Hosted by BBC Radio Scotland’s Vic Galloway, Live in Leith streams over three consecutive Saturdays – starting this weekend with Bellshill boy Connor Fyfe and Edinburgh-based Retro Video Club – via the online platform DICE.
At the age of 14, Connor Fyfe is the youngest artist ever to sell out King Tut’s in Glasgow, finding out that he had done so on the day of his 14th birthday. He started playing guitar around the age of 8 and song-writing around the age of 12. He picked up the harmonica aged 11 back when he was a regular on the Scottish open-mic scene, playing it on stage the same day that he had bought it. Connor was due to support Kaiser Chiefs last year.
Edinburgh outfit Retro Video Club have been a band since 2015 but after a year spent refining their sound they took off on the local and then the national scene in 2017, selling out The Liquid Rooms twice, 3 nights at Sneaky Pete’s (a record for the venue) and the Assembly Rooms amongst others.
Their most recently released single ‘Checkmate’ came out this month. They have supported the likes of Bastille, The Vaccines and We Are Scientists.
Quotes:
“We’ve known about this venue for years and obviously it’s derelict (…) so to be able to somewhat play it is good enough the now. To be honest I’ve never actually been in before (…) It just makes you want to play here. It’s like an academy…it’s kind of like the O2 Academy, it has that kind of vibe. We just need to have it.” – Sam McGill, Retro Video Club
“I’ve not been in a venue for a long time, especially one as grand as this…so it feels strange to be honest – but in a good way.” – Lucia Fairfull, Lucia & The Best Boys
“Un. Real. It’s so nice (Leith Theatre). I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.” – Millie Kidd, The Ninth Wave
“This place is amazing. Obviously, I didn’t know what to expect when I first came in and I’m like ‘woah’. Can’t wait to fill this place up.” – Ransom FA
“I like a bit of reverb on my mics but you don’t even need to ask for it in here. It’s just a nice big hall.” – Connor Fyfe
Freemasons’ Hall has announced its first Organ Concert of 2021, which will take place on 30 March at 7pm.
The event, being held virtually, will showcase the magnificent Willis pipe Organ, which resides in the Grand Temple of Freemasons’ Hall in London, an art deco masterpiece completed in 1933.
The concert is to be given by Carl Jackson, MVO, director of music at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace.
He studied at the Royal Academy of Music and he has held organ scholarships at Downing College, Cambridge as well as his current base of Chapel Royal.
Before his current role at Hampton Court Palace, Mr Jackson taught at Goldsmiths’ College and he has held positions at Croydon Minster and St Peter’s, Eaton Square.
He has also appeared regularly on television with the Chapel Royal choir and features with them on CDs. He was appointed MVO in the 2012 New Year Honours list.
Dr David Staples, Chief Executive of the United Grand Lodge of England, commented: “It is an honour to welcome Carl Jackson to perform for our first Organ Concert of 2021.
“The various lockdowns the country has faced during the pandemic have left many people feeling isolated and lonely. The virtual concert will bring world-class music and joy into people’s homes whilst also giving the audience an opportunity to take in some of the stunning architecture of our headquarters here in London.”
The concert will be held at Freemasons’ Hall, which was designed as a pentagon to suit the irregular area in which it is located. Built in the central courtyard of the splendid art deco building, the Grand Temple is rich with multi-coloured details of blue, gold and white.
While enjoying the concert online, attendees will be able to experience the splendor of the Grand Temple, including the majestic 1.25-tonne organ with its ornate pipes as well as the stunning mosaics that surround the ceiling.
The original organ was installed in 1933 by Henry Willis, the third generation of an extended family line of organ builders. It originally had three manuals and 43 stops, giving a total complement of some 2,220 pipes, and was the last big organ built by the Willis firm.
After 80 years it was in need of a complete renovation, which was carried out in Durham by Harrison & Harrison in 2014 and included the cleaning, repairing and re-voicing the existing mechanisms, as well as mounting a new case of some 400 pipes on the east wall.
Scottish Ensemble is putting wellness centre stage with brand new events aimed at enhancing wellbeing through both music, and techniques and tools aimed at helping people find calm.
