Next steps announced for National Performing Company
A new National Performing Company will be set up to champion Scotland’s traditional music sector.
A public consultation has now been launched seeking views on how such a flagship organisation will raise the profile of Scottish folk music around the world.
Early feedback is being sought from the traditional music community and wider audiences to understand priorities for future support of the sector and what a national performing company might look like.
First Minister John Swinney held a reception for the trad music sector at Bute House this week and attended the Sound of Scotland folk music showcase at Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall.
The Scottish Government has also launched an online survey to gather views and Culture Secretary Mairi McAllan will chair a roundtable with leaders in trad music.
A National Performing Company for traditional music will be the sixth to be formed in Scotland, joining the National Theatre of Scotland, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
The First Minister said: “Traditional Scottish music has a unique, rich sound reflecting our history and regional diversity. It connects our past to our present and is loved across Scotland and around the world.
“That is why I pledged that in the first 100 days of this government we would make progress on forming a National Performing Company to protect the legacy of trad music and help it to thrive. Giving it the same platform to other performing arts will support established and emerging talents to grow.
“If you are a local performer, group or organisation from anywhere in Scotland, please let us know how this can work best for you, representing and supporting traditional music.”
According to a VisitScotland survey in 2024, almost four in five Scots (79%) said Scottish traditional music gave them a sense of cultural connection, while 88% believed it is important that it is preserved for future generations. Music businesses in Scotland reported a turnover of £27.4 million in 2023.
Residents and staff at one of Edinburgh’s leading care homes enjoyed a colourful celebration of Indian culture as part of its annual summer fête.
Cramond Residence, located on Cramond Road in the north-west Edinburgh, brought residents, staff and loved ones together for an Indian-themed celebration, complete with traditional food, music, dancing and dress.
The event saw members of the care home’s Indian team take centre stage, sharing elements of their culture with residents by preparing a selection of traditional dishes and performing songs and dances in the gardens while dressed in traditional clothing.
Residents were encouraged to get involved throughout the day, with many joining staff on the dance floor and embracing the music and celebrations.
The summer fête formed part of Cramond Residence’s wider commitment to creating an inclusive community where the cultures, backgrounds and traditions of both residents and team members are recognised and celebrated.
With people from a range of backgrounds making up the team at Cramond Residence, the event also offered an opportunity for staff to share an important part of their identity with the people they care for every day.
The celebration reflects the home’s belief that providing exceptional care extends beyond meeting residents’ physical needs. Creating a genuine sense of belonging, where people feel respected and connected to the community around them is considered equally important.
Ross Bijak, General Manager of Cramond Residence, said: “Our summer fête is always a wonderful occasion for residents and the team, but this year was particularly special.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and cultures within our team and giving them the opportunity to share their traditions with our residents was particularly valuable.
“A care home should feel like a community, and an important part of creating that is making sure everyone feels welcome, regardless of where they come from. Celebrating the culture represented within our team helps us learn from one another, while also showing families that their traditions and identities will always be respected here.”
Cramond Residence provides luxury care in a peaceful setting on the outskirts of Edinburgh, offering residents beautifully designed accommodation alongside a range of facilities and services tailored to support physical, emotional and social wellbeing. The residence is committed to delivering exceptional care while creating opportunities for residents to remain active, engaged and connected.
For more information about Cramond Residence, please visit:
Tickets on sale for new Oasis film documenting the band’s record breaking 2025 tour – arriving at Vue Edinburgh next month
A new film charting Liam and Noel Gallagher’s triumphant reunion tour, Oasis Live ’25, is heading to the big screen next month – with tickets on sale from now.
Showing exclusively at cinemas from 9 – 17 September, Don’t Look Back in Anger documents one of the biggest musical events in recent years.
The 41-date world tour saw the brothers performing across five continents – with an impressive 17 shows taking place in the UK alone.
The film offers unprecedented access and never-before-seen footage, alongside the first joint interviews with Noel and Liam in over 20 years. It also explores the profound emotional impact of the tour and what the band’s music means to audiences and generations worldwide.
Fans will be able to watch Don’t Look Back in Anger on Vue’s biggest screen: EPIC by Vue – the ultimate way to experience the most anticipated releases.
Ian Chester, General Manager at Vue Edinburgh, said: “After decades of waiting, last year Oasis fans got the reunion they were hoping for.Now audiences can relive the iconic comeback on the big screen, with unprecedented access, behind-the-scenes footage and a joint interview – two decades in the making.
“What better way to enjoy this fly on the wall documentary than from the comfort of Vue, offering the ultimate seat, screen and sound experience.”
