Scottish soundfestival returns tomorrow

Aberdeen’s soundfestival will run this year from 26 – 30 October with 30 Scottish, UK and World premieres including commissions and co-commissions. This year’s festival will see a mix of concerts as well as family and participation events and will feature an emphasis on ‘endangered instruments’.

Previous artists in residence Garth Knox, Nicholas Daniel and Ben Goldscheider will join forces with Elise Dabrowski and Emily Hultmark to form the festival’s first Endangered Instrument Ensemble. As the culmination of soundfestival’s 5 year ‘endangered instrument’ project, the group will present a programme of recitals and concerts intended to bring attention to the the bassoon, viola, oboe, horn and double bass. Players of these instruments are also invited to join the festival’s Endangered Instrument Orchestra which will close the festival on 30 October.

Festival director, Fiona Robertson said: ‘Last year we focused on our final “endangered instrument”, but we felt more of a celebration of the five amazing instruments was needed… Sound is not just about offering the chance to hear new music performed by some of the world’s leading musicians and ensembles. Through our spotlight events we also give the stage to young performers and through our commissions we are supporting the creation of a body of new work by a wide range of composers.’

The festival will open tomorrow evening (26 October) with the premiere of a new work created by Franco-Lebanese composer Zad Moultaka for French ensemble, Percussions Clavier de Lyon, and Scotland’s Red Note Ensemble. Red Note will also feature in the festival’s late night soundsessions alongside Fiona Soe Paing who will launch her new album, Sand, Silt, Flint.

Further new commissions featured in this year’s festival include works by Sir James Macmillan (co-commissioned with Haddo Arts, Cheltenham Music Festival and Spitalfields Music), Ian Wilson and Laura Bowler for the UK debut of the quartet, Sonneurs.

Laura Bowler will also take part in this year’s Go Compose! project, working with young composers alongside Rylan Gleave and members of Red Note Ensemble. Other soundfestival outreach initiatives making their return this year will be Composers Day, featuring a session with Laura Bowler and Erwan Keravec, and Get Creative, providing workshop and performance opportunities for participants who have performed on the pipes or woodwind for at least four years. 

You can find out more about the 2022 soundfestival here.