press > 2009 > sound festival > s • o • u • n • d

press

This section of the sound web site contains press releases as well as reviews of events since the sound festival began in 2005. The most recent reviews are given at the top of the page, and the oldest are at the bottom. Clicking on each review highlight below will make the full text of that review available to read. Each box also contains a link to the actual event listing.

Press contact for further information on sound 2009, images and interviews:

Lesley Booth, tel 07799 414 474,

2009

Rohan and Suren de Saram

Lunchbreak Concert (see event)

With just his cello and his bow Rohan de Saram gave us the distant barking of a dog, a moped speeding past, the hiss of car tyres on the bypass, noises of police cars or factories at night and so much more. (read full article)

14 November 2009

Alan Cooper

Art and Music

Aberdeen Art Gallery Event (see event)

These are the world's finest exponents of the contemporary and experimental repertoire on their respective instruments. Our young composers could not have hoped for any more brilliant and accomplished performances of their challenging pieces and thanks to the sound Festival, that is exactly what they got. (read full article)

13 November 2009

Alan Cooper

Kings College Chapel

Tadej Kenig, clarinet (see event)

Pete Stollery worked his finest electronic magic, making the phantom clarinet fly round the Chapel, sometimes immediate, sometimes far distant. This was indeed a virtuoso performance by both versions of Tadej Kenig. (read full article)

11 November 2009

Alan Cooper

Nava Rasa

Simon Thacker and the Nava Rasa Ensemble (see event)

the exotic water-phone, like something from the weird orchestra in the first Star Wars movie… (read full article)

10 November 2009

Alan Cooper

The sound that's out of this world

sound festival (see events)

an appealingly sensual world that was also mysterious and strangely intangible.
(read full article)

3 November 2009

Alan Cooper The Herald

Harmony Ensemble

Chinese Music: traditional and new (see event)

fusing Scottish and Chinese flavours with astonishing expertise… (read full article)

31 October 2009

Alan Cooper

Sounds fantastic

sound festival (see events)

Experimental music and new sounds created by cutting-edge artists - that's what this year's sound Festival is all about.
(read full article)

29 October 2009

Susan Welsh The Press and Journal

Fidelio Trio

Music in the University (see event)

I loved the image of shimmering starlight near the end conveyed by Mary Dullea's astonishingly delicate piano playing and both string players really got stuck into the flaming intensity of this music. (read full article)

29 October 2009

Alan Cooper

Pianocircus

sound festival opening concert (see event)

an astonishing ensemble of keyboard virtuosi… (read full article)

28 October 2009

Alan Cooper

Inspired new music hits the right note

sound festival (see events)

Only five years ago, the Sound Festival was an idea driven by enthusiasm, no more and no less. Today, it is a magnet.
(read full article)

20 October 2009

Michael Tumelty The Herald

Sound of the theramin

Resonant Frequencies (see events)

Bill Thompson's Resonant Frequencies weekender stands out, in part for its exploration of the crossover between percussion and live electronics but also for the delicious-sounding solo set and duet&hellip
(read full article)

19 October 2009

Mark Daniels The Skinny

Sounds fantastic

sound festival (see events)

It's this innovative structure which is grounded in the community that allows sound to pursue an eclectic diversity that makes it one of the country's most hotly anticipated festivals.
(read full article)

10 October 2009

Susan Nickalls Classical Music Magazine

2008

Scottish Ensemble with Pekka Kuusisto

Scottish Ensemble, with Pekka Kuusisto, violin (see events)

The Scottish Ensemble was joined by the Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto to form a baker's dozen of outstanding talent for the final concert in the 2008 sound Festival... (read full article)

19 November 2008

Neil Jones The Scotsman

Smith Quartet, Woodend Barn, Banchory

Smith Quartet (see event)

Among the top-rank exponents of contemporary string quartet music, the Smith Quartet enjoys the reputation of being one of the very finest. (read full article)

19 November 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

Scottish Flute Trio with Robert Irvine and Rhian MacLeod

Scottish Flute Trio, with Robert Irvine and Rhian Macleod (see event)

The elegant Georgian setting of Duff House in Banff provided the sound Festival with an attractive venue for the Scottish Flute Trio's concert of works by female composers with Scottish connections. (read full article)

17 November 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

Scottish Ensemble Trio

Scottish Ensemble Trio, lunchtime concert (see event)

The opening movement had stark open air harmonies that suggested bagpipe music. The whole effect was further enhanced by the acoustic ambience of the Atrium. (read full article)