At a time when so many are struggling in terms of their mental health – coping with working from home, home-schooling, loneliness and even bereavement – SE launch Breathe: Music and Your Mind with Maggie’s, three events inspired by their longstanding relationship with the charity.
Supporting and developing their brilliant work with people with cancer and their families by bringing live music into their centres, which they have been doing since 2016, SE are taking their music and mindfulness sessions online with three free, one-hour events on Sunday 28 March at 3pm and Tuesday 30 March at both 2pm and then again at 5.30pm.
The ensemble will continue to share its trademark music for strings alongside reflections from Maggie’s Lead Psychologist, Lesley Howells, on how we can all use music in our daily lives to help us feel better.
Listening to music is one of the easiest ways to enhance well-being and the ensemble are encouraging audiences from all over the world to join them in escaping the rigmarole of the daily grind and restrictions and to help restore focus in an undeniably tumultuous world.
Young people’s mental health is also at risk due to the pressures and anxieties stemming from the pandemic, so the ensemble has also programmed a Maggie’s event for schools on Monday 29 March at 12.30pm.
Like the events for adults yet tailored to the needs of school age children (years P6-S6) this event will address the types of stresses these young people might be encountering, while perhaps also introducing them to new music.
With the increase in pressure on everyone’s mental health, we could all do with taking some time out for ourselves and these special performances will help viewers find new ways to listen and give them a taste of how to channel music to sweep away daily pressures.
William Norris, Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble said:“These free events give people a much-needed opportunity to switch off, step back, and put their own wellbeing centre stage.
“Maggie’s Centres are at the forefront of the quest to improve mental wellbeing with music and conversation, and the way they resiliently continue to improve the lives of so many every single day is truly inspiring.
“We’re delighted to be working with them again to help bring the soothing and stress-relieving power of music to as many people as possible, and can’t wait to see what this partnership brings in the future.”
In addition to these events, Scottish Ensemble continue to promote innovation and collaboration with 2021 digital programme as they announce new film First Light with celebrated Guest Director Max Baillie.
Premiering online on Thursday 29 April at 7.30pm (and available to view online thereafter for ticket holders until midnight on Monday 7 August) First Light is a collaboration between SE and self-described cross-pollinator, soloist, chamber musician, improviser and member of Lodestar Trio and ZRI, Max Baillie.
First Light is an uplifting concert featuring works by Haydn, Vivaldi, Jessie Montgomery, Steve Martland and Max Baillie himself, performed by SE musicians Kate Suthers, Kana Kawashima, Tristan Gurney, Laura Ghiro and George Smith on violin, Jane Atkins and Andrew Berridge on viola, Alison Lawrance and Naomi Pavri on cello, Diane Clark on bass and Jan Waterfield on the harpsichord.
Bringing life and energy to audiences via their screens, First Light signals the transition from darkness to brighter times and Max will lead viewers on a journey through joyful, uplifting and optimistic music, bursting with luminosity.
From Jessie Montgomery’s explosive Starburst, through the tempestuousness of a new string ensemble arrangement of Haydn’s ‘Fifths string quartet to Vivaldi’s vivacious Concerto Grosso in G minor, the programme presents a visual and sonic dialogue between old and new, between the human and the natural, between darkness and light.
Working with Flux Video to create a striking film, Scottish Ensemble invite audiences old and new to join them online to re-energise. Created under Covid-secure conditions First Light was filmed in the Engine Works, Glasgow; a venue that brings the tradition of Glasgow’s proud industrial history and blends it with a modern, contemporary and visionary concept.
William Norris,Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble, said: “First Light symbolises the transition that we are all going through right now, both in terms of slowly coming out of restrictions and also the changing of the seasons.
“Max brings a unique creative flare to everything he does, and his music-making reflects our values around innovation, reaching new audiences and promoting cross pollination of sounds and styles; it has been a privilege to have worked with him.
“We really hope our audiences, both new and existing, enjoy tuning in.”
Max Baillie, First Light Guest Director, said:“It was an absolute pleasure working with Scottish Ensemble to create First Light, which to me symbolises positivity and hope as we look towards spring and the rest of 2021.
“We have all had to adapt over the past 12 months and to be able to work with such a forward thinking, adaptable and innovative organisation was a hugely refreshing and rewarding experience. I really hope that audiences the world over enjoy First Light as much as I enjoyed making it.”
