Chamber takes to the streets

Arts Editor

Friday 14 September 2012

This is the time of year when Scotland's arts guilds and music clubs, a remarkable network of local organisations run by enthusiastic volunteers, launch their new seasons.

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keith bruce

Tonight, for example, pianist Christina Lawrie is at Falkirk Town Hall for Classical Music Live! Falkirk, as that promoter now eye-catchingly styles itself. In Campbeltown at the same time, Kintyre Music Club will be enjoying the jazz stylings of the Bill Fleming Quartet. Tomorrow, in Brodick, the Isle of Arran Music Society has wind quintet Arctic Winds and Mid Argyll Arts Association has the Scottish Tango Ensemble in Ardrishaig Hall, Lochgilphead.

Such a range of music and geographical spread is not untypical of what is on offer across Scotland most weekends, but tomorrow it will not be necessary to seek out the chamber music in your neck of the woods in church and community halls. Because tomorrow is Scotland's second annual National Chamber Music Day, and tomorrow the musicians are coming to find you.So saxophonist Fleming has another gig, this one under the auspices of the Arran club, playing aboard the 1.50pm Calmac ferry plying the Brodick to Adrossan route, and Classical Music Live! Falkirk have Alba Brass playing in Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert. Milngavie Music Club has the Arunda Wind Trio performing in the Lillie Art Gallery that evening, but they will also be at Dobbie's Garden Centre for an hour in the afternoon.In fact it will be almost impossible to go shopping in Scotland tomorrow without falling over a chamber ensemble. The Roxburgh Quartet will be in Linlithgow Sainsbury's thanks to the local Arts Guild, Lockerbie Music Society is installing the Stockbridge Piano Trio in Tesco from 11am, and Helensburgh Music Society has booked the Amici Cello Trio into the Co-Op. Sterling Furniture in Tillicoultry has the violin and piano Duo Concertante under the auspices of Dollar Music Society, and other garden centres with music among the mowers include the Milestone near Melrose (Scottish Reed Trio), Simpson's at Inverness (cellist Aleksei Kiseliov and pianist Olga Jegunova), Gardenwise in Dumfries (Cameo Clarinet Quartet) and Dobbies in Aberdeen (Edington Ensemble).And if you are travelling through Glasgow tomorrow, pause to say thanks to Westbourne Music for the Festive Trumpets in Queen Street Station and the quartet Sax Ecosse, pictured below, in Buchanan Street Bus Station. Altogether there are nearly 30 impromptu concerts across Scotland between 11am and 4pm, all designed to raise the profile of chamber music and advertise the seasons of performances that are just beginning.The idea came from Enterprise Music Scotland, the body that distributes Creative Scotland funds to the clubs and societies and is also increasingly embracing a promotional role for chamber music with its expanding number of workshops in schools, the nurturing of young ensembles in its residency projects, and professional training for established musicians and wider advocacy of the whole chamber music sector. The first National Chamber Music Day in September 2011 was taken up by 20 local promoters and was estimated to have reached at least 3000 members of the public.EMS general manager Paul Tracey says: "The idea behind our National Chamber Music Day is to introduce new audiences to chamber music, making people aware of their local music society and the fantastic concerts that are happening on their doorstep, as well as providing paid employment for 78 musicians on the day!"We had a great response to the inaugural event in 2011 and this year's version involves more promoters, musicians and venues, which will engage with even more members of the public and potential chamber music converts."Scotland has a wealth of first class chamber musicians and a network of music societies who promote concerts throughout the year, from the Highlands and Islands to the Borders. National Chamber Music Day lets people, who perhaps would not normally attend a chamber music concert, experience a taste of what is on offer."From Whithorn to Aboyne and Traquair to Inverurie, that experience will be available to the people of Scotland tomorrow, and representatives of the clubs in the EMS network will be there alongside the players to explain how that whetted appetite can be fed on a regular basis. Visit www.emusicscotland.co.uk/national-chamber-music-day-2012 for full details.

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Chamber takes to the streets

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