Inspiration comes from the sea

Inspiration comes from the sea

Edinburgh-based artist Lesley Skeates has work on show in Undercurrents, a group exhibition of contemporary paintings and sculpture inspired by the sea, which is open to the public at Arusha Gallery in Dundas Street, Edinburgh, from September 4 to October 8. A graduate in Fine Art from Aberystwyth University, Skeates went on to work as a medical artist in Birmingham before moving to Edinburgh and decided to concentrate full-time on commissions in oils and watercolours in 2007.

l lesleyskeatesgallery.com

To home with his own jazz

Jazz pianist Euan Stevenson has a homecoming gig as part of the new Classic Music Live! Falkirk season at the town hall on Friday, September 12. Stevenson, who co-leads the Stan Getz-derived New Focus group that features a string quartet from the RSNO with saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski, is on the occasion leading his own quartet, which also features Wiszniewski and New Focus drummer Alyn Cosker, adding bassist Andrew Sharkey. Falkirk-born Stevenson will be playing some of his own compositions as well as a selection of jazz standards.

l classicalmusicfalkirk.co.uk

Stray Birds on Scots tour

Pennsylvania folk trio The Stray Birds, pictured, return to Scotland this week after making a big impression at Celtic Connections. The band have signed to prestigious roots music specialist label Yep Roc Records. Their second album, Best Medicine, is officially released in October, following dates that take them to Bunessan Hall, Isle of Mull (Wednesday); Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Isle of Skye (Thursday); An Lanntair, Stornoway (Friday); Eden Court, Inverness (Saturday); Universal Hall, Findhorn (Sunday); Old Library, Kilbarchan (September 9); Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline (10); CCA, Glasgow (11); Buccleuch Centre, Langholm (12); and Eastgate Theatre, Peebles (13).

l thestraybirds.com

Clarsach entries call

The Clarsach Society is seeking entries for its annual Young Composer Award. Composers aged between 16 and 25 are invited to present an original piece of music suitable for solo clarsach, or clarsach and up to three other instruments and/or voices. Entrants don't need to be clarsach players. As in the previous five years, the winning composer's piece will be premiered at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, which takes place from April 10-15, and will receive £500 in prize money.

l clarsachsociety.co.uk