Edinburgh International Festival 2025 announced

 

This years theme is “the Truth We Seek”

Now for the first time in its 75 year history run by both a scot and a woman. 

 

In our present world of chaos and uncertainties, Edinburgh festival cultural celebrations bring offerings of light and hopes. The festival offers several Scottish premiers. 

 

 Succession actor Brian Cox appears in theatre show, Make it Happen. 

 

Shakespeare’s As You Like is a Radical Retelling

 

Scottish ballet’s Mary Queen of Scots

 

Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, opera in concert

 

Our 2025 Edinburgh International Festival invites you to explore The Truth We Seek — a journey into the elusive nature of truth, in our personal and public lives.      Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director

 

TICKETS on sale - https://www.eif.co.uk/

 

CELTIC CONNECTIONS REVIEW 2025

Loudon Wainwright III

Julie Fowlis

Celtic Connections 2025 closed on a high note, presenting the world’s best trad, folk, world and roots music to Glasgow each winter. The 32nd edition of Scotland’s premier winter music festival reached attendances of 110,000, 125 sold out shows across 18 days. (Despite rescheduled events, the festival made a triumphant return after Storm Éowyn  to match 2023 festival attendance figures.)  For three weeks, Glasgow – a UNESCO City of Music – reflected the richness of Celtic traditions and demonstrated the power of global cultural exchange and innovation. From a spectacular birthday celebration to mark Glasgow 850 for the festival’s Opening Concert, to 300 community choir singers joining Karine Polwart on stage for an emotion-fuelled show. 

1,500 musicians from 40 nationalities took part in 300 events in 24 venues, celebrating the unifying power of live music and vibrancy of Scotland’s cultural scene. Over 7,000 pupils travelled to Glasgow Concert Hall for the festival’s Schools Concerts and music workshops were delivered to every primary 7 pupil across Glasgow. 900 people of all ages took part in ceilidhs and family events, and 1,500 took part in music and song workshops.

Lake Street Dive

Concerts such as Transatlantic Sessions proves the size of the audience for this kind of traditional, acoustic music. Celtic Connections music festival has taken the closed off live local pub sessions on to the bigger stage. And also taken Celtic music forward, while respecting the traditions. In particular certain folk musicians aim to keep carrying the stream. 

 

*Highlight concerts for me included - Dialogues Su a Lee, with Donald Shaw, Duncan Chisholm and Hamish Napier. Su a Lee celebrated her many collaborations. This wasn’t a concert about Lee’s classical musical roots (vie Julliard school) but about her journey through Scottish trad folk journeys and through it’s innovative new directions. 

 

Blue Rose Code gave an assured performance at the Pavilion with his emotive, soulful songs and backed by his accomplished band.  Lake street Dive from Boston at the Old Fruitmarket venue, got everyone in party mood with their upbeat soul, good times vibes. The 30^th Transatlantic Sessions was led by impressive artists – Niall McCabe from Ireland, accomplished Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams from Tennessee, Loudon Wainwright III who commanded the concert hall stage with his gritty character and story telling songs, plus the wonderful Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, with her latest album ‘Following the Thread.’ 

Another highlight was the diversity on display with the anticipation of the festival’s Opening Concert – with notably Madison Cunningham, James Grant, Siobhan Miller and Oswali Project. While I might have wished to hear from some of Glasgow’s outstanding poets.  

There is always also an accomplished international flavour at the festival. CC hosted q concert of a Palestinian/Scottish collaboration with Palestinian pipers. Unfortunately three pipers had their visas refused by the Home Office. Bethlehem Calling: An evening of stories, music and pipers from Palestine. Bethlehem Calling champions artists and young people from both nations to tell a vital story of our time; sharing the experiences of girls in Bethlehem during the 2nd Intifada (2000-05) alongside to present-day testimony from students 20 years on. Performance integrated with music.

 Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams 

Niall McCabe

Duncan Chisholm

The program remained concert based, with enough to satisfy the broadest of tastes, whether it’s the Hebridean punk of Peat and Diesel at the Emirates Arena, the inspired Gaelic pipe and song collaboration Canntaireachd, at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (GRCH), country hero Lyle Lovett at the same venue, or KT Tunstall reprising her Eye to the Telescope album 20 years on at both the Concert Hall and the Barrowland Ballroom.

Sometimes (if not often) culture leads the way for new visions. And new collaborations of how to view the world today and how our futures might be. Celtic Connections shines a light on this vision, after all music is the universal language.    CELTIC CONNECTIONS - https://www.celticconnections.com

Keeping the Celtic Traditions Alive! 

