“Adventures in New Music” is the promise of Aberdeen’s Sound Festival which opens on Wednesday and runs until October 30.

Artists in residence Garth Knox (viola), Nicholas Daniel (oboe) and Ben Goldsheider (horn) alongside Emily Hultmark (bassoon) and Elise Dabrowski (double bass) will give recitals and perform in a special “Endangered Instrument Ensemble”. Knox will also conduct an Endangered Instrument Orchestra, bringing together amateur and professional performers from across the north-east. Look out, too, for an appearance from Breton piper extraordinaire Ewan Keravec with his ensemble, Sonneurs, pictured, making their UK debut. Among the sound co-commissions featured in the festival is a new Piano Quintet by Sir James MacMillan.

For more information visit sound-scotland.co.uk

 

Colin Macleod, The Caves, Edinburgh, Wednesday, The Tunnels, Aberdeen, Thursday and Oran Mor, Glasgow, Friday

Last year Colin Macleod released his latest album Hold Fast and even managed to wangle a guest appearance by Sheryl Crow on it. Sheryl probably won’t be turning up for his gigs in Scotland, but Macleod is travelling from his home on Lewis to the mainland to play tunes from Hold Fast and remind us what a talent he is.

 

Galoshins Festival, Inverclyde, until October 30

The latest Galoshins Festival, which will see events taking place at Lunderston Bay, Clyde Muirshiel Country Park, Greenock Boating Club, Battery Park, Coronation Park, Cathcart Square and Greenock Waterfront, among others has been curated by arts organisation Feral. Events include the Scottish debut of Ashley Peevor’s The Lost Opera, an interactive sound performance that brings elaborate costumes and interactive technology together taking audiences through the streets, accompanied by an electronic soundscore.

For the full festival programme visit www.galoshansfestival.com/

 

Beethoven Five, RSNO, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Friday

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is your proper classical banger. The opening four notes are perhaps the most recognisable in the entire classical canon, after all. Principal Guest Conductor Elim Chan, above left, leads the RSNO through this heavyweight composition. And as added extras the Dunedin Consort perform Haydn’s Symphony No39 and clarinettist Jorg Widmann plays Echo-Fragmente.

 

Surrender, Bono, Hutchinson Heinemann, £25

How do we feel about U2 these days? Do we laud them or loathe them? Either way, Surrender sees the U2 singer finally give us his own spin on the last 40 years and more of his life, taking him from his childhood in Dublin to fronting the biggest band in the world, touching on faith and grief along the way. Read the book and then catch the man himself talking about his memoir and his life at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow on Thursday, November 17.