Raising voices in a four-day musical celebration

Scotland’s only festival dedicated to vocal and choral music is taking place this week.

St Andrews Voices is a four day celebration of the voice.

Set in the world-famous historic town of St Andrews in Fife, from Thursday 25-Sunday 28 October, St Andrews Voices presents opera, masterclasses, choral music, jazz, a come-and-sing workshop, folk, a schools’ project and six free events.

Festival artistic director Sonia Stevenson said: ‘I’ve had the enormous pleasure of developing the festival over the last six years and I’m very proud of the unique, treasured place it has established in Scotland’s cultural landscape.

‘Key to this is our mission: to showcase the voice in all its many guises, bring together star performers and exciting young talent, and inspire everyone to sing, through workshops, master classes and outreach work.

Sonia Stevenson artistic director of St Andrews Voices (Photo: Eik Caffery)

‘This year’s festival is no exception. With a beautiful programmes ranging from a beautiful WW1-inspired programme form the incredible choir Tenebrae; to a one-off collaboration with some of folk music’s hottest names, and a fantastic selection of opera highlights from Scottish Opera, St Andrews Voices 2018 offers a feast of vocal and choral music.’

There is an impressive list of new visiting artists to St Andrews Voices including one of the world’s greatest chamber choirs, Tenebrae, who sing a programme to mark the 100th anniversary of WW1, including Judith Bingham’s A Walk With Ivor Gurney (Thursday 26 at 7.30pm).

The group’s director/founder Nigel Short leads a choral workshop for amateur singers (27 October at 10.00am) and for two months, Tenebrae Associates work with schools in Dundee and Fife, culminating present an informal sharing in the new V&A, Dundee (27 October – free event.)

Tenor and BBC presenter Jamie MacDougall (Photo: Eik Caffery)

One of the UK’s best-known folk stars, singer and Northumbrian piper, Kathyrn Tickell appears for the first time at St Andrews Voices in an evening of songs, stories and music, with fellow Northumbrians the author David Almond, and accordionist and clog-dancer, Amy Thatcher, as well as one of Scotland’s hottest rising stars, singer-songwriter, Adam Holmes.

Kathryn and Adam are working togther for the first time here, making it a unique event and a great collaboration between a grandee of the folk world and a rising star. (Saturday 26 at 10pm)

Continuing the trad feel, an open mic folk night rounds off the night (Saturday 26 at 10pm) in the bar of the Byre Theatre, with the local beer by the St Andrews’ Brewing Co. Late night jazz rounds off Friday with late-night jazz vocalist Zoe Gillby and duo partner, the bassist Andy Champion (Friday 26 at 10pm). Both late-nights are free events.

Kathryn Tickell with David Almond and Amy Thantcher (Photo: Georgia Claire)

The 2018 festival welcomes back some old friends including Scottish Opera who this year bring their opera highlights tour to the Byre Theatre (Saturday 27 at 3pm); Byre Opera who perform baroque English composer John Eccles’ The Judgement of Paris in a unique production where science meets opera and explores Newton’s theories of light and colour (free event); tenor and broadcaster Jamie MacDougall returns to give a masterclass with Scottish Opera’s Head of Music Derek Clark (free event), as well as bringing his one-man musical tribute to Scottish music hall legend, Sir Harry Lauder; and the University of

St Andrews St Salvator’s Chapel Choir sing the annual Festival Service (Sunday 28 at 11am) – free event).

The family sing-a-long films have been a popular fixture of St Andrews Voices and this year’s offering is two showings of the much-loved Disney film, Beauty and the Beast (Saturday 27 10am and noon).

For tickets, contact the Byre Theatre Box Office on 01334 475000 or www.byretheatre.com. Tickets may also be available on the door. Check availability on the day.