far off the mark. Some musicians are coming back for a third summer! And certainly not because of lack of other opportunities available to them. Given the present financial climate, to offer musicians full time work, training and experience in their chosen career path is something we are delighted to be able to do. When I was a student at the RSAMD I worked in bars, fished lobsters, laboured for a builder etc for a lot less than £6 per hour. If the above job was available I would have absolutely pounced on it.

The quality of musicians we have had is extremely high, and all have been a pleasure to work with. I am very much looking forward to another exciting and busy summer with Rachel at the helm of what will be a fantastic line up for the show in both Fort William and Oban.

You should all come up for a visit in the summer and experience it first hand, meet the musicians and then hopefully revise your judgements! But always good to get feedback of any kind anyway.

Cheers

Angus

Fair play, good to see someone making an effort.

I am always impressed by the drive and commitment that has expanded the Skipinnish brand (albeit I have still to visit the Ceilidh House). Nonetheless, given that minimum wage is currently £5.93 for anyone aged 21 or over then it is pretty low pay for all that is involved in the job. If the accommodation that is outlined in the initial post is provided by the Ceilidh House on top of the wages then that would improve matters a bit for potential applicants. To move out to Oban for a season though and be expected to pay for accommodation out of £252 a week would be pretty poor.

Ach, by all accounts it is proving popular and it would definitely be helpful for those "learning their trade" as you put it. Nonetheless it is certainly not a competitive rate for either a musician or bar staff.

I don't really see it's anybody's business to be commenting like this. Skipinnish propose the rate, they're not breaking the law and it's up to anyone to apply or not as they see fit. And as Rachel and Angus say there doesn't seem to be a shortage of folk applying. Enough o the snipin and moanin already.

Well, it is a post on a discussion forum, what would you expect?