Category Archives: Music

This summer holds the prospect of live opera again with outdoor performances planned by Scottish Opera, in keeping with Scottish Government guidelines. In the meantime, two filmed performances are announced by the Company. Returning to Scottish Opera to design and direct an outdoor production of Verdi’s Falstaff, is world renowned Scottish director Sir David McVicarContinue reading “Scottish Opera Unveils Outdoor and Filmed Spring/Summer 2021 Programme”

Guitarist Tom Stephenson becomes the latest product of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s acclaimed jazz course to put his music out onto the market with the release of his debut album, Perfect Circle, on Friday April 2. In common with recent successes, fellow graduate, pianist Fergus McCreadie and saxophonist Matt Carmichael, Stephenson is showing theContinue reading “Guitarist Forms the Perfect Circle”

The celebrations of the 700th anniversary of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath were supposed to take place last year, but global events dictated otherwise. The Declaration was written by the barons of the kingdom of Scotland to the Pope asking for the recognition of Scotland’s independence and acknowledgement of Robert the Bruce as the country’sContinue reading “Sound and Visual Performance Celebrates Declaration of Arbroath This September”

Michael Murray is a man with a dual role. He may not don a cape and have a secret identity, but while by night he is a warden for the Ayr central shopping centre, at other times he is a classical composer. In 2019, he composed an oboe solo entitled Psycho–Scherzo thatwill be performed asContinue reading “Ayr Composer Michael Murray Celebrated by Cumnock Tryst”

The first interview I did for this article took place on an abnormally quiet, post work train journey in London. Laptop open, headphones in and I paused, wondering why I felt so apprehensive to begin the interview, then I realised it was because this interview could intensify what I was worried about: my beloved musicContinue reading “The Music Industry and COVID:19 – What Comes Next?”

During the challenging times we continue to face, Scottish Ensemble (SE) has launched three events Breathe: Music and Your Mind with Maggie’s that are inspired by their longstanding relationship with the charity. Since 2016, SE has been supporting and developing their work with people with cancer and their families by bringing live music into theirContinue reading “Scottish Ensemble put Wellness Centre Stage in Partnership with Maggie’s”

Edinburgh guitarist Kevin Mackenzie releases the first recording with his latest group this Friday, March 5. Prime Trio features Mackenzie with the former Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year, Peter Johnstone on organ and first-call drummer Doug Hough, and Mackenzie is excited by both the instrumentation and the personnel involved. “The great thing for me aboutContinue reading “Recording Finds Trio in Their Prime”

Romanian singer-songwriter Lizabett Russo, Irish traditional music legend Cathal McConnell’s trio and Brazilian music specialists Trio Magico are among the line-up announced for a series of ten online gigs that starts on Monday 22 February 2021. Filmed at the Traverse Theatre using a five-camera broadcast quality set-up and professional multitrack sound, and organised by theContinue reading “Soundhouse Announces New Online Concert Series”

Thanks to a grant from Creative Scotland’s Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund, Leith Theatre is able to secure a small staff team that will enable the production of a mini-series of digital gigs called Live in Leith. The programme will provide vital incomes for industry professionals and production crew as well as for the musiciansContinue reading “Leith Theatre Launches Mini-Series of Digital Gigs for Scottish Artists”

Five of Scotland’s most talented songwriters have been paired with five community choirs across Scotland. The project is the brainchild of the producers of Scotland’s largest community choir Love Music who, under the moniker of Love Singing, have made the matches in spite of lockdown and the new ‘couples’ will now come together to createContinue reading “Love Singing Announces Pairing of Songwriters and Community Choirs”