Tag: classical music

Scottish Opera’s revival of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale opens this October

OPENS AT THEATRE ROYAL GLASGOW BEFORE TOURING TO INVERNESS, EDINBURGH AND ABERDEEN

This autumn, Scottish Opera presents a revival of the much-loved 2014 production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, which opens at Theatre Royal Glasgow on 12 October and tours to Inverness, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

It is performed alongside the Company’s specially created staging of Britten’s Albert Herring, which is at Lammermuir Festival, Theatre Royal Glasgow and Festival Theatre Edinburgh, bringing even more opera to Scottish audiences.

Conducted by Scottish Opera Music Director Stuart Stratford, Director-Designer duo Renaud Doucet and André Barbe (La bohème 2017) and Lighting Designer Guy Simard bring this quick-witted comedy to life with typically colourful and quirky style. Set in Rome at the cusp of the Swinging Sixties, the eccentric characters are given life in a world that is the perfect setting for a titanic clash of generations.

This highly successful production of Don Pasquale, which began life at Scottish Opera, was recently seen in Miami, Genoa, Vancouver, and Toronto.

David Stout, who delighted audiences in The Barber of Seville in Autumn 2023, returns to Scottish Opera as Don Pasquale, with three up-and-coming singers making their Scottish Opera debuts in the main roles.

Opera Australia principal soprano Stacey Alleaume is Norina, Filipe Manu (Jette Parker Young Artist 2019/20) is Pasquale’s son Ernesto, and Josef Jeongmeen Ahn (a member of the Jette Parker Artists Company of 2023/24) is Doctor Malatesta.

Don Pasquale runs a crumbling boarding house in Rome, and determined to keep his fortune to himself, he decides to marry, spiting his nephew Ernesto. But, when he finds a bride, he discovers that married life is not as simple as he expected …​

Renaud Doucet and André Barbe said: ‘We are delighted to be returning to Scottish Opera with Don Pasquale. After studying the score, we thought that the creative vitality and energy of Rome in the mid 1960’s was an ideal setting for Donizetti’s generation clash opera.

‘We imagined that Don Pasquale owns a small, run-down pensione. Old and something of a hermit, he leaves the running of the hotel to his nephew Ernesto and to his staff – a rum bunch including a chain-smoking chambermaid, a greasy cook and a past-it porter, so old that he has shrunk inside his uniform. A chorus of tourists come and go.

‘The dramaturgy of the opera is illustrated during the overture by the video projection of a typically Italian 1960s ‘fotoromanzo’ — sequential storytelling using photographs, text and speech bubbles — starring the principal characters, enabling the audience to immediately jump into the action of this ‘dramma giocoso’ (drama with jokes).’

Stuart Stratford said: ‘Donizetti was at the absolute height of his powers in terms of melodic gifts and spectacular writing for voices in Don Pasquale.

‘This production by Renaud Doucet and André Barbe is amazing, and it sits alongside Britten’s quintessential British comedy, Albert Herring.

‘Both are very different ways of approaching laughs in the theatre, and they were written just about 100 years apart.’​

Those who wish to discover more about how Don Pasquale was created can attend Pre-show Talks which delve into the detail of the opera. Tickets are free but should be booked in advance.​

Audience members with a visual impairment can enjoy the full opera experience at Audio-described performances, which have a live commentary describing the action on stage without compromising the music. There are also free Touch Tours of the set, and a live audio introduction before the start of the performance.

Specially created Access performances of Don Pasquale run alongside the mainstage productions in Glasgow and Edinburgh. With Dementia Friendly values at their core, afternoon Access performances are for those who enjoy a more relaxed opera experience.

With a shorter running time (under two hours including an interval) and tickets at just £12.50, these performances are open to all, including those who may be living with dementia or Long COVID, more comfortable at a shorter show, struggling to get to evening performances, or would simply benefit from the more relaxed atmosphere.

Don Pasquale is supported by The Scottish Opera Syndicate.

