Feast of folk in Scottish showcases

Feast of folk in Scottish showcases

EDDI Reader, Julie Fowlis, Peatbog Faeries, Adam Holmes, Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker, John Doyle, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham are among the musicians who will be appearing at this year's Cambridge Folk Festival in three Scottish Showcase concerts.

This is the 50th year of the prestigious event and Creative Scotland, and the Scottish Arts Council before it, has supported showcase events for Scottish musicians on seven previous occasions, with KT Tunstall, Admiral Fallow, The Waterboys and Rachel Sermanni among previous artists featured.

This year's concerts are on August 1, 2, and 3.

l cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk

Perth Theatre restoration

HORSECROSS Arts, the body that runs Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre, has announced the appointment of contractors to redevelop the latter, which closed for refurbishment after the run of the pantomime at the end of last year.

Robertson Construction Group is the selected company, and Horsecross chairman Magnus Linklater said that work will begin in the summer. An artist's impression of the transformed building envisages it re-opening for the 2016/17 season.

The Perth Theatre redevelopment has already been pledged £13.5 million from project partners Perth & Kinross Council, Creative Scotland, The Gannochy Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and other supporters or funding bodies, and Horsecross Art has to raise an additional £1.5 million for the project, which will create a 225-set studio space as well as restoring the Edwardian auditorium.

l horsecross.co.uk

Handel work to make debut

THE annual performance at Edinburgh Festival Fringe of Bach's B Minor Mass in Canongate Kirk by Richard Neville-Towle's Ludus Baroque, which was recognised with a Herald Angel award in 2012, will be preceded this year by a Perth concert of a work by Handel that may never previously have been heard in Scotland.

On August 6, British soprano Anna Dennis will sing the title role in the oratorio Athalia in the wonderful acoustic of St John's Kirk in Perth, which hosts a Perth Festival performance by the Sixteen this evening.

With the Bach mass following in Edinburgh the next evening, regular soloists tenor Ed Lyon and baritone William Berger will feature in both concerts, alongside counter-tenor Andrew Radley, making his debut with the group.

l ludusbaroque.co.uk

Grants set for music careers

ORGANISERS of the Emerging Excellence Awards are inviting applications from young musicians, groups and composers who are looking to create long-term careers in music. Grants of up to £3,000 are available for those in the early stages of building careers who fill a number of criteria, including commitment to music, being over 18 and being resident in the UK for at least five consecutive years. Performers and composers in all styles of music are eligible, and the deadline is June 12 at 5pm.

l helpmusicians.org.uk