1 April 2017
Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Philippe Herreweghe conducts Schumann
Bach: The Art of Fugue, Contrapunctus I & IV
Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No 2 in D minor
Schumann: Symphony No 2
Philippe Herreweghe: conductor; Martin Helmchen: piano
2 April 2017
Rhiannon Giddens plus special guests
The Grammy Award–winning lead singer of African-American folk interpreters Carolina Chocolate Drops, has stepped out on her own, winning over audiences around the world, with as the New York Times put it, “the fervor of a spiritual, the yips of a folk holler, and the sultry insinuation of the blues”.
On her solo debut Tomorrow Is My Turn, Giddens delivers striking renditions of Dolly Parton’s Don’t Let It Trouble Your Mind, & Hank Cochran’s She’s Got You, popularised by Patsy Cline. The album incorporates gospel, jazz, blues, and country, plus a hint of proto-rock’n’roll, and Giddens displays an emotional range to match her dazzling vocal prowess throughout.
6 April 2017
Old Blind Dogs
Old Blind Dogs release their much anticipated and long awaited new album in 2017. Fusing dynamic percussion, polished vocals, soaring fiddle and stirring pipes, the band have been at the leading edge of the roots revival for several years and continue to distinguish themselves as vital, innovative ambassadors of traditional music.
7 April 2017
Colin Hay
Scottish-Australian Colin Hay is probably best known for his time with 1980s legends ‘Men at Work’ – the platinum selling Australian band that topped worldwide charts in the 80’s with anthems like “Down Under,” “Overkill,” and “Who Can It Be?”. Although he’s one of Australia’s best-known exports, Colin Hay was born in Kilwinning, Scotland, and to this day remains hugely popular in the country and the rest of the UK. Hay has released ten albums since founding own label Lazy Eye in 1992.
14 April 2017
Dunedin Consort : Matthew Passion
Bach: Matthew Passion
Kristian Bezuidenhout: director; Rachel Redmond; soprano; Clare Wilkinson; alto; Robert Davies: bass & Jesus
When Bach composed his setting of the passion narrative from Matthew’s gospel for the Good Friday liturgy at Leipzig’s Thomaskirche in 1729, he could scarcely have imagined the universal connection that it was to make with musicians and audiences across the world. Even in the secular age, its relevance and impact are no less compelling. Whilst less immediately dramatic than the John Passion, its combination of choruses, arias and extended ariosos present unparalleled insight into and meditative reflections on some of our most profound emotional states.
15 April 2017
John McCusker Band
John McCusker Band
Featuring: Andy Cutting, Innes White, Toby Shaer, Heidi Talbot & Very Special Guests
John McCusker has long been renowned for his skill at transcending musical boundaries: striving to keep his music fresh and exciting, never leaving the past behind but always embracing new sonic adventures. As a live and studio guest he has shared stages with Paul Weller, Paolo Nutini, Teenage Fanclub, Graham Coxon and Eddi Reader.
Since 2008, he has been a member of Mark Knopfler’s band, playing arenas around the world including a double bill with Bob Dylan at The Hollywood Bowl and 20 nights at the Royal Albert Hall.
20 April 2017
Scottish Chamber Orchestra : Beethoven The ‘Eroica’
Escaich: Baroque Song
Haydn: Cello Concerto in D
Beethoven: Symphony No 3 ‘Eroica’
Alexandre Bloch: conductor; Jean-Guihen Queyras: cello
The ‘Eroica’. The symphony that changed the musical world, casting aside the familiar forms of Haydn and Mozart and announcing the beginning of the Romantic age with the most expansive and heroic sounds the world had yet heard. Be inspired, energised and discover the transformational nature of this seminal work.
21 April 2017
Voices of Midlothian
For one magical night in April the choirs from six Midlothian secondary schools come together to perform a broad range of songs covering classical, jazz, pop and hip-hop. Led by choirmaster Stephen Deasley, the voices of nearly 200 young people will fill The Queen’s Hall with songs by artists such as Bob Dylan, Adele, and Portishead. The Voices of Midlothian concert is certain to be a memorable evening, which showcases the musical talents of our young people.
