Transforming Communities

LMN Scotland takes part in Luminate: Scotland's creative ageing festival

Live Music Now Scotland is thrilled to be taking part in Luminate: Scotlands' creative ageing festival.Photo Credit Iain Smith Photography

In the brand new Composing with Care initiative designed especially for Luminate 2013, Live Music Now musicians have been working with older people in day and residential care on the inner Hebridean islands of Mull, Skye, Tiree, Iona and Islay to create a suite of songs inspired by shared experiences and memories of island heritage and culture.

Following workshops with LMN Scotland traditional musicians Jennifer Port (clarsach/voice) and Gary Innes (accordion) in summer 2013, material was recorded in ten different venues and brought back to composer Bill Sweeney, who used it as a creative springboard for five songs, one for each of the islands, for classically trained voice and piano duos. Soprano and piano duos Emma Versteeg/Maryam Sherhan and Marie Claire Breen/Chris Baxter will perform the premiere of the songs, which are entitled The Luminate Suite, during the period of the festival in the island communities which are the source of their inspiration through a series of return visits to the original ten homes, day centres and lunch clubs.

Live Music Now Scotland ensembles also perform in a range of care homes and day centres for older people during October, the month of Luminate. The Bill Fleming Quartet (jazz ensemble), Aonach Mor (traditional trio), Laura Smith/Juliette Philogene (mezzo/piano), Knox and Ion (guitar duo) and Flutes en Route (flute quartet) perform a total of 10 interactive performances.