The talented young musicians at St Mary’s Music School are welcoming the start of the summer and the end of another successful year for Scotland’s national music school with three concerts in the capital this June.
The series of concerts begin with a musical treat for jazz lovers with Amnesty Jazz. The concert will take place on Tuesday 11 June at St Andrew’s and St George’s West, 13 George Street. All proceeds will go to Amnesty International and the evening of jazz, directed by Andrew Robb, will feature music from Fats Waller, Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Miles Davis and Kenny Wheeler.
Tickets can be booked online at www.stmarysmusicschool.co.uk/amnesty-jazz or from the School on 0131 538 7766. Prices are £8 for adults, concessions £5 and free for schoolchildren and former pupils.
The prestigious Directors’ Recital Prize, now in its 19th year, takes place in the magnificent surroundings of St Mary’s Cathedral in Palmerston Place on Tuesday 18 June at 7.00pm. In a highlight of the School’s musical year, four senior pupils, who will have won through to the final, will give solo recitals in competition for this prestigious prize. Entrance is free with no ticket required.
The third concert, Northern Lights takes place at The Queen’s Hall on Monday 24 June at 7.30pm. This year’s theme celebrates the splendour of the Northern Lights and features music from Tchaikowsky, Sibelius, Grieg and Gjeilo, performed by the senior choir, senior orchestra, string ensemble, jazz ensemble and more.
Tickets are available from The Queen’s Hall Box Office www.thequeenshall.net or via the St Mary’s Music School website at a cost of £8 for adults, £5 concession and free to children and former pupils. Tickets can also be bought from the school office.
Dr Kenneth Taylor, Headteacher at St Mary’s Music School, said: “These concerts showcase the musical excellence of the pupils and the teaching at Scotland’s national music school. It isthe last opportunity for our Senior Pupils to perform before they move forward to further study and the launch of their musical careers. Our alumni feature many leading figures in the music world today including Steven Osborne, Garry Walker, Helen Grime, David Horne and Alexander Armstrong.
“The majority of our pupils aspire to be professional musicians and performing before large audiences is a real encouragement and an invaluable experience for them. These three concerts, with a high quality of music performance and a widely differing range of styles, offer something for everybody. We would be delighted for people to show support for the school and its pupils by joining us at one or more of them”.
St Mary’s Music School is part of the Perfect Harmony campaign which calls upon everyone in Scotland who cares about the nation’s cultural and educational future to support the move of Scotland’s national music school to the Old Royal High School on Calton Hill, Edinburgh.
Dr Taylor added: “Scotland’s national music school exists to provide a centre of excellence for musically gifted youngsters from across Scotland, regardless of their financial circumstances. Our school helps to provide the next generation of musicians and world-renowned performance artists across all fields of music from classical to jazz and traditional.
“The opportunity that we have to move to the former Old Royal High building provides the potential for our pupils to perform in a truly international setting which will promote Scotland on the world’s musical stage.
“Such a move would provide us with the rehearsal space we need coupled with an exciting performance space, which both in turn will allow us to develop our musical partnerships and extend our outreach programmes. It also provides the perfect stage for further international recognition for the performing arts in Scotland and enhances our credentials as a destination for cultural education and tourism”.
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