Edinburgh International Festival initiates ‘Lights Down, Phones Off’, with Festival Director Nicola Benedetti helping to turn off phones at pre-concert ‘Sound Check’ desk
Edinburgh International Festival Director Nicola Benedetti was at Queen’s Hall yesterday for the first chamber performance of the 2026 Edinburgh International Festival, where she joined staff at a new ‘Sound Check’ desk helping audience members turn off their phones ahead of the concert.
The desk marks the launch of Lights Down, Phones Off, a Festival-wide initiative encouraging audiences to switch off phones, notifications and alarms for the duration of performances.
This initiative follows feedback from audiences and artists, with phones interrupting every concert in the 2025 Queen’s Hall chamber series, and invites a deeper connection with the performances themselves.
Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director, said: “Live performance is unlike anything else, and the Edinburgh International Festival is here to protect the rarity of this experience.
“The power of our programme is intensified by the tangible, collective presence of everyone in the room, and we want you to be with us fully.
“When the lights go down and the performance starts, we would like phones to disappear from our hands, minds and ears. Views on this have been widely and boldly expressed in recent months and we are acting in communion with our beloved audiences, and extraordinary artists.
“The late, great Alfred Brendel, whom we pay tribute to in our Queen’s Hall series this year, said it best: ‘The audience’s contribution is concentration and silence – it’s an electricity the musician can charge from.’ That electricity is real, I’ve felt it from the stage my whole life. We encourage our audiences to switch off their phones, and let the art do the rest.
“We believe that live performance is most powerful when artists and audiences are in real communion with one another. On or off the stage, we all have a role to play. We’re asking for your full attention so we can give you something unforgettable.”
The 2026 edition of the Edinburgh International Festival takes place from 7 – 30th August. Programme information and tickets are available at www.eif.co.uk.
SKERRYVORE, SKIPINNISH AND TIDE LINES FEATURE ON BESPOKE TRACK
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo brings iconic Scottish bands Skerryvore, Skipinnish and Tide Lines together for a brand-new song created for the 2026 Show, A Call To Gather.
In a fitting celebration of contemporary Scottish music, the three bands collaborate on a bespoke track, combining some of their most popular songs – featuring Skerryvore’s Live Forever, followed by Skipinnish’s Alive and then Tide Lines’ Heroes.
Everything Worth Fighting For has been arranged by the Tattoo’s resident composer, Tom Hodge, and will be performed by Tattoo Orchestra lead by Nick Grace, uplifting and inspiring audiences on the castle esplanade this summer.
Lead vocalists from the bands gathered at Glasgow’s Assumption Studios to record the vocals for the track, lending their talents to a truly unique element of this year’s Show.
Alan Lane, Creative Director at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “The Contemporary Scottish Traditional Music scene is the most exciting cultural movement in Scotland at the moment.And these bands are at the forefront of that movement.
“We’ve worked with these artists before and some of the highlights of recent tattoos have been our collaborations. It’s a key part of the company’s creative direction and long may these friendships continue.”
Alec Dalglish, Skerryvore, said:“It’s amazing to be a part of this collaboration. Lots of the bands are also our friends, so that means a lot to us.
“It’s good to be involved in a project with them, as we don’t get to see each other all that much, so it was cool getting to be in the studio.”
Angus MacPhail, Skipinnish, said:“We loved having our song Eagle’s Wing performed by the fantastic community choir, Sing in the City in the Show last year.
“It’s really special to be involved again this year and, not only that, but to be featured alongside friends from some of our favourite bands.”
Robert Robertson, Tide Lines, said: “It genuinely is a pinch-me moment to look out and see the Massed Bands playing something that was written in my bedroom in my flat in Glasgow!”
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo returns for their 2026 Show, A Call to Gather from 7 – 29 August.
He was a member of Josef K, Orange Juice and Aztec Camera
Post-punk guitarist and singer-songwriter Malcolm Ross has been honoured by Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) for his remarkable career in music.
Malcolm shot to fame in the 1970s and 80s as a member of Josef K, Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, bands which came to define the new wave sound of independent Scottish label Postcard Records.
His music career saw him perform and record alongside numerous artists, while also releasing three solo albums.
Beyond his early years in the industry, Malcolm went on to work across music, film, theatre, sound installation and interdisciplinary arts practice. His film work included a role musical consultant on the Beatles biopic Backbeat and he contributed original music to the soundtrack for the Jonny Depp film Chocolat.
Born in Malawi and raised in Edinburgh, Malcolm was formally made a Doctor of the University during an ENU graduation ceremony at the city’s Usher Hall.
Reflecting on his honorary graduation, Malcolm Ross said: “It’s special. I’m getting near the end of my career I suppose, and it’s lovely and flattering to receive some recognition from an institution I’ve always admired.