Leith Theatre launches mini-series of digital gigs to showcase breakthrough Scottish artists
A grant from Creative Scotland’s Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund has allowed Leith Theatre to secure a small staff team of expertise, enabling them to produce a mini-series of digital gigs and provide vital incomes for industry professionals and production crew as well as for the musicians and artists themselves.
Shining a light on new music in Scotland has been key to the programme’s conception. Live in Leith aims to nurture fresh talent by providing a harbour – a safe space – for those who are sacrificing their incomes to pursue careers in music at what is always a tender time, no matter what the economic situation or industry climate.
If the funding is the anchor for the whole programme, the theatre itself is certainly the port, a place that has inspired many musicians to return already since the first stage of its revival in 2017: The Snuts for example, played as part of EH6 festival back in November 2018 and Teenage Fanclub featured in EIF’s offering in August 2019. Both bands have since returned to film their latest singles in the theatre’s auditorium in 2020.
Though Leith Theatre’s doors have been closed to the public for almost a full year now, closed sets like these have been able to take place.
In 2020 the theatre was also home to the virtual edition of Scotland’s annual Wide Days music convention, EIF’s My Light ShinesOn recordings featuring Honeyblood and Breabach, and Posable Action Figures’ latest music video for a single in their debut album.
Leith Theatre was once a music machine in the form of legendary gigs of the seventies and eighties and is well on its way to becoming a well-oiled one for today in the new twenties through such productions.
Just as the Port of Leith once fostered connections as a confluence of old and new, production and industry – a stage that was both world-class and local – Live in Leith aims to cultivate all of these elements and bring entertainment home in 2021 (and beyond).
The theatre, where community has always been at the heart of its role as a civic centre, wants to help raise the next generation of musicians, industry professionals and crew right here in Leith, safe in the knowledge that exploring the unfamiliar and investing in what is new and inspiring is always in all of our best interests.
Hosted by Vic Galloway, this programme – Live in Leith – will be streamed over three consecutive Saturdays starting this March via the online platform DICE and will help to showcase and establish up-and-coming young Scottish artists at what is undoubtedly a crucial time in their careers.
All of the artists will be captured playing a 25-minute set in real time, to create a live concert feel and the broadcasts will include introductions and on-stage interviews with host, Vic Galloway.
Each gig will feature two artists, the first duo being Connor Fyfe (youngest musician to sell out at King Tut’s in Glasgow), and Retro Video Club.
Lynn Morrison, Chief Executive of Leith Theatre, said: “It is a dream come true to be producing our very first in-house Live In Leith programme from our grand auditorium!
“This programme has allowed us to see what is possible, brought a greatly missed creative network back into the building and enabled us to showcase incredible live music in a new way.
“Thank you to Creative Scotland and the Performance Arts Venue Relief Fund: the whole production process has been exciting and challenging and we hope that this is just the start of new futures! This launch will mark a new chapter and in doing so the theatre hopes to establish itself as the home for new music in Scotland.”
“I’m delighted to be involved in presenting the ‘Live in Leith’ series for Leith Theatre. As a long-time resident of Leith, it’s so satisfying and inspiring to see this legendary theatre come to life once again”, said presenter Vic Galloway.
“Its history is rich and varied, but ‘Live in Leith’ is also a great opportunity to bring the space into 2021 with three exciting music programmes. We’re not only showcasing some brilliant local talent here, but also shining a spotlight on the building itself as one of Scotland’s best Music and Arts Venues. I hope you enjoy the shows and see the potential of the wonderful Leith Theatre!”
Leith Theatre Programme Co-ordinator Callum Jones added: “Having graduated from my Honours degree in Music Business back in Spring 2020, it was daunting to see that the industry in which I had studied for a career had, in many ways (from a live music perspective) been decimated.
“However, Performance Arts Venue Relief funding via Creative Scotland allowed Leith Theatre to retain me on a full-time basis and in a new role as Programme Coordinator.
“Our intention was then to create a digital programme which would showcase up-and-coming Scottish talent, providing an income stream for artists when there are currently so few alternatives. By doing so, we have been able to provide work for industry professionals across the sector and re-engage with our pre-existing network and supply chain.
