In black vests, gray green belts, a color that recalls that of the statue of freedom, an American flag never very far, the ringers of the Bagad New York are the attraction of this 54th edition of the Interceltic Festival. And for good reason: “We are the only bagad outside France,” says Yoann Le Goff, one of the founders of this training that was born in 2009.
Its members, by performing in France, were afraid of an amalgam with Trump. But not at all! In Lorient, music counts, and nothing else.
“We created the Kerlenn New York sixteen years ago to unite all the energies around Breton music and culture in the United States,” says this professional, who has worked in computer science and has been playing the cornemuse for many years in the Kerlenn Pondi (Pontivy).
Five hours of road to repeat
The Bagad New York is not just New Yorkers. “We repeat in the north of the megalopolis, in New Paltz and some are on several hours to come and train,” explains Yoann Le Goff. This does not prevent sounding, Bretons of origin or Americans passionate about Breton culture, to meet at least once a month to repeat. Invited as part of the edition devoted to America’s cousins, the musicians have put double bites in recent months to be ready for this special event this summer.
“We also perform regularly through the United States. It happened to us to go to Minneapolis or in Alaska ”. With each pass of Bagad in the United States, American ringers take the opportunity to forge links. “We are the happiest in the world when a bombard teacher arrives, this specialty does not exist across the Atlantic,” says Yoann Le Goff.
“We also perform regularly through the United States. It happened to us to go to Minneapolis or in Alaska. »»
Listed instruments
In the Celtic music galaxy in the United States and even in Canada, the Irish crush everything. “If we want to give a comparison scale, Ireland is the earth, Scotland the Moon and the other Celtic nations of dust”.
Nevertheless. Since 2009, the Bagad New York has been the blow, has organized its fest-noz in the big apple. For this particular trip to Breton land, other Bagadoù lent them instruments: Perros-Guirrec made bombards available, quimperlé des boxes. “There will be a before and after Lorient,” smiles the Cornemuse player who, for his part, now lives in Spain but remains in connection with his American bagad. We are at the adolescence stage. We hope, with our passage here, to make ourselves better known and to link other connections for the future ”. Yoann Le Goff caresses a sweet dream: that other bagads are created in the United States.