17 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Florian Kitt and Rita Medjimorec

Florian Kitt, cello & Rita Medjimorec, piano (see event)

... a riveting recital ... (read full article)

16 November 2008

Alan Cooper

The Scottish Flute Trio, with Joji Hirota

The Waterfall of Time (see event)

A suite of pieces employing a whole dazzling array of Japanese percussion instruments as well as bamboo shakuhatchi. (read full article)

15 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Scottish Flute Trio

Scottish Flute Trio, with Robert Irvine and Rhian Macleod (see events)

This was a fascinating concert, proving that the established female Scottish composers have competition from up and coming youngsters. (read full article)

15 November 2008

Neil Jones The Scotsman

Fidelio Trio - Zeste at Crombie Hall

Fidelio Trio (see event)

Masters of the finest virtuoso playing. (read full article)

14 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Ministry of Sound

Kim Cascone, Field Diffusion week (see event)

A graveyard in Aberdeen in November is no place for standing still. But, on the instructions of Kim Cascone, I stand still and listen. And a world of sound unfolds... (read full article)

13 November 2008

Susan Mansfield The Scotsman

TOP EVENTS: Things to do Places to go

sound festival (see events)

Various North-east Venues. sound – exciting festival driven by the passion to make new music more accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. (read full article on The Press And Journal website)

13 November 2008

The Press and Journal

Pete Stollery - Sound & Place

Sound & Place: from North East Scotland to Paris (see event)

Wednesday night's concert of electro acoustic music by Pete Stollery was for me the best yet. (read full article)

12 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Striking a bow against accepted wisdom

Scottish Ensemble with Pekka Kuusisto, violin (see event)

There aren't many violinists who play as he does and take the same risks. Then again, there aren't many classically trained virtuosos who would be in their comfort zone improvising with an electronic jazz group or taking the stage with a Norwegian noise duo. (read full article on The Herald Website)

12 November 2008

Rowena Smith The Herald

Alba Quartet, Aboyne Community Theatre

Alba String Quartet (see event)

The Alba Quartet - fresh, young and brimming with vitality - was on stage and eager to give the premiere of "bow your head" (pronounce the first word as in "violin bow"). (read full article)

12 November 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

Hebrides Ensemble and Jane Irwin, Fettercairn Village Hall

Hebrides Ensemble, & Jane Irwin, mezzo-soprano(see event)

... dazzling fire and precision in their playing ... (read full article)

12 November 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

New music for organ, Roger B. Williams

Roger Williams, organ recital (see event)

… both dizzying and wonderfully compelling. (read full article)

11 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Salmon bothy's concert hit

Robin Michael, cello & Sarah Leonard, soprano (see event)

The old stone walls and heavy roof beams echoed to the brilliant voice of modern soprano Sarah Leonard, and cello accompanist Robin Michael. (read excerpt)

11 November 2008

Banffshire Journal

Music in the University, New Zealand String Quartet

New Zealand String Quartet, with Richard Nunns, Maori instruments (see event)

It gave us in Scotland a valuable insight into the musical ecology of a country right on the other side of the world. (read full article)

10 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Young Composers' Concert

Aberdeen City Music School and Paragon Ensemble (see event)

We have always been aware that the Aberdeen City Music School has been producing a wonderful crop of top flight performers but now it appears that their cornucopia of new composers will turn out to be every bit as replete. (read full article)

9 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Lunch break concert, Aberdeen University Music

Music of John Cage, University of Aberdeen New Music Group (see event)

The piece had an almost medieval vocal flavour. (read full article)

8 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Workshop mix of Arabic and western tunes

schools workshops (see events)

A Palestinian singer who spent 20 years researching traditional Arabic music in refugee camps and with communities in her home country has been teaching aspiring musicians in the north-east. (read full article on The Press And Journal website)

8 November 2008

The Press and Journal

Irene Drummond, Soprano & Alasdair Beatson, Piano

Irene Drummond, soprano & Alasdair Beatson, piano(see event)

Drummond and Beatson's recital was absolutely out of this world. (read full article)

6 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Lunch break concert, Edinburgh Quartet

Edinburgh Quartet (see event)

The Edinburgh Quartet gave a splendidly clear and intensely driven performance of this Quartet making it quite clear why it has remained popular over the years. (read full article)

6 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Kungsbacka Piano Trio, Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen

Kungsbacka Piano Trio (see event)