Tickets for Don Pasquale are on sale now at www.scottishopera.org.uk/shows/don-pasquale/

Don Pasquale creative team​

Conductor                               Stuart Stratford & Susannah Wapshott (21 November)

Director & Choreographer      Renaud Doucet

Designer                                  André Barbe

Lighting Designer                    Guy Simard

​

Don Pasquale cast​

Don Pasquale                         David Stout

Norina                                     Stacey Alleaume

Ernesto                                   Filipe Manu

Doctor Malatesta                  Josef Jeongmeen Ahn

A Notary                                Jonathan Forbes Kennedy

​

Performance Diary​

Theatre Royal Glasgow  

12 • 17 • 26 October 2024, 7.15pm  

20 October, 3pm (Audio-described performance with Touch Tour at 1.45pm)

Pre-show talk, 17 October, 6pm

Relaxed Access performance, 25 October, 3pm (Audio-described performance)

Eden Court Inverness  

31 October, 7.15pm

2 November, 7.15pm (Audio-described performance with Pre-show talk and Touch Tour at 6pm)

Festival Theatre Edinburgh  

8 • 16 November, 7.15pm 

Pre-show talk, 16 November, 6pm

10 November, 3pm (Audio-described performance with Touch Tour at 1.45pm)

Relaxed Access performance,15 November, 3pm (Audio-described performance)

His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen  

21 November, 7.15pm (Audio-described performance with Pre-show talk and Touch Tour at 6pm).

Lammermuir Festival celebrates with a comeback masterpiece

PATH of MIRACLES: Tenebrae at the National Museum of Flight’s Concorde Hangar

In Lammermuir Festival’s history, the 2024 programme marks the first time it will offer a rare returning event. And with the comeback of Path of Miracles and Tenebrae proving hugely popular with audiences, organisers have added a second performance on the night giving festivalgoers a second chance to grab a ticket this year. 

Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles, performed in the Concorde Hangar at the National Museum of Flight, is at the heart of the 2024 programme. Sung by one of the finest choral groups in the world, Tenebrae, for which it was written 20 years ago, the work is both ravishingly beautiful and hugely dramatic.  

Last performed at Lammermuir back in 2017, the sold-out audience stood cheering when it finished. The tour de force is inspired by the famous pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela and performed alongside one of the technological marvels of modern travel in the Concorde Hangar. 

Sunday 8 September, 8pm / 10pm

Tenebrae – Path of Miracles at Concorde

Concorde Hangar, National Museum of Flight

8pm tickets on sale at https://www.lammermuirfestival.co.uk/event/tenebrae-path-of-miracles/

10pm tickets on sale at https://www.lammermuirfestival.co.uk/event/tenebrae-path-of-miracles-extra/

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Edinburgh International Festival announces free Immersive Philharmonia Orchestra VR experience at Space @ Broomhouse

The Edinburgh International Festival announces the opening of the Philharmonia VR Experience at Space @ Broomhouse Hub, which will be available for four days of music and discovery from 20th – 24th August.

This 360° experience, which is free to attend and unticketed, brings the classical music experience to Broomhouse with the opportunity to see the UK premiere of the Philharmonia VR Experience’s performance of Vaughan Williams’s iconic piece, The Lark Ascending, performed by Festival Director Nicola Benedetti with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Attendees will wear a VR headset which will allow them to sit right in the heart of the orchestra and experience this profoundly moving performance in astonishing detail. This VR experience will be staffed by graduates and members of Space Station, an entry level skills development course designed to support local people into the hospitality sector.

The Philharmonia VR Experience marks the first Edinburgh International Festival event held at Space @ The Broomhouse Hub which was named as the Edinburgh International Festival’s inaugural Community Connections Hub earlier this year. Which is an 18-month partnership exploring opportunities for creative collaboration and connection between the Festival and the local community.

Neil Hay, CEO, Space @ The Broomhouse Hub said: “This is a wonderful thing to be able to bring to Broomhouse. Despite being in Edinburgh, it can often feel as though big cultural activities are set very far apart from communities like those in Southwest Edinburgh.

“This partnership will allow people to experience things they never have before or take part in things that they simply would never have considered. This is the first event as part of our link with Edinburgh International Festival and we are excited to see what the next 18 months might bring.”

This event is free and unticketed. Each slot is 20 minutes long. Listed below are the times the VR Experience is open.

Wed 21 Aug 11.30-13.45, 15.00-16.00, 17.00-18.40

Fri 23 Aug 11.30-13.45, 15.00-16.40

Sat 24 Aug 10.30-11.45, 13.15-14.00, 15.00-16.40

More information on the Edinburgh International Festival’s Discovery and Participation programme, which runs year-round, can be found here: https://www.eif.co.uk/social-impact.

Scottish Ensemble announce 2024-25 season

Scottish Ensemble, a pioneering collective of musicians who champion music for strings, announces its 2024-25 season of events.