“The funding has allowed us to deliver a high quality, digital offering for music fans to enjoy from the safety of their own homes. Our ambition is to establish Leith Theatre as a home for new music in Scotland by supporting the development of artists.
“I hope the broadcasts can provide some much-needed respite until we can welcome visitors back to Leith Theatre.”
Live in Leith:
March 20th: Connor Fyfe and Retro Video Club
March 27th: Ransom FA and Nova Scotia the Truth
April 3rd: The Ninth Wave and Lucia & The Best Boys
Tickets on sale Friday the 12th February at 10am at https://dice.fm (see direct links below) and will cost £11.50
Producers of Scotland’s largest community choir, Love Music, have ‘blind date’ matched five of Scotland’s most talented songwriters with five community choirs busy keeping the music alive despite lockdown across the country.
They will now come together to create five new works to share with the world in August this year, sharing their experience as they go.
Photos: Earnsong
The pairings of a diverse range of organisations and individuals across Scotland, from Moray, West Highlands, Falkirk, Lanarkshire and Perth & Kinross are:
Sing Mor, a small Scottish folk/roots project in rural Lochaber near Fort William, is only 18 months old but its singers are managing to run online weekly sessions and creating some lovely vocal recordings together. The song leader describes herself as self-taught and avidly learning on the hoof. Through the accessible nature of zoom, they now have regular singers from across the West of Scotland and the Islands. Sing Mor will be working withDebbie Armour, one half of the Scottish folk duo Burd Ellen, who are sonic adventurers combining innovation with a deep love of traditional song.
Stonehouse Male Voice Choir is one of longest formed groups which began in a builder’s yard in Stonehouse in Lanarkshire in 1936 as a lunch time sing. With over 40 members aged from 12 to 80+ the choir has managed to run some sessions using familiar repertoire but feel there is more to be done to try and bring more of their members on board and tackle the digital isolation some of their group are facing.
As they haven’t learned any new songs since lockdown, they are excited to take up the challenge. They will be collaborating with highly respectedsongwriter Penny Stone. One of the most active song leaders in the Scottish sector Penny uses singing to support people living with chronic health conditions such as Parkinson’s and dementia and is passionate about peace and social and environmental justice.
Fochabers Community Sing in Moray is a project run by Lizzie, who has been a music teacher and music therapist and is now delivering fun and accessible community focused projects in her local area.
Since the first lockdown she has turned her hand to making instructional videos of specially arranged songs, contemporary and pop, asking people to send in their own recorded versions and mixing them into joyful music films for people to share.
Their songwriter collaborator is emerging artist Zac Scott. Zac is a Glasgow based acoustic singer-songwriter with a pop sensibility who has spent the past two years writing and recording a unique collection of songs inspired by Scotland and Iceland, leading to the release of his debut album in 2020.
Earnsong, a project from Comrie in Perth & Kinross who describe themselves as a close and supportive community, have worked hard to embrace new digital platforms. They love harmony and are up for anything. Challenge us! is what they said on their application!
To keep local spirits up since March 2020, they have been making musical video gifts to share with friends and residents in their local care home. Earnsong will work with Djana Gabrielle, a French-Cameroonian singer-songwriter who has been honing her craft on the Scottish music scene for a few years. Djana was a 2019 Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Stage Winner.
Photo: Djana Gabrielle
Freedom of Mind Choir is a welcoming, inclusive and supportive project in Falkirk that provides opportunities for their members to focus on the benefits of singing for good mental health.
They have been working hard to address digital exclusion during the pandemic and creating weekly learning videos. They will be working on a new collaboration with Hannah Fredsgaard-Jones who was born in Denmark and is now living in Glasgow. Hannah is a singer, songwriter, composer and audio documentary maker. Rooted in storytelling, her work encompasses folklore, memory, voice and intimacy.
Stephen Deazley, Love Music’s artistic director said: “The recruitment process for choirs was fascinating and moving in equal measures. Each application really conveyed their own style, a strong sense of identity, purpose and musical interests.
“The work and efforts that everyone is doing in this difficult time is so inspiring, producing videos and running online sessions, phone calls to stay connected, newsletters, songwriting, homemade DVDs, intergenerational and family projects, filmed musical gifts for friends and family living in care settings – all are testament to the importance of community singing to our health and creative well-being.