22 April 2017
The Unthanks : How Wild The Wind Blows
Performing the Songs and Poems of Molly Drake
A wistful mother in the 1950s makes some simple home recordings in her family sitting room. Little could she have known that decades later, her son would become one of the most poetic and influential songwriters ever, or that more than sixty years later, the dust would be blown off her own songs. On the surface, the 2013 release of Molly Drake’s work could easily have been perceived as just a curious footnote and jigsaw piece in explaining the enormous talent of Nick Drake. In the eyes of The Unthanks however, and increasingly amongst others, Molly’s work is extraordinary enough to rank alongside and independently of her brilliant son.
23 April 2017
Joan Osborne Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan
Joan Osborne Acoustic Trio featuring Keith Cotton: Keys/Vocals/Acoustic Guitar and Jack Pettruzzelli: Acoustic Guitar/Electric Guitar/Vocals
Joan Osborne has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the great voices of her generation — both a commanding, passionate performer and a frank, emotionally evocative songwriter. A multi-platinum selling recording artist and seven-time Grammy nominee, the soulful vocalist is a highly sought-after collaborator and guest performer who has performed alongside many notable artists, including Bob Dylan, Luciano Pavarotti, Stevie Wonder, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, and Mavis Staples to name a few.
25 April 2017
Tinariwen plus special guests
Tinariwen will release their new album, Elwan(The Elephants) in February 2017. It is the band’s seventh, recorded in the rocky desert near M’Hamid (also known by its Berber name, Taragalte), a little town in southern Morocco, located in the Draa valley in the Zagora area. The area was chosen as their home town in northern Mali proved too unstable and dangerous due to renewed conflict. It is also a place of significant cultural importance to the Tuareg-Berber people, the location where all the caravans would stop before making the long journey to Timbuktu.
26 April 2017
Tradfest : Bagpipes Gu Leòr
A Celebration of Scotland’s Rich Piping Story
This extraordinary and unique concert of Scottish Piping celebrates the rich diversity of instruments and musical styles which have emerged in the last 30 years, as a result of one of the most significant cultural renaissances in Scotland’s history. Featuring music from the Borders to South Uist performed by truly world-class talent including:
Callum Armstrong & George Pasca
Brighde Chaimbeul
Allan MacDonald & Seonaidh MacIntyre
MacKenzie-Moore (Angus MacKenzie & Fin Moore)
Roddie MacLeod
Angus MacKenzie & Gabe McVarish
27 April 2017
The Lorna Reid Quintet : Truth in My Heart
Scotland’s cool and classy jazz diva Lorna Reid has grown a reputation as a world-class vocalist with recent performances at Rochester NY International Jazz Festival and a tour in Germany with gypsy jazz guitarist Lulo Reinhardt.
Her writing has met with critical acclaim and has established her as one of Scotland’s finest songwriters with an eclectic style that crosses jazz, blues and soul. Likened to Diana Krall ‘cool and gliding’ and Norah Jones ‘effortless blend of Jazz and Americana’.
28 April 2017
Edinburgh Academy Spring Concert
An entertaining and varied programme of music for Orchestras, Concert Bands, Big Band and Chamber Choirs, with solos from final year pupils.
29 April 2017
Al Stewart : Back to the Bedsit Tour
Back To The Bedsit Tour featuring Dave Nachmananoff and Tim Renwick
A Classic Album performance of his legendary, debut album, Bedsitter Images. Also performing a greatest hits & best-of set including Year Of The Cat and many, many more.
30 April 2017
Ward Thomas plus support
Hampshire and Country music may not be obvious bed fellows but twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas (who have been singing harmonies together since childhood) have had Country music in their blood ever since they were introduced to the sounds of Carrie Underwood, Dixie Chicks and Alison Krauss by a Canadian cousin in their early teens. One listen to the vocal cadences and close harmonies on their debut album From Where We Stand and Nashville and Hampshire suddenly don’t seem all that far apart. Their new album Cartwheels, featuring the single Carry You Home, is out now.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
