BBC Folk Awards 2016 winner Sam Lee, the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band, Scottish saxophone and piano duo Tommy Smith & Brian Kellock, and Eddi Reader are among the attractions lined up at Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival, which stages performances in venues across the region from May 20 to 29. As well as folk, world music and jazz, the festival includes comedy, classical music, film, theatre, poetry and events for children and young people. It has been running since 1979 and is now established as Scotland's largest rural multi-artform event.
dgartsfestival.org.uk
Ullapool Guitar Festival has announced the dates and first names booked to appear at this year’s event. Now in its seventeenth year, the festival will run over the weekend of October 7-9 and musicians appearing will include internationally acclaimed acoustic guitar stylists Clive Carroll and John Goldie, jazz virtuoso Nigel Clark, pictured, and Glasgow-born London session player Hugh Burns, who has worked with Jack Bruce, Gerry Rafferty, George Michael, and Scott Walker among many others. The festival, run by volunteers, began when farms in the area were affected by the foot and mouth epidemic at the turn of the century and initiatives were sought to attract visitors back to Ross-shire. It has gone on to present musicians from across the world as well as providing free guitar tuition to school-age children. Further festival guests will be announced soon.
ullapoolguitarfestival.com
Lance Bombardier Megan Beveridge from Inverkeithing has become the first female soldier in the British Army to qualify as Pipe Major. Lance Bombardier Beveridge , who at 21 is also the youngest person to qualify as Pipe Major, started playing the pipes with Inverkeithing Pipe Band when she was nine years old and, on completion of her Army training at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate in 2011 she became an integral member of 19 Regiment Royal Artillery, formerly the Highland Gunners’ Pipes and Drums. In her Pipe Major's course she came second overall and won the course solo piping prize. She was also top student in theory. At the weekend she led 19 Regiment Royal Artillery on a parade through Inverness as part of the Royal Artillery's tercentenary celebrations, known as 'UBIQUE 300', after their Latin motto, meaning 'Everywhere'.
theraa.co.uk
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