124 artists, 73 events, 27 venues in 24 days. Tickets for this year’s Festival will be on sale from Aberdeen Box Office from 31 August. You can also book online at www.boxofficeaberdeen.com. For details of all events at sound, download a Festival brochure here.
Read more about the University of Aberdeen Music Prize here. What did you think of the winner?
If you missed them last night at St Mary’s, you can catch them again this lunchtime at Aberdeen Art Gallery. You can read Alan Cooper’s review here.
“After hearing the astonishing performance by juice Vocal Ensemble (they spell their name with all small case letters) I was left struggling for words to describe them. The description at the head of the programme does it better than I ever could so I quote it in full here: “juice are an experimental vocal trio [...]
More reviews from our fearless critic, Alan Cooper, this time with the Elias Quartet at Cowdray Hall and a taste of the north with the Auriga Wind Quintet from Lapland.
There will be a post performance conversation between Michael Popper and Claire Reid following the performance at Woodend Barn tomorrow. This is free to ticket holders.
Sally Beamish’s commission for the Elias Quartet, Reed Stanzas comes to sound tonight at Cowdray Hall. You can read Sally’s interview with Ken Walton of The Scotsman here, where she discusses her inspiration for the work. Later this week (Fri 12) , another of her compositions, Highland Haiku, receives its Scottish premiere with Stavanger Vocalensemble [...]
Neil Jones reviews Jeremy Huw Williams’ performance in The Scotsman – read more here.
“impressive performances of various works by Arvo Pärt, mostly in meditative and liturgical vein. Particularly good was the Stabat Mater, a deeply felt setting that for my money outstrips the great versions by Pergolesi and Vivaldi.” (**** The Guardian) Endymion join EXAUDI Vocal Ensemble next weekend in a performance that combines three works by Pärt [...]
As part of the Aberdeen Music Prize Weekend, composer Julian Anderson was in conversation with Dr Edward Campbell at King’s College Chapel prior to a performance of his works by Scott Dickinson, Simon Smith and Joanna Nicolson. Read more here.
Alan Cooper reviews Geoff Palmer & Pete Stollery at the Atrium of the Institute of Medical Sciences – you can read more here and have seen them again the following day in Aberdeen Art Gallery. Their second performance is reviewed here.
“A dazzling clarity like Nordic sunlight is supposed to be shone through this radiant, crystal clear performance. Every section of the orchestra stood out in astonishing three-dimensional relief. The melodies that adorned every movement, often seeming to struggle to be born, would suddenly burst forth in blazing glory” Read more of Alan Cooper’s review of [...]
From performances with the Navarra Quartet, Nash Ensemble, Lawrance Power and BBCSSO, violist Scott Dickinson returns to perform at sound in the intimacy of Migvie Church on Saturday 5 November. Book your tickets now at Aberdeen Box Office.
“a stunningly brilliant performance by the full Quartet” is how critic, Alan Cooper described the performance by the Primrose Quartet at Cowdray Hall earlier this week. At King’s College Chapel, “two splendidly accomplished musicians” Jeremy Huw Williams and Nicolas Wearne performed works by Mealor, Bowden, Berkeley and others - read more on our press page.
A contrasting programme of old and new from Roger Willams playing the Aubertin organ. Read Alan Cooper’s review on our press page.
“In the introductory remarks to his recital on Sunday, Christopher Baxter explained that his choice of programme was designed to show how certain composers had made great leaps in expanding the range of sounds possible in music for keyboard instruments, in particular the piano. This explained why Bach and Beethoven were included in a programme [...]
Critic Alan Cooper has been to see Sweden’s Curious Chamber Players in two very different settings, King’s College Chapel and Aberdeen Art Gallery. You can read both reviews on our press page.
Read what Kate Molleson had to say about the opening weekend of sound here. She enjoyed some and not others – what do you think?
Ilan Volkov discusses the music of Sibelius, Berlioz, Wagner and Julian Anderson ahead of his performance on Friday 4 November with the BBCSSO at the Music Hall as part of the Music prize weekend at sound. You can listen to the interview here.
Alan Cooper reviews the weekend performance of Scottish Flute Trio at the Lemon Tree, the Lunchbreak concert at Cowdray Hall and last night’s stunning performance by Sweden’s Curious Chamber Players at King’s College Chapel. Catch Curious again tonight at the Salmon Bothy in Portsoy and on Sunday lunchtime at Aberdeen Art Gallery. You can read [...]
The Student Sinfonia’s performance at sound yesterday was reviewed by critic, Alan Cooper. Read what he says here.
