A critically-acclaimed, world-class collaboration between some of the finest musicians in Scotland will launch the 38th Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival programme next month.
Top contemporary string orchestra, Scottish Ensemble, will be joined by traditional music’s super-duo Chris Stout and Catriona McKay for a mesmerising performance of Court and Country: a world-class concert fusing classical strings with bristling traditional styles.
Festival Chair Ken Gouge said: “This cross-genre concert of brilliant internationally recognised artists is fantastic way to launch one of our strongest programmes to date.
“As always, this year’s Festival programme brings international award-winning theatre, music, dance and stand-up comedy from around the world to somewhere near you. It also showcases the very best of our region’s talented performers.
“We are delighted to be bringing back the Scottish Ensemble, a group of highly talented, dynamic musicians who have built a strong reputation for excellence across the world.
“We are also very excited to be welcoming Chris Stout and Catriona McKay to our festival for the first time. The duo are two of the nation’s most celebrated folk musicians who have been receiving outstanding reviews for their latest ventures. We look forward very much to introducing them to Dumfries and Galloway audiences.”
Since performing, exploring and sculpting musical identities together for the past 20 years, Shetland fiddle player Chris Stout and Dundee harpist Catriona McKay are easily recognised as two of the foremost soloists in the Celtic tradition.
With their roots firmly based in Scottish folk music, Chris and Catriona were driven to use this grounding as a starting point to challenge their instruments and develop and explore new music.
The result is a dynamic and adventurous sound that retains the identity of their traditions yet allows the music to have a freedom and connection to other musical styles they are drawn to.
Their album Bare Knuckle was released at the end of last year to stunning critical acclaim and their recent appearance on Celtic Connections left a broad five-star trail of reviews in the national press. The pair have now been nominated for Best Duo in the 2018 BBC Folk Awards to be held in Belfast on 4 April.
The Scottish Ensemble require little introduction to audiences in Dumfries and Galloway. This dynamic group of Scotland’s top string musicians are renowned for their dynamism and flair. They are regular visitors to the Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival and return to the region at the end of May for a third residency, featuring a series of concerts, workshops and a few surprises.
The orchestra’s ongoing creative relationship with Stout and McKay dates from their collaboration on Sally Beamish’s Seavaigers which was commissioned by Celtic Connections in 2012 and premiered at the festival that year.
Court and Country, is described as a toe-tapping adventure through rhythm, melody and time, and features a programme which includes Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 with second movement by Sally Beamish and Violin Concerto in E major; Beamish’s Seavaigers; and Bartók’s Divertimento. Audiences will also have a chance to experience a mini folk set by Chris and Catriona.
The concert takes place at the Theatre Royal, Dumfries, on Thursday, 15 March at 8pm and marks the launch of the 2018 Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival programme.
Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival programme director Pete Renwick said: “This is one of the most prestigious concerts we have held to date. Not only does the event see the return of the Scottish Ensemble to the region but will also include two of the biggest names in Celtic music today.
“Both the duo and the Ensemble are renowned for their amazing vision to merge traditional with contemporary music to create an entire new musical dynamism which is as exciting at it is remarkable.
“We are delighted to be introducing such talented, world-renowned musicians to launch our 2018 programme and this concert is not only an impressive way to kick off this year’s festival, but is also an incredible coup for the region.
“We would urge anyone who wants to experience Scottish musicians of the highest calibre to come along to the Theatre Royal on 15 March. You will not be disappointed.”
