Keeping ‘the Auld Alliance’ between Scotland and France strong, Live Music Now Scotland is delighted to be co-hosting some international musicians from the French branch of Live Music Now, Live Music Now France during August.
Quatuor Mona is an all female string quartet visiting Scotland from Paris. This string quartet formed last year, born out of the friendship of four former students at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris.
For their first Edinburgh date, Quatuor Mona, with Scottish double bass player Ben Burnley, provide the string ensemble for All the Hills and Vales Along by Sir James MacMillan at Greyfriars Kirk on Friday 16th August as part of the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival (EIF)’s celebration of Sir James’s 60thbirthday this year. They collaborate with the outstanding young performers of the National Youth Choir of Scotland and Whitburn Brass Band in MacMillan’s poignant oratorio, written to commemorate those who fell in the First World War.
During their visit to Edinburgh, the quartet will also perform in three community concerts; the first is the day after their EIF concert at The Pianodrome in Leith, followed by an afternoon concert in Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre on Sunday 18th August and an evening performance at the Institut français d’Ecosse (all welcome).
The Pianodrome is a wonderful small amphitheatre built from over 50 upcycled pianos where Live Music Now Scotland has staged concerts before, so we’re thrilled to be returning to such a great space. Watch a short video about the Pianodrome here: https://vimeo.com/344079660
Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre is a safe space in the southwest of the city where people are welcomed and can feel included and valued. Our musicians will play a one-hour, free concert, sharing classical music with communities outside of the city centre, but without the ticket price which makes arts events inaccessible for many.
Vive le Fringe!, now in its 9th year, is the Institut français d’Ecosse’s celebration of Edinburgh’s August festivals and an opportunity to showcase and promote France’s official participation in the capital’s many cultural events. The chamber music quartet will perform music by Debussy and Beethoven and all are very welcome.
We look forward to giving the LMN France artists a warm welcome, and hope Verena Chen (violin), Roxana Rastegar (violin), Arianna Smith (viola) and Caroline Sypniewski, (cello) all have a wonderful time in Scotland.
Quatuor Mona concert info:
Friday 16 August, 8–10pm
Sir James MacMillan at Greyfriars Kirk, EIF, Greyfriars Kirk, 2 Greyfriars Place
Edinburgh
Featuring Quatour Mona, the National Youth Choir of Scotland and Whitburn Brass Band, conducted by Christopher Bell, £25
Book tickets for The Culham Motets at: https://www.eif.co.uk/whats-on/2019/macmillan-greyfriars
Saturday 17 August, 1pm–2pm
Concert at The Pianodrome at The Pitt, Pitt Street Market, 125 Pitt Street, Edinburgh, free entry, all welcome
More info at: https://pianodrome.org/whats-on/
Sunday 18 August, 1–2pm, Community concert at Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre, 71 Firrhill Drive, Edinburgh (not open to the general public)
8.30pm–9.30pm, Vive le Fringe!, the Institut français Écosse, West Parliament Square, Edinburgh, free entry, all welcome
More info at: http://www.ifecosse.org.uk/Quatuor-Mona-plays-Debussy.html
Live Music Now Scotland is very grateful for the support and partnership of EIF and the Institut français Écosse for these concert dates.