“You get a real sense of determination, resilience, personal and collective motivation and great acts of kindness – there were more than a few tears on our ‘at-home’ desks during the selection process.
“A big thanks to all our applicants. It was great to be introduced to such a range of choirs and songwriters from the length and breadth of Scotland. This country has more than its fair share of diverse songwriting talent and such a long history of musical innovation especially in folk and indie music, it’s always punched well beyond its weight. We were truly inspired, and sad to have to select only five.”
Love Singingis a community engagement initiative aimed at promoting and supporting creative, healthy singing communities across Scotland.
It focuses on collaborative practice, connecting choirs across the country, addressing digital isolation, increasing tech skills and confidence, and buddying up with professional songwriters to commission five brand new songs and a bank of useful and accessible song resources, providing information and motivation to help people stay connected in these challenging times.
The project is made possible with funding from Creative Scotland.
The 8-month project through to August 2021 will tackle the ongoing challenges of distanced rehearsals and remote learning head on, sharing the journey as it happens through a series of blogs, and creating an online information bank of what is learned, sharing the trials and triumphs with choir leaders across Scotland.
Scottish Ensemble starts 2021 as it means to go on with the appointment of three new board members by chair Samantha Barber.
Scotland’s award-winning ensemble has been treating audiences both old and new to an array of digital content and collaborations since the global pandemic began and the appointment of three new board members carries their commitment to reaching new audiences and promoting mental wellbeing well into the future.
Together, the new appointments draw on expertise from the fields of digital/ technology, mental health, young people, tackling social disadvantage, strategy and governance and will help the ensemble continue to innovate at a time of ongoing uncertainty and change.
James McAulay, the CEO & Co-Founder of Encore – one of the world’s largest online booking platforms helping musicians earn money playing at events, concerts, weddings and recording sessions – joined the board in December 2020, as its youngest member to date.
Before starting Encore, James studied the cello at the Music School of Douglas Academy in Glasgow and led the NYOS cello section at their BBC Proms performance with Nicola Benedetti in 2012. James brings extensive digital expertise and a passion for strings and composition to the table.
Morag Burnett began her career in arts management and has since worked with international NGOs and foundations for over 20 years in Honduras, the Dominican Republic, New York, London, Mexico City and most recently Tbilisi, Georgia.
Morag is deputy chair of the innovative, London-based Lankelly Chase foundation, working to change systems that perpetuate disadvantage and she hopes to bring this experience into her new role.
Amy Woodhouse, currently Head of Policy, Projects and Participation for Children in Scotland, the national network organisation improving children’s lives, has a particular interest in how music, and the arts more widely, can be used to promote mental health and wellbeing and will join the board in March 2021.
She brings an understanding of mental health improvement and participatory approaches to the board.
Chair of Scottish Ensemble, Samantha Barber said:“We are truly delighted to welcome Amy, Morag and James to the Scottish Ensemble board. Together they bring skills and experience that we know to be of utmost importance as we enter 2021.
“These new appointments and all that they represent in terms of knowledge and know-how will enable us to remain resilient and continue innovating in the way for which we have become known. I know that all of my colleagues on the board and across the organisation will join me in wishing them a warm welcome; we look forward to their input and to exploring new ideas and perspectives over the coming year.”
In addition to the new board members, SE also announce that after over 14 years in various roles throughout the organisation, Lesley Paterson retires in 2021 having completed her full term as a board member.
And finally, Chief Executive Jenny Jamison will be heading off on maternity leave in March and William Norris of William Norris Arts Management will be stepping into her role, supported by the wider SE team.
Having previously held the post, among others, of Managing Director for Southbank Sinfonia and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra (Toronto) William’s past work has explored innovative concert formats and looked at ways to reach new audiences and SE are delighted to welcome him to the team.
As we move into 2021 and parents, teachers and pupils once again find themselves facing additional challenges to deliver and attain a full and rounded education, it is worthwhile remembering the role that music can and should play in improving our lives.
Firstly, music will help support and sustain our young people through the coming months. For children and adults alike, the creative arts play a vital role in promoting wellbeing and positive mental health, providing both a means of expression during the isolation of “lockdown” and a practical as well as enjoyable pastime.