“I didn’t really expect to be offered something like this. I was surprised, but pleasantly surprised.
“Because I grew up in Edinburgh, Napier was always in my awareness, even when I was still at school. So it has brought back memories.
And his advice for ENU’s new cohort of music graduates? “Make music you’d like to listen to, always. Make music you’d like to listen to.”
Presenting Malcolm with his doctorate, Zack Moir, Professor of Music at ENU’s School of Arts and Creative Industries, said: “Malcolm’s career reminds us that our professional lives rarely follow a singular path.
“They are shaped by collaboration, adaptability, and a willingness to remain open to new ideas and opportunities.
“At a time when our turbulent world increasingly needs more creativity, imagination and human connection, Malcolm Ross stands as an example of what it means to sustain a lifelong commitment to creative practice.
“His contribution extends beyond the wonderful music that first brought him recognition. It can be found in the collaborations he has fostered, the projects he has helped realise, and the opportunities he has created for others to participate in and benefit from the arts.”
ENU’s summer graduation ceremonies were held at the Usher Hall between 8-10 July.
Dunard Centre welcomed The Duke of Kent as its first royal visitor last week
The visit celebrated Dunard Centre’s artistic partnership with Wigmore Hall
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland musicians offered a glimpse of the venue’s future programme
The visit followed a major milestone in the venue’s construction programme
Dunard Centre welcomes The Duke of Kent for landmark first royal visit
The Dunard Centre, Edinburgh’s first new concert hall in over 100 years, welcomed its first royal visitor, The Duke of Kent, to its St Andrew Square site last week.
The Duke, who is the Patron of Wigmore Hall, enjoyed live music and heard more about the vision for the world-class venue, following the announcement of Wigmore Hall’s new artistic partnership with the Dunard Centre earlier this year.
The visit began with a short performance by two students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, piper and whistle player Hamish Martindale and guitarist Anja Maclennan, giving a glimpse of the venue’s future multi-genre programme.
His Royal Highness also met representatives from some of the Dunard Centre’s key partners, including Edinburgh International Festival, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Bank of Scotland, alongside Wigmore Hall Director John Gilhooly.
Dunard Centre welcomes The Duke of Kent for landmark first royal visit
Jo Buckley, Chief Executive of the Dunard Centre, said: “It’s not every day you get the honour of welcoming a royal visitor to site, and it was a particular pleasure to welcome The Duke of Kent to the Dunard Centre, marking the start of our new partnership with London’s Wigmore Hall.
“Together, we took a moment to reflect on our mutual commitment to world-class programming and to the warm welcome afforded to our audiences by the intimacy of our design.
“His Royal Highness is a huge music lover, and it was a joy to see him tapping his foot to traditional jigs performed by two students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – just a small taste of the breadth and calibre of music that will be heard on our stage in years to come.”
Dunard Centre welcomes The Duke of Kent for landmark first royal visit
The high-profile visit comes shortly after the project celebrated a major construction milestone, with piling works concluding in June and excavation of the 10-metre-deep, two-storey basement now underway.
Designed by David Chipperfield Architects with Reiach and Hall Architects, the Dunard Centre will be the first concert hall in the UK to be designed by world-leading Japanese firm Nagata Acoustics.
Supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, and located behind its Head Office building at No. 36 St Andrew Square, the ‘Hall for All’ will be a vibrant hub for all kinds of musical performance, events, learning and community activities, as well as the new permanent home of the Scottish Chamber, and a new venue for the Edinburgh International Festival.
Dunard Centre welcomes The Duke of Kent for landmark first royal visit
The collaboration between the Dunard Centre and London’s Wigmore Hall, announced in March this year, was one of a series of unprecedented academic and artistic partnerships to be launched by the globally-renowned Wigmore Hall in celebration of its 125th anniversary.
The collaboration will see Wigmore Hall Director John Gilhooly leading the Dunard Centre’s new artistic advisory committee, as well as a range of shared programming and commissioning initiatives.
A lifelong supporter of the arts and a passionate music fan, The Duke has been Patron of Wigmore Hall for 10 years, regularly attending concerts at the venue.
In October 2025, at a recital marking his 90th birthday celebrations, His Royal Highness was presented with the Wigmore Medal by mezzo-soprano Dame Janet Baker in recognition of the contribution to the hall’s musical life.
Pack your picnic baskets and join us this Sunday, 21st June in Victoria Park!
Trinity Community Croft and Drakkar’s Drift garden, located on the bowling greens, will be open to all. There will be live music, tours and activities throughout.