Exploring the power and breadth of musical experience, Scottish Ensemble’s 2024-25 season will take audiences on a bold adventure with new ideas and collaborations and the return of the ever-popular Concerts by Candlelight and Concerts for a Summer’s Night tours. 

Collaborating with creative minds to blur the boundaries between genres and artforms is a hallmark of Scottish Ensemble. In The Law of Gravity (February 2025 – Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow) Scottish Ensemble collaborate with master puppeteer Mark Down and his team at Blind Summit to explore what puppetry can reveal about music.

Performances of Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night and Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 3, will breathe life into the puppet, fleetingly revealing the composer’s intentions, ambitions and ideas. Blind Summit are a cohort of puppet makers and puppeteers, who have contributed to the creation of some of the most extraordinary spectacles of recent years: from the giant storybook characters in the opening ceremony of London’s 2012 Olympic Games to critically acclaimed productions of War Horse and Pinocchio. 

Following a memorable performance during Celtic Connections 2024, Donald Grant and Scottish Ensemble once again join forces to revel in the joy of making music together (April 2025 – Edinburgh, Inverness, Aberdeen, Findhorn). Featuring traditional and contemporary string music that bridges genres and tells of life in the Highlands, through Donald’s new work Thuit an Oidhche Oirnn (The Night Overtook Us). 

The 2024-25 season begins with Resound (September 2024 – Arran, Kirkcudbright, Perth, Mull, Seil, Glasgow), an intimate guided listening experience that journeys through five centuries of mind-expanding music.

Curated by Scottish Ensemble’s violist Andrew Berridge the works performed will explore how music can transport and inspire, lifting spirits and strengthening connections.

Music has the power to improve wellbeing and Resound complements Scottish Ensemble’s Music for Wellbeing programme. 2024-25 will see the continuation of a long-term partnership with Maggie’s,, whose centres support people who are affected by cancer, and further partnerships with schools across Scotland to support young people’s mental health. 

Scottish Ensemble has a proven track record of commissioning works from a new generation of composers – and during this year’s Concerts by Candlelight tour (December 2024 – Perth, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dunblane) performs the world premiere of a new work by Hannah Kendall.

Hannah’s music has been performed across the world, and she share’s Scottish Ensemble’s collaborative spirit, often working with visual artists, choreographers, and poets. This piece marks the second composition supported by Scottish Ensemble’s Calder Commissioning Fund, created through a transformative donation, made in memory of Scottish Ensemble’s late founder John Calder.  

Scottish Ensemble’s work with a new generation of musicians also continues with its Young Artists programme, in partnership with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. As well as supporting talented young string players through a week-long residency in January, selected Young Artists are offered the opportunity to join one of the ensemble’s Scottish tours as a performer in 2025. 

Singer and composer Héloïse Werner features as both soloist and composer in Concerts for a Summer’s Night (June 2025 – Perthshire, Strathpeffer, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee). Words and music will take flight in a vibrant end to the season in light-filled venues across Scotland. 

In addition, Scottish Ensemble head to London to perform at the opening weekend of the Southbank Centre’s 2024-25 classical season, with a dynamic programme, that includes Philip Glass’ meditative Symphony No. 3  and explores new musical paths and connections.  

in Sync, the acclaimed collaboration with MishMash Productions, also heads south with performances at the Southbank Centre and Nottingham. Further events in Scotland include a special project with Sonica at the Burrell Collection and a concert as part of RCS’s Fridays at One lunchtime series.                         

For full details visit https://scottishensemble.co.uk/whats-on/ 

2035-Scottish-Ensemble-2425-Brochure-v8-WEB-single-pagesDownload

Edinburgh Singers to perform Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle

TWO weeks to go until our performance of Rossini’s “Petite Messe Solennelle”, a masterful choral work that blends solemnity and grace with operatic flair.

Join us on Saturday 15th June, 7.30pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh – tickets are available here: https://www.thequeenshall.net/…/rossinis-petite-messe…

Scottish Ensemble announce Concerts for a Summer’s Night

Scottish Ensemble have built a devoted following for their Concerts by Candlelight in the Midwinter, and they now present a series of concerts revelling in the long days and abundance of natural light around the Summer Solstice.

Light-filled venues will resonate to the sounds of vibrant, uplifting music, performed with Scottish Ensemble’s characteristic zest and warmth.