Secondly – and just as importantly – playing an instrument is complementary to academic subjects and has been shown emphatically to improve wider educational success. As we consider the often daunting challenge of the return to home schooling, those parents whose children can mix domestic timetables with musical lessons will understand the release and stimulation playing an instrument can deliver.
Across society music is integral to our identities and is made to be shared. We now have the means to do that successfully and safely with online tools whose use has been well-honed by recent experience.
So whether you’re at the start of a musical journey, or are well advanced in music -let’s keep singing, keep dancing and keep music lessons flowing, particularly while the restrictions necessitated by the pandemic keep us apart in our own homes.
Additional funds for grassroots and independent venues
An additional £7.1 million to secure the future of as many grassroots music venues and independent museums as possible has been announced by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
The next phase of the Grassroots Music Venue Stabilisation Fund will provide £4 million to live music venues that were financially sustainable before coronavirus (COVID-19) to prevent permanent closure and stabilise until April 2021.
This fund will go live in January.
Meanwhile, the Museums Recovery and Resilience Fund will receive an extra £3.1 million to meet demand. This funding will help secure the future of Scottish independent museums put at risk by the pandemic and protect the vital role they play in communities.
This funding is part of the £185 million package of targeted COVID-19 support announced by the Scottish Government earlier this month.
Ms Hyslop said: “Culture and heritage are vitally important to all of our lives in Scotland, at this time more than ever.
“This additional funding for grassroots music venues and independent museums will build on previous support provided to reach as many people as possible. I do believe these funds will make a marked difference in ensuring our culture and heritage sectors survive the pandemic.
“We will continue to listen to the needs of the sector and do everything within our powers to support them through this crisis.”
Beverley Whitrick, Strategic Director at Music Venue Trust said: “We have worked closely with the Scottish Government on the funding required to sustain grassroots music venues across Scotland.
“We are delighted that further support is forthcoming to secure these vital cultural spaces through until the spring.”
JP McGivney at Bridge Street Social, Aberdeen, said: “The first round for funding for Grassroots Music Venues was essential for us, and it was targeted to last only a short time.
“As restrictions have not eased, it became clear we would need further support to prevent permanent closure, so news of a second phase of this fund is very welcome.”
RESIDENTS at a care home have been treated to an exclusive digital concert by one of Scotland’s most exciting jazz stars, Georgia Cécile.
Georgia, with her boyfriend and jazz pianist Fraser Urquhart, pre-recorded a 30 minute performance of her favourite songs specifically for customers of Blackwood’s Broom Court care home in Stirling.
The 31-year-old, who was named best vocalist at the Scottish Jazz Awards last year, was eager to get involved with the project when she heard about it through the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.
Georgia said: “It’s been a crazy year for musicians and performers across the world. I really miss performing live so I was thrilled when the opportunity came up to perform virtually for a new audience at Broom Court.
“Together, Fraser and I pulled together a set list of some of our favourite tunes and we self-recorded the event from our home. The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and Blackwood were amazing in working out all of the IT requirements to make sure residents at Broom Court could enjoy the concert.”
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival worked with Georgia and Blackwood to record, create and stream the concert direct to Broom Court care home, which accommodates and cares for residents with a wide range of disabilities.
Agnese Daverio, programme and production manager with the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, said: “Organising digital concerts has made us realise how many people might not be able to access concerts and live music – whether we’re in a pandemic or not.
“It’s really important for us to reach out further and share this music with people who can’t get to venues, because they should be able to enjoy and get involved with jazz.
“We’re always looking to challenge any preconception that enjoying jazz might not be accessible, for whatever reason – whether that’s financial, physical, or even geographical limitations.
“Bringing jazz directly to the residents at Blackwood is really important and part of the overall work we’re trying to do – bringing jazz to audiences who might not have the chance to enjoy it live. We’re looking forward to organising future concerts with Blackwood.”
Broom Court is one of Blackwood’s three care homes, which are designed to provide integrated accommodation and care for customers with a range of physical disabilities. 24 hour care is also offered for customers with more complex disabilities who have higher support needs.
Flora Hay, Care Services Manager at Broom Court, said: “The jazz concert was fantastic and thoroughly enjoyed by our residents. Due to social distancing we had a small number of residents attend the concert, which was shown on a brand-new smart TV we had installed for the occasion.