A CELEBRATION OF THE PAST, THE PRESENT & THE FUTURE OF TRAD IN EDINBURGH
Multi-award winning Scottish folk band Session A9 closed this year’s Edinburgh Tradfest with a standout live performance, and multiple encores at the Traverse Theatre on Monday 11 May.
The festival ran from (1-11 May) and included 11 days of live music, talks, workshops, folk film screenings and storytelling, thanks to continued support from Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
This year’s programme of over 60 events, was a tremendous success, with organisers enjoying:
● A 9% increase in ticket sales to music events at the Traverse Theatre.
● Multiple sell-outs including award-winning Connemara singing sensations Séamus and Caoimhe, Kim Carnie, Eilidh Shaw and Ian Carr, The Onlies, Deiseil: Dancing in Time, Nexus Project, Dick Gaughan in conversation and Session A9.
● Standing ovations for multiple performers including: Rajasthani folk trio SAZ; and Ukrainian folk musician and live-looping artist GANNA.
● Free pop up performances from Astro Bloc at Edinburgh Airport, SAZ at the Aroma Restaurant and Bar in Broxburn, and Dauntless at Nobles Bar in Leith.
● An increase in audiences aged under 26 thanks to the festival’s £9 ticket offer for younger audiences. Under 35s up from 21% to 25%
● A more international audience than ever before with 21% of the audience from outside the UK, whilst still being popular in the local area – 73% from Scotland (55% from Edinburgh).
Copyright_Douglas RobertsonEdinburgh
This year’s music commission A’Chiad Litir, (The First Letter) also received 5-star reviews.The piece, inspired by the life of sixteenth-century lesbian love poet Marie Maitland, touched on questions of language, identity and the notion of queerness and was created and performed by renowned singer songwriter and composer Josie Duncan.
Joining Josie was a stellar line-up of musicians including; Charlotte Printer (bass and vocals), Chloë Bryce (fiddle), Eilidh Rogers (percussion), Jenny Clifford (guitar) and Ashley Douglas (spoken word) who read one of Marie Maitland’s poems addressed to another woman she loved.
Other stand-out highlights from this year included trad powerhouse RURA and newcomers Astro Bloc who played to a lively crowd on opening night at Potterrow; The Complete Recordings of Hezekiah Procter – a live vaudeville act, featuring old-time music performed on fiddles, banjos and sousaphone; Isla Ratcliff’s Scottish trad reinterpretation of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons; and award-winning folk singer Fiona Hunter taming toddlers with her interactive music session for under 5s and above.
Further afield, the hugely successful Folk Film Gathering supported by Screen Scotland, drew in the crowds with its popular programme of Scottish and international films, many accompanied by live scores or introductory talks.
In particular, the launch of Faodail | Found Outer Hebrides Film Archive website which featured live music from acclaimed accordionist and composer Pàdruig Morrison with fiddler and Gaelic singer Claire Frances MacNeil; the world premiere of a new documentary exploring the life and work of tradition bearer Jimmy Hutchison; Celtic Utopia which celebrates Ireland’s current folk renaissance and features many bold, funny, and politically outspoken young Irish folk musicians including Lankum and The Mary Wallopers; the UK premiere of Italian documentary Canone Effimero which showcases the raw energy and some of the vibrant folk traditions of Italy; and a curated selection of early, rarely-seen silent films by Scottish legendary film maker Bill Douglas.
Over at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, crowds gathered on Living Heritage Discovery Day to hear Ireland’s folklore aficionado Michael Fortune talk about Intangible Cultural Heritage and tradition-bearing.
Plus, throughout the festival, the Centre’s popular ‘What is…’ series of talks explaining what makes traditional dance, music,crafts, Gaelic, and Scots, truly traditional, drew audiences from all over, keen to hear from the experts about what makes each artform unique.
Lauren Paterson, Head of Programming at the Scottish Storytelling Centre said: “During the year of the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s 20th birthday, it’s been a joy to welcome audiences, performers and tradition-bearers alike to celebrate the richness, liveliness and variety of Scotland’s living heritage as part of Edinburgh Tradfest.
“From hands-on Come and Try sessions and workshops to explorations of traditional culture and identity through conversation and performance, it’s been inspiring to see so many people engaging with traditions and making connections with their own experience.”
Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest said: “We are delighted and encouraged with how Edinburgh Tradfest went this year. To have audiences up by 9% is a real achievement especially in tough economic times.
“We are also extremely happy to see the numbers rising amongst the younger age groups. One of the many highlights for 2026 was the move into other areas of the city with some entertaining (and free) pop up performances.
“We hit Broxburn, Turnhouse and Leith this year, and are already planning to pop up in some other unusual locations for 2027.”
Edinburgh Tradfest will return from 30 April to 10 May 2027.