From the 17th to the 21st of June, Concerts for a Summer’s Night will celebrate that magical juncture when daylight outlasts the night, filling the air with the promise of endless possibilities. Performances will take place in Rossie Byre in Perthshire, Strathpeffer Pavilion, Aberdeen Art Gallery, The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Audiences can expect a treat as the ensemble blend classical and contemporary works for string orchestra into a joyful sonic summer cocktail.

From familiar works by Elgar and Mendelssohn to the innovative sounds of Tunde Jegede and Sigur Rós, the programme promises to transport listeners through centuries and musical styles, focusing on themes of joy and connection.

The much-awaited second instalment of Glasgow-based composer David Fennessy’s two-part commission will also feature. Following the warmly received debut of RAIN I during Scottish Ensemble’s Concerts by Candlelight performances last December, this new piece promises to captivate and inspire.

Jonathan Morton, Artistic Director of Scottish Ensemble, said: “Following on from last year’s second and warmly received Concerts for a Summer’s Night, I am looking forward to the third edition!

“We hope these events will become – like Concerts by Candlelight in December – a regular and anticipated feature of our season.

“At this time of year, natural light is almost a constant, tempting us to spend more time outside and reconnect with the natural world as well as with each other.

“There is a unique kind of energy around the time of the summer solstice, and I hope that hearing live music in these light-filled venues will be a vibrant and memorable experience.”

Tickets range from £9 – £22.50 and are free for under 16s.

Tickets are available from:

 https://scottishensemble.co.uk/programme/2023-24/concerts-for-a-summers-night-2/

Listings information

Monday 17 June

Rossie Byre, Perthshire, 8pm

Tuesday 18 June

Strathpeffer Pavilion, Strathpeffer, 8pm

Wednesday 19 June

Aberdeen Art Gallery, 8pm

Thursday 20 June

The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, 8pm

Friday 21 June

Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow, 8pm

Concerts for a Summer’s Night programme

Jörg Widmann 180 beats per minute

Tunde Jegede Dancing in the Spirit

Peter Sculthorpe Movement I from Jabiru Dreaming

Caroline Shaw Valencia

Sigur Rós arr. Guy Button Fljótavík

Felix Mendelssohn arr. Lynne Latham Movement I from Violin Concerto in E minor

Edward Elgar Movement II from Serenade for Strings

Ana Sokolović Innamorati from Commedia dell’arte III

Leoš Janáček arr. Jarmil Burghauser On an Overgrown Path

Jessie Montgomery Smoke from Break Away

Sufjan Stevens arr. Michael Atkinson Year of the Ox from Run Rabbit Run

David Fennessy RAIN II (World Premiere)

Usher Hall announces Sunday Classics season

Scotland’s only 5-star concert venue, Edinburgh’s stunning Usher Hall, is proud to announce the 2023-24 programme for its much-loved Sunday Classics season. 

The Sunday afternoon season is renowned for bringing the finest orchestras from around the world to the Scottish capital, accompanied by exceptional soloists at the height of their talents. 

Starting in September, the mighty Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra kicks off the 2023-24 season with a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. Brimming over with drama and emotional intensity, the symphony charts a course from darkness to a final, life-affirming glimmer of optimism.

Two weeks later the Basel Chamber Orchestra, the first orchestra to win the Swiss Music Prize in 2019, makes a triumphant return to Edinburgh. Joining them is pianist Angela Hewitt, a great favorite of the Zurich International Series’ audience, who will direct the orchestra in two concerto masterpieces – Mozart’s lyrical E-flat Piano Concerto and Bach’s pulsating D-minor Piano Concerto.

December sees a visit from the Symphony Orchestra of India, bringing with it all its renowned energy and vigour to one of the great 20th-century masterpieces by Stravinsky, Petrushka.

They are joined by perhaps the greatest musician in the Indian classical tradition, the tabla player Zakir Hussain, in a work commissioned especially for this tour, his exciting Triple Concerto.

The first concert of 2024 welcomes global superstar guitarist Miloš Karadaglić and the Arcangelo Ensemble, who will treat us to a celebration of Baroque masterpieces by Vivaldi, Marcello, Bach, Pachelbel, Rameau, and Couperin.

For lovers of the Baroque repertoire, this will be a very special evening featuring music recently recorded by Miloš and released by Sony later this year.

In March, the Usher Hall is joined by one of China’s most outstanding ensembles, the China Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. 

They will be joined by the brilliant young violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen in two masterworks for orchestra and violin – Chausson’s Poème and Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.