Ranging in mood from melancholy to fiercely hard driven, it was a compellingly venturesome journey inside the imagination. (read full article)

5 November 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

Hero as a Riddle

Hero as a Riddle, by Martin Kershaw (see events)

Saxophonist and composer Martin Kershaw assembled a sparkling and talented ten-strong ensemble to perform the world premiere of his new piece, Hero as a Riddle (read full article)

3 November 2008

Neil Jones The Scotsman

Wall of sound as saxophonists gather for finale

Massed Saxophone Gala Concert (see events)

As part of the annual sound festival, north-east saxophonists played alongside one of the UK's leading saxophone ensembles, Andy Scott's SaxAssault. (read full article on The Press And Journal website)

3 November 2008

Declan Harte The Press and Journal

Andy Scott's SaxAssault

SaxAssault (see event)

Andy Scott's SaxAssault in the Lemon Tree on Saturday night brought back that old frisson of musical excitement, and then some. (read full article)

1 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Lunch break concert, Ben Waghorn & Dave Stapleton

Ben Waghorn, saxophone & Dave Stapleton, piano (see event)

The sax was soon heading up the runway and taking flight (read full article)

1 November 2008

Alan Cooper

Saxophonists jazz up north-east festival

schools workshops (see events)

Saxophonists Rob Hall and Richard Ingham have visited primary and secondary school pupils to create some musical magic (read full article on The Press And Journal website)

1 November 2008

Shona Gossip The Press and Journal

girls are back in town

Scottish Flute Trio (see event)

A fascinating spread of age and talent which promises a genuine representation of Scottish female talent (read full article)

31 October 2008

Kenneth Walton The Scotsman

lunch break concert - Rob Hall & Chick Lyall

Rob Hall, saxophones/clarinet & Chick Lyall, piano/laptop/electronics (see event)

The first improvisation had a kind of tropical jungle backing with bird-like sounds and a rattle of castanets that could have been some exotic creature. (read full article)

31 October 2008

Alan Cooper

Sculpting a new sound from art

Hero as a Riddle, by Martin Kershaw (see event)

What might a sculptor, a chamber music group and a rock band have in common? (read full article on The Herald website)

30 October 2008

Rob Adams The Herald

Hail the homecoming queen

Thea Musgrave (see event)

humour of the lightest sort (read full article on The Herald website)

29 October 2008

Conrad Wilson The Herald

Tasmin Little, MacRobert Memorial Hall, Tarland

Tasmin Little, violin (see event)

She explained and demonstrated all the technical tricks she was going to use and with that, she managed to capture the imaginations of the many youngsters in the audience. (read full article)

29 October 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (see events)

This was a delightfully varied and entertaining evening. (read full article)

27 October 2008

Neil Jones The Scotsman

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, University Of Aberdeen Music Prize

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (see event)

27 October 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

Christina Astrand And Per Salo, Cowdray Hall

Christina Astrand And Per Salo (see event)

It had all the sparkle of the best salon music. (read full article)

27 October 2008

Alan Cooper The Herald

Music in the Univeristy, AIYF Compose! & Composers' Day Concert

AIYF Compose! & Composers' Day Concert (see event)

A real spirit of congeniality seemed to surround the Composers' Day Concert early on Saturday evening. It brought together three of the prime movers in north-east music: Aberdeen University, the Aberdeen International Youth Festival and the sound Festival. And what could be more heartening than an event that brought these three great forces together to promote freshly minted works from six enthusiastic young composers? (read full article)

25 October 2008

Alan Cooper

New sounds on the block

sound festival 2008 (see events)

Music sure to soothe the soul will be on offer at the north-east's very own Sound Festival this year, with something to suit every musical penchant. (read full article)

23 October 2008

Caroline Brodie The Press and Journal

The art of noise

sound festival 2008 (see events)

Such an approach gives this particular festival a scope, both geographical and musical, that must make Central Belt trendies wonder why nothing of this ilk takes place in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Perhaps the very fact that it's held away from those bigger cities allows it to be just that bit more daring and imaginative in its programming. (read full article on The Sunday Herald website)

18 October 2008

Alan Morrison Sunday Herald

Sound Festival

sound festival 2008 (see events)

There's a mind-bogglingly eclectic array of music on offer stretching from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra to bang up-to-date electronica from the likes of To Rococo Rot and Fife's De-Fence Records. (link expired, view homepage)

18 October 2008

The Kiosque