“Our residents absolutely adored listening to Georgia and Fraser perform – one of our residents in particular was overjoyed and said she loved it. She has quite complex needs and really enjoys music, so it was a really lovely event to organise.”
Blackwood aims to help people live their life to the full, by providing services which support individuals in exercising their right to have choice and control over their lives in a home which is suitable and adaptable to their needs.
As Blackwood works in 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, it is more widely dispersed than most other care or housing providers and has embraced the challenges of taking housing and care into innovative areas at a time when funding is increasingly limited.
AS a result of the current pandemic, a film studio for recording music performances has been set up in An Tobar, with the cameras being remotely controlled, recorded, and edited by operators in Perth and Linlithgow, without having to step foot in the venue.
Over the winter, Music For Winter Solitude, a series of music performances are being created with the first release by Whyte going out live on An Tobar’s Facebook page, Vimeo, and YouTube channels, on Thursday 3 December at 8pm.
For nearly 25 years, An Tobar has welcomed many great musicians to its tiny venue in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.
With music from all genres, it has enjoyed concerts by Laura Marling with the singer saying that ‘An Tobar was her favourite venue’, John Renbourn, Amy MacDonald, Frightened Rabbit, The Scottish Ensemble, Tommy Smith, Dougie MacLean, Idlewild, Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain, Karen Matheson, British Sea Power and many more.
2020 was looking to be a good year for the venue, having won the ‘Venue of the Year’ award at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards and a great programme had been lined up to celebrate this accolade. Then Covid-19 hit, and everything stopped. After a month, it became clear it was going to be some time before gigs were possible in the way they had been before.
Gordon Maclean, director of Music, had an initial plan to aim for a period of documentation with musicians still being allowed to work in isolation at An Tobar.
The venue has a long history of producing remarkable records and the studio has always worked alongside the performance season. He thought, maybe it could film musicians working in the studio and sought advice from Gary Ebdy, a lighting designer for concerts and live events and Dr Tom Spink, a senior researcher in Computing Systems Architecture at the University of Edinburgh.
Gordon Maclean, director of Music at An Tobar said: “Having worked with Gary Ebdy from Lunas Live in the past, I was looking for some advice about setting things up and our conversation took a creative path until we arrived at the current set up where we use five remote-controlled cameras to record an in-studio performance.
“I’m upstairs in the studio control room and the band is in the live room so our interaction is minimal. Gary, Tom, and I complete most of the setup before the musicians arrive.
“The musicians live in local holiday houses in isolation and contact between them and local people is virtually non-existent. We all felt it was vital that musicians should feel safe working here and that the Mull population would feel safe having them on the island.”
He added: “This production facility has been made possible through generous support from Creative Scotland who have invested in their portfolio organisations to allow them to rethink how they produce work in a world with no audience.
“With the arts in a precarious situation, we are so grateful that it has allowed us to create opportunities for self-employed artists and crews.”
The design needed to be a robust system that worked within the constraints of the available broadband connection at the venue.
This involved developing an architecture that allowed access to the cameras and recording equipment remotely, and reliably – should they encounter connection issues. The system communicates with a cloud server down in London, which then relays information back to its operating locations in Perth and Linlithgow.
From there, they can watch live camera feeds, and adjust camera positions by sending commands back to Mull (again, via London). Effectively, when a keyboard button is pressed, the signal travels down to London, back up to Mull, and into their operating equipment – all in the blink of an eye!
The communication needs to be super-low latency so that they can effectively operate the camera equipment, and observe what’s going on. They’ve had to build on several technologies – from camera hardware, through to low-latency networking protocols to bring this together.
This new digital format will result in the following performances:
Thursday 3 December, 8pm: Whyte (FREE)
Thursday 17 December, 8pm: Duncan Chisholm (PAY WHAT YOU CAN)
Thursday 7 January, 8pm: Rachel Jack with her band (PAY WHAT YOU CAN)
Thursday 21 January, 8pm: Pete Harvey and the Pumpkinseeds String Quartet performing a new piece commissioned by An Tobar (PAY WHAT YOU CAN)
Thursday 4 February, 8pm: Roddy Woomble (PAY WHAT YOU CAN)