The second half will feature two of Respighi’s monumental tone poems, Fountains of Rome and his ultimate work, Pines of Rome.

To celebrate a new, cordial phase of Anglo-French relations, a group of brilliant, young British and French musicians have been brought together to form the virtuosic Orchestre de l’Entente Cordiale.

They are joined by acclaimed French cellist Gautier Capuҫon who will perform that quintessentially English work, the Elgar Cello Concerto. After the British first half, an all-French second half features popular music by Satie and Debussy, with a grand finale of opulent music from Poulenc’s ballet Les biches.

Russian-born violinst Maria Ioudenitch treats the Usher Hall to one of the most profound violin concertos composed in the 20th century, Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto, with its ravishing central passacaglia.

Joined by the Dresden Philharmonic, the show will also feature one of the most poignant and tragic of all symphonies, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, the ‘Pathétique’.

Acclaimed pianist Mark Bebbington joins the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s grand ‘Emperor’ Concerto and two much-loved Czech favourites – Smetana’s Bartered Bride and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7, in authentic and inimitable Czech style.

The orchestra’s American music director Steven Mercurio will begin the concert with Copland’s delightful portrait of the Appalachian countryside.

Bringing the season to a triumphant close on 23 June is the Flanders Symphony Orchestra.

This finale includes one of the greatest of all choral works, Mozart’s farewell to the world, his Requiem. To balance this sombre second half, the first half includes Beethoven’s sparkling Eighth Symphony.

Taking part in this concert will be one of England’s historic choruses, the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, who join the Flanders Symphony Orchestra in a moving end to the Sunday Classics season.

Karl Chapman, Cultural Venues Manager at Usher Hall said: “We are delighted to announce our new Sunday Classics season, packed full of the best orchestras, soloists, and conductors in the world today.

“Sunday Classics has become an integral part of the Scottish classical music scene and the Sunday afternoon concert experience has proved ever popular. It’s fantastic that the Usher Hall can offer such an unrivalled variety of international talent to the music-lovers of Edinburgh and Scotland in a concert hall with some of the very best acoustics around.

“This season we are hosting a diverse selection of ensembles – the Czech National Symphony Orchestra make a triumphant return to the Hall led by American music director Stephen Mercurio.

“We are also incredibly excited to welcome back the likes of the India Symphony and Concerto Budapest Symphony orchestras and we know that the amazing Edinburgh audiences will leave them wanting to come back!

Councillor Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener said: “I am delighted that the Sunday Classics programme is returning for the 2023-24 season.

“There can be no better location to experience a live classical performance than the world-famous Usher Hall. Designed and built with a view to bring classical music to Scotland’s Capital, our venue has been a key part of our musical culture for over a century. I am proud that the tradition of concert-going at Edinburgh’s most stunning indoor venue continues as strongly as ever.

“It’s a genuine pleasure to sit back in the impressive hall and lose yourself in the music, and this new Sunday Classics series will feature first-class orchestras and classical superstars from around the world. Plus, with lots of options and special rates on tickets, the Usher Hall is helping to make classical music accessible to all.” 

National Youth Choir of Scotland proves it is among the best in the world 

National Youth Choir of Scotland

European Tour

25th – 30th July, 13th August 2023

Tickets are on sale now for National Youth Choir of Scotland’s (NYCOS) tour of Europe in late July. Widely acclaimed as one of the best choirs in the world, regardless of age, they are set to bring magical performances of Maurice Duruflé’s ethereal Requiem, Benjamin Britten’s ever popular Rejoice in the Lamb and American composer Stacy Garrop’s exploration of three types of love in Sonnets of Desire, Longing, and Whimsy.

Between 25 and 30 July, the choir famed for its high-energy performances under the artistic direction of Christopher Bell performs this collection of rich choral work at St. Lawrence’s Parish Church in York as part of the Ryedale Festival; Église St. Eustache in Paris (yes, they are taking Duruflé to the French!), France; St. Rumbold’s Cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium; and St. Nicholaas Basilica in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The choir then returns to Scotland’s capital to finish the tour in Edinburgh this August. Christopher Bell will be conducting all concerts with Michael Bawtree on organ.

For many singers being a part of NYCOS is a life-changing experience and this tour is set to be special for many members as they head into their last year as part of the ensemble. It is also one of the most experienced groups that NYCOS has toured, with the leavers now in their mid-twenties with up to 10 years of singing together under their belts.

