St Mary’s Music School pupils visit new home

PUPILS from St Mary’s Music School have been given a sneaky peek at their new home. The pupils received a tour around the Old Royal High School building in Edinburgh, which is being converted into the new base for the specialist school, and which will also house a National Centre for Music. Their tour was…

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Hugh Dan MacLennan’s final fling

SHINTY legend Hugh Dan MacLennan is hanging up his microphone after this year’s Camanachd Cup final at Bught Park in Inverness. The night before the match, MacLennan will be joined on stage at the Highland Capital’s Eden Court theatre by fellow commentator and music star Gary Innes for “Hugh Dan’s Highland Fling”. The performance on…

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Pop-up opera goes on summer tour

SCOTTISH OPERA is going back out on tour this summer, taking its pop-up opera around Scotland. The tour begins on 27 May at the Dumfries &Galloway Arts Festival, with 30-minute opera samples. Pop-up opera shows will also be staged in Linlithgow, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, the Isle of Lewis, Strathpeffer, Dornoch, Dundee, and Aberdeenshire. The singers…

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BBC Scotland ‘Introducing’ shortlist unveiled

BBC Scotland Introducing revealed the eight finalists tonight for this year’s competition. The contest shines a spotlight on up-and-coming musical talent from throughout our nation. This year’s shortlist was unveiled this evening on BBC iPlayer: Aiitee; VLURE; Russell Stewart; Terra Kin; The Big Day; LOVE SICK; Chef; and The Queen of Harps. Tonight’s programme on…

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Sci-fi music revives Dundee’s Frankenstein link

DUNDEE’S link with Frankenstein will be explored during next month’s Science Fiction Experience rock concert. David Darling, the science writer who is producing the gig, has penned a track inspired by the book, which Mary Shelley wrote after living in Dundee from 1812 to 1814. The show coincides with the 200th anniversary of the second…

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Scottish Opera prepares for Il Trittico

Ahead of tomorrow’s performance of Puccini’s Il Trittico, Simone Waters speaks to Scottish Opera designer Charles Edwards. IF DESIGNING the set for one opera is a challenge then designing the set for three operas together is something on a whole different scale. Designer Charles Edwards has been faced with exactly that task as Scottish Opera…

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Royal Highland Hoolie adds extra date

AN EXTRA date has been added to the “Royal Highland Hoolie”, a Scottish and Irish music festival running alongside the Royal Highland Show. Musicians will now take to the stage on both Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June. The line-up already includes Derek Ryan, Skerryvore, and Lisa McHugh. Jim Warnock, chairman the Royal Highland &…

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Joy Dunlop unveils Gaelic solo album

GAELIC singer Joy Dunlop is preparing to release her first solo album in a decade. Dunlop, who also presents the weather for BBC Scotland, will unveil Caoir on 24 March, featuring fresh recordings of traditional Gaelic songs. “I’ve always loved music that pushed the boundaries of what was considered ‘trad’, without losing the soul of…

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Music news round-up: folk, funk, and more

Peter Ranscombe orchestrates a round-up of Scottish music news. THE Willow Trio is fusing “classical and Gaelic culture” in its debut album, The Swan of Salen. Released on 17 February, the record will combine Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake with a parallel Gaelic legend, Eala Shàilein. The album provides the backdrop to a cultural project that brings…

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Dundee: ‘Lights! Music! Space!’

A NEW show inspired by space will have its premier in Dundee this spring. The concert – called “The Science Fiction Experience” – will feature an array of visual effects, a bespoke light show, and a professional rock band. Gardyne Theatre will play host to the immersive event, produced by local writer David Darling. The…

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