Pianist Malcolm Martineau on getting ready for Music at Paxton

World leading pianist Malcolm Martineau has played in Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Vienna, Milan, Berlin, throughout the UK and in North America accompanying many of the world’s best singers. Ahead of his performance at this year’s Music at Paxton – the Scottish chamber music festival in the Borders – Malcolm, from Edinburgh, talks to Scottish Field…

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Top five things to see at Glasgow Jazz Festival

Glasgow Jazz Festival returns later this month between 14– 18 June with performances from some of the biggest names in jazz, blues, soul, funk, and R&B. Here are some top picks of what to check out:   1.Marco Mezquida Trio The Marco Mezquida Trio, fronted by award-winning Spanish pianist and composer Marco Mezquida, alongside Martín…

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Runrig marks 50th birthday with Inverness Castle news

ROCK band Runrig is marking its 50th anniversary today with news that it will feature in the first exhibition at Inverness Castle. The former court is being turned into a tourist attraction, which is due to open in 2025. The opening exhibition in the castle’s North Tower will feature “the music and stories of Runrig,…

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Royal Conservatoire of Scotland hosts ‘Plug’ festival

THE “Plug” new music festival returns to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) next month. More than 300 pieces of music have received their premieres at the festival during the past 17 years. This year’s festival runs on 8-12 May in Glasgow. Highlights at this year’s Plug festival include nine accordionists being accompanied by a…

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Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo unveils ‘stories’ theme

THE theme for this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will be “stories”. This summer’s show will feature more than 800 performers, including guest stars from Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States. The show will be staged at Edinburgh Castle on 4-26 August and will include the tattoo debut of The United…

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REVIEW: The Science Fiction Experience

Self-confessed geek and nerd Peter Ranscombe wants to hear more from The Science Fiction Experience. SOMETIMES when you hear an idea for a show, you know that the producer is on to a winner. The Science Fiction Experience is one of those shows. Created by Dundee-based science writer David Darling, the concept brings together classic…

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Aberdeen hits high note for European Pipe Band Championships

FURTHER details were revealed today ahead of this summer’s European Pipe Band Championships in Aberdeen. More than 100 pipe bands from across Europe and from as far away as Australia will travel to the North-East to participate in one of the largest piping events in the world. It’s the first time since 1981 that the…

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Scottish Chamber Orchestra marks 50th birthday

THE Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) will unveil details of its 2023-24 season today as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Guests joining the orchestra during the year ahead include Thomas Adès, Nicola Benedetti, Colin Currie, Karen Cargill, Richard Egarr, Andrew Manze, and Roderick Williams. New music due to be performed during the season includes…

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Why don’t more women play the bagpipes?

THE National Piping Centre today launched a study to find out why more women don’t play the bagpipes. Its six-month “Women in Piping and Drumming: Equality, Inclusivity, and Diversity” project is being run in collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The study includes an online survey, which runs until 2 June. Lady Oona Ivory,…

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REVIEW: Swan Lake – Birmingham Royal Ballet

Megan Amato reviews the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s performance of Swan Lake at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. SWAN LAKE is one of those ballets that needs no introduction. Without having to be prompted, many of us can hum Tchaikovsky’s alluring score in our sleep. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small school show or a…

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