In a cosmopolitan trip round the continent to capitals both ancient and modern, a particular highlight is set to be its concert in Paris, where Scotland’s young singers perform in the Église St. Eustache. Gregorian chant and the deep emotion of Duruflé’s writing combine in his Requiem to fill this beautiful 17th-century church with mesmerising and shimmering sound.

The choir’s summer culminates in a performance at the Edinburgh International Festival on Sunday 13 August in a favourite venue for them, the Usher Hall. NYCOS will be joined by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, alongside former members of the choir – Cardiff Singer of the World 2017 Catriona Morison and member of Academia Teatro all Scala in Milan in 2019-20 Paul Grant – as soloists.

In a special open access session at 4pm preceding the concert, Christopher Bell – renowned for his expertise in music education – will give audiences a rare glimpse into NYCOS’ musicianship technique.

Masters of the Kodály method of music teaching devised by Hungarian musicologist Zoltán Kodály in the mid-20th century, Bell and 200 young singers will explore and explain the method which has been central to NYCOS’ work for 25 years in a typically sparky presentation, before performing their last concert of the tour.

Christopher Bell, Artistic Director of National Youth Choir of Scotland said: “The National Youth Choir of Scotland combines the best of singing with the energy, enthusiasm and passion of youth.

“Audiences, world renowned conductors and orchestras have been delighted to hear the quality of sound and experience the commitment of Scotland’s young people. Please join us for what promises to be five outstanding performances this summer.’’

Tickets for the European tour, including performances in York and Edinburgh, are on sale now https://www.nycos.co.uk/events/nycos-summer-europe-tour-2023/.

LISTINGS

Programme:

Duruflé Requiem

Britten Rejoice in the Lamb

Garrop Sonnets of Desire, Longing and Whimsy (except EIF)

Tuesday 25 July 2023

Ryedale Festival

3pm

St. Lawrence’s Parish Church, York 

Tickets

Thursday 27 July 2023

8pm Église St. Eustache

Paris, France

Tickets

Friday 28 July 2023

4pm

St. Rumbold’s Cathedral

Mechelen, Belgium

Tickets

Saturday 29 July 2023

8:15pm

St. Nicholaas Basilica

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Tickets

Sunday 13 August 2023

Edinburgh International Festival (with Royal Scottish National Orchestra)

5pm (with 4pm Kodály method demonstration)

Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Tickets

Crowdfunded classical music club nights to debut in Edinburgh

After a run of sold-out London shows, through the noise has announced that their crowdfunded concert series, noisenights, will make its debut appearance in Edinburgh this autumn.

Their new star-studded season will feature Fatma Said, Manchester Collective, Abel Selaocoe & The Bantu Ensemble, Alexandra Whittingham, Misha Mullov-Abbado, Thibaut Garcia, Lodestar Trio, Junyan Chen, Braimah Kanneh-Mason and Jeneba Kanneh-Mason performing in clubs and gig-venues around the country, including at Edinburgh’s La Belle Angele. 

noisenights aim to reach audiences that might otherwise not experience world-class classical musicians. Over the past two years the series has grown from a fringe night in East London to a leading classical promotion, with names like Sheku Kanneh-Mason taking on UK-wide noisenights tours.

So far 42 of the 44 noisenight shows have sold-out. 

Building on the success of their first tour last year, through the noise are now launching regular noisenights in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Birkenhead, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Brighton and London.

Between October and December this year through the noise will take no less than five classical projects on tour around the UK, and they plan to come back to Edinburgh regularly in 2024. This is a significant milestone for the community-led organisation, which began less than two years ago in grassroots venues in Hackney. 

Inspired by the UK’s great underground club scene and thriving jazz venues, noisenights offer an alternative way to experience live classical music. Using a unique crowdfunding model which puts concert plans to local communities for support in return for tickets, they are able to bring international stars to intimate venues. Each event is confirmed once it reaches a funding target. 

through the noise Co-founder and Artistic Director Jack Bazalgette said: “We’ve been happily surprised to find that there’s a growing audience for our classical gigs, so we’re thrilled to be heading to Edinburgh for the first time later this year with the incredible Alexandra Whittingham.

