The Edinburgh International Festival hosted a special programme launch for staff and pupils from Castlebrae Community High School this morning, as part of the International Festival’s three year residency programme with the School. 
Castlebrae Community High School pupils are learning about all aspects of the International Festival’s work, so they can eventually do it themselves. In 2017 the school will become an official International Festival venue run by pupils.
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Fergus took pupils through the programme of music, opera, theatre and dance coming to the city this August, alongside plans for using the school as a venue in 2017.
One of the most amusing things for the pupils was that the Festival is staging an opera called Norma this year with Cecilia Bartoli in the central role. Their headteacher is called Norma, and so they will definitely remember this production!
Linehan was very deft at retuning his Festival programme launch from last week so that it was much more relevant and interesting to pupils at the school. He mentioned the light show to be projected onto Castle Rock, Mogwai and Young Fathers. Some of the audience had heard of them!
The partnership will culminate in 2017 when the school will become an International Festival venue run by pupils. Working towards that, activity for 2016 includes:
- A group of senior pupils will form an official International Festival Jury. They will see 19 performances by artists including Sigur Rós, ANOHNI, Natalia Osipova, James Thierrée, Magdalena Kožená and Barry Humphries. Working with Canadian research and performance group Mammalian Diving Reflex they will create and run the International Festival Young People’s Awards Ceremony.
- Acclaimed Scottish actor Alan Cumming will visit Castlebrae in August to talk to staff and pupils about his life as a performer.
- Local photographer Aly Wight will continue taking portraits documenting the young people through the three years of the partnership.
- The school’s senior prom will be held at the International Festival’s Hub headquarters for a second year. Pupils will co-create this prom with staff at the Hub.
- In addition to school based workshops an extensive mentoring and work experience programme for senior students started in February. Chef Jai Parson (17) designed the canapes for International Festival programme launch, working with catering partners Appetite Direct and their team of event specialists led by Nigel Kennedy. Further information about Jai is attached to this email.
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