Tag: new concert hall

Dunard Centre welcomes The Duke of Kent for landmark first royal visit

  • 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.

Royal Bank of Scotland formally hands over New Town site for Edinburgh’s new concert hall

  • Royal Bank of Scotland transfers the ground behind Dundas House in the final step before work begins on site
  • City’s first new concert hall in over 100 years will complete James Craig’s plans for Edinburgh’s iconic New Town

IMPACT Scotland and Royal Bank of Scotland today marked the transfer of the land behind the Royal Bank of Scotland’s iconic Dundas House, clearing the final step to allow work to begin preparing the New Town site for the construction of Dunard Centre which will begin later in 2023. 

The music venue, which was given the green light by Edinburgh’s planning authorities in November 2021 is set transform the city’s cultural offering with the construction of its first purpose built concert hall in over 100 years.

Alison Rose, Chief Executive of the NatWest Group, of which the Royal Bank of Scotland is part, visited the site with Gavin Reid, Co-Chair of IMPACT Scotland and Chief Executive of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, to mark the moment the site was handed over.

Alison Rose said: “Edinburgh is a global capital and world stage for international arts, culture and music. The Dunard Centre will provide further space to continue that tradition and offer further opportunity for more musicians and artists to develop and create.

“This project is a great example of what can be achieved with close collaboration across the city’s public and private sectors.  Royal Bank of Scotland is delighted to play a part in helping bring this project to life.”

Gavin Reid said: “Together, we are building a bold and brilliant venue which is an expression of faith in our city, our country and our future. The Dunard Centre will be a place where musicians and audiences come together to create and share extraordinary experiences.

“Through this final design stage we are enjoying the challenge of ensuring excellence in every surface, corridor, seat and handrail. Every detail of the building will be finely tuned to make sure that concert going is an inspirational and exhilarating experience.”

RBS as per order of itinerary , Copyright photo Paul Chappells

A specialist team led by award winning David Chipperfield Architects and Nagata Acoustics has designed the Dunard Centre to rival any in the world for design, intimacy and clarity of sound. 

With seating for 1000 people, the venue will be a transformational new home for Scottish Chamber Orchestra, an iconic new venue for Edinburgh International Festival and a gift to music lovers and performers of all genres. 

It is expected that all clearance work will complete later in 2023 and that work will begin on the new concert hall soon after.   

Dunard Centre is being funded through substantial philanthropic donations, including the visionary support of Dunard Fund, and underpinned by £25 million support from the Scottish and UK governments and the City of Edinburgh Council, as part of the City Region Deal. 

Royal Bank of Scotland is supporting the project by providing a long-term lease for the land which sits directly behind Dundas House on St Andrew Square.  A campaign is well underway to secure the remaining funds required before construction begins later in 2023.

PICTURES: Paul Chappells

New concert hall for Edinburgh city centre

Council Leader and Planning Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council welcome the approval of the plans for the Dunard Centre

The planning application, submitted by IMPACT Scotland, was approved yesterday by the city council’s Development Management Sub-Committee.

Council leader Adam McVey, said: “It’s great news that planning approval has been granted for this exciting and important new cultural venue for our Capital.

“This is the first purpose-built concert venue in Edinburgh in more than 100 years and I know so many people in the city are looking forward to enjoying a first class cultural experience with an expanding number of amazing venues.

“The new concert hall is the cultural flagship of our City Region Deal and being in a central location with fantastic public transport connections, it will complement the wider transformation of the east end of the city centre alongside the newly opened Edinburgh St James Quarter helping to keep our city centre a vibrant and thriving destination.”

Planning Convener Councillor Neil Gardiner said: I’m delighted committee today approved the new concert hall planning application and I welcome this major investment in Scotland’s Capital City.

“This state of the art purpose-designed facility now matches our international standing as the world’s premier festival city.

“The architecture of this new concert hall works well with historic Dundas House: the original plan of the New Town was to have cultural buildings at either end of George Street, which will now be fulfilled at St Andrews Square.

“Impact, who will operate the venue, has also committed to reach out to communities and schools across the city to make music accessible which is also welcome.”