“She’s a guitar virtuoso with a rare power to move and inspire people with her performances, and I can’t wait to give Edinburgh audiences the chance to experience her perform up close. This is just the beginning – we can’t wait to bring even more classical names to Edinburgh in 2024…” 

About through the noise: 

through the noise began in the first lockdown as a positive force for live classical music. It runs an independent guide to the best and most affordable classical events in London and is the home of noisenights. through the noise is also a community interest company which runs live music-based mental health projects in collaboration with various London charities. 

Links: 

Website: www.throughthenoise.co.uk 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/through_t_noise 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/through_t_noise 

A concert and a drink

Scottish Ensemble returns to light-filled venues across Scotland for their sophomore Concerts for a Summer’s Night tour

‘A fine mixture of well-known favourites and amazing new pieces all perfect for a summer night’s entertainment‘

‘Please make this an annual event, we loved it so so much. Really wonderful, music to soothe the soul.‘

Audience Reviews on Concerts for a Summer’s Night 2022

  • Concerts for a Summer’s Night will be performed in Perthshire, Strathpeffer, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow from the 19th – 23rd June.
  • Returning after its debut last year, this concert series promises a variety of uplifting and inspiring compositions, selected by Artistic Director Jonathan Morton.
  • Scottish Ensemble are announcing their 2023-24 season alongside this tour -– audiences will be able to pick up a copy of the new season brochure on arrival, getting first access to next year’s shows.
  • Audiences are invited to enjoy a welcome drink on arrival at the venue, then sit back relax and let Scottish Ensemble take them on a vibrant and vivid musical journey.

Scotland’s leading string ensemble will be returning to light– filled venues across Scotland in June for their latest Concert’s for a Summer’s Night tour.

Each concert will be presented in an open atmospheric space, where sunlight pours in through wide windows. Audiences will enjoy the late evening sunshine, as the natural light slowly fades throughout the concert, providing an immersive experience of the music that evolves over time.

Performing at Rossie Byre, Strathpeffer Pavilion, Aberdeen Art Gallery, The National Museum of Scotland, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Concerts for a Summers Night promises a unique evening of musical delights, in beautiful and inviting spaces.

The concert series made its debut last summer and is a companion to Scottish Ensemble’s annual Concerts by Candlelight tour which visits stunning churches and cathedrals across Scotland in December for an intimate and restorative musical experience bathed in comforting candlelight.

After the success of its 2022 tour, performing to sold– out audiences in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Concerts for a Summer’s Night is back, with an additional date in Strathpeffer for Highland audiences.

Concerts for a Summer’s Night features an atmospheric programme, curated by Scottish Ensemble’s Artistic Director, Jonathan Morton.

Having led Scottish Ensemble for almost 20 years, Jonathan has forged a trademark programming style that seamlessly combines varied short works of string repertoire into a delicately crafted collage of sound, bringing audiences on a journey through different composers, eras and genres of string music.

This year’s programme includes music by familiar names including Claude Debussy, Frederic Choipin and Maurice Ravel alongside a variety of more unexpected pieces from composers including Isobel Waller-Bridge, Chick Corea and Britta Byström.

This programming style prioritises the atmosphere of the performance and finds unexpected connections between classic works of string repertoire and contemporary compositions, offering listeners an opportunity to be introduced to new pieces, and to discover new favourite composers. Audiences will be swept away by Scottish Ensemble’s skilled musicians on a journey of sonic discovery.

Alongside their Concerts for a Summers Night tour, Scottish Ensemble will be announcing their 2023-24 Season, which goes on sale on 19 June.

With six Scottish tours, as well as festival visits, performances in schools and the continuation of their long running series of Music for Wellbeing concerts in Maggie’s Centres, Scottish Ensemble are preparing for a bold new season.

Audiences,  who can arrive from 7.15pm for Concerts for a Summer’s Night, will be treated to a copy of the Season Brochure, and, whilst enjoying a welcome drink, will have an opportunity to discuss the new shows with Scottish Ensemble’s team.

Join Scottish Ensemble this June for a musical celebration of the summer solstice and enjoy a wide programme of contemporary and classical music in beautiful lit venues at Concerts for a Summer’s Night – touring to Perthshire, Strathpeffer, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Listings information

  • 19 June, 8pm  – Rossie Byre, Perthshire
  • 20 June. 8pm – Strathpeffer Pavilion
  • 21 June, 8pm – Aberdeen Art Gallery
  • 22 June, 8pm – National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
  • 23 June, 8pm – Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

Tickets £19, Concessions £9 (plus booking fees)

Doors open at 7.15pm for welcome drinks, concert begins at 8pm.