Sixty years ago the folk revival followed on from the Scottish Cultural Renaissance from Montrose in the 1930s – with figures such a Hugh MacDiarmid, Edwin Muir, William Soutar, Edwin Morgan, Neil Gunn, Eric Linklater, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Willa Muir, Nan Shepherd, Catherine Carswell, George Blake, Iain Chrichton Smith, Sorley MacLean, 

Later 1960s poets, writers, song smiths, song collectors, such as Hamish Henderson, Margaret Bennet, Dick Gaughan. Just as poets – Allan Ramsey, Robert Fergusson, Robert Burns - wrote to keep the Scots language, culture, ballads and heritage alive, in 1700s after the union 1707 (and the suppressions of Scots musical instruments and highland dress after Culloden)

 

Celtic Connections music festival has brought folk music (and indie, world, roots, Americana) onto the bigger stage. Back in the 70s I had little idea when I attended Sandy Bells bar Edinburgh, and folk festivals – that there was a revival happening. I feel so fortunate to have enjoyed this experiences of the wonderful live music. So odd looking back.  

 

Today there are Celtic musicians keeping Scotland’s musical traditions alive such as – Julie Fowlis, Kris Drever, Karine Polwart, Manran, Braebach, Duncan Chisholm, Ross Ainslie, Glasgow Trad Collective and many more. My impression is that many younger musicians are highly aware of the traditions. 

 

Sadly troubadours such as the folk legends Dick Gaughan, Rab Noakes, Michael Marra, Gerry Rafferty, are no longer with us or performing. I remember Noakes saying – ‘A present with no past has no future.’ Scotland has a centuries old tradition of believing in the rights of all people. From the clan system, Declaration of Arbroath, scholars such a George Buchanan, Enlightenment, and Robert Burns humanity. This matters for our views of the world. Music without any hinterland lacks substance, soul and depth. 

 

The voices of the ordinary folks. In 1960s Hamish Henderson wrote, ‘Freedom Come All Ye’

 

Opening concert Celtic connections 2025 Glasgow 850

Tonight’s welcome return Opening Concert of Celtic Connections the world leading folk and roots music festival, began with the dramatic horn blowing of an ancient Celtic instrument the  Carnyx, (a wind instrument used by the Celts during the Iron Age, between c. 200 BCE and c. 200 CE), brought over the heads of the venue. 

 

Glasgow 850 Opening concert, heralded the start of the city’s year-long 850th birthday celebration. ‘Let Glasgow Flourish’ is the motto on the city’s coat of arms, and this special concert paid tribute to the city’s rich artistic heritage and flourishing future through a concert incorporating music, spoken-word, dance and film. 

 

This concert was hosted by Siobhan Miller and Roddy Hart, and celebrated the breadth and talent of musicians, artists and poets Glasgow has produced and how this has fed into the very heart of Celtic Connections. Glasgow is a diverse, multi-cultural and vibrant city.

Glasgow Trad Collective

First there was energetic reels and jigs from the Glasgow’s Trad Collective (of Ben Nevis bar). We had nostalgia with the Bluebell’s 80s song 'Young at Heart'. Behind the stage were projected black and white images of Glasgow by photographer – Oscar Marzaroli.

 

Glasgow was celebrated with performances by the Joyous choir of Maryhill, While the Indian collective Qawali Project raised the energy levels with warm applause. The talented pipers Ross Ainslie and Finlay Macdonald impressed as did the string ensemble who performed world-renowned Glasgow composer Craig Armstrong’s Immer (Forever). 

 

Grammy award-winning American singer songwriter Madison Cunningham impressed with her haunting vocals on her song ‘Home’.Glaswegian James Grant, performed several Glasgow songs – and along with Siobhan Miller and Paul McKenna delighted us with their rendition of Michael Marra’s song “Mither Glasgow.” After which we were treated to a grand finale of multi-instrumentalists and uplifting tunes. 

James Grant

Glasgow has world class art galleries, and an ancient and leading university. Glasgow is the city of music and boasts world famous venues including the Barrowlands  King Tuts, Oran Mor, Old Fruitmarket. 

  

Image: 'Playing Ring, Gorbals, School Playground’ 1963, © Oscar Marzaroli Collection, courtesy of Street Level Photoworks.

 From the permanent exhibition ‘Oscar Marzaroli’s Gorbals’ at Gorbals Library.

 CELTIC CONNECTIONS - https://www.celticconnections.com

Celtic Connections 2025!

 Europe’s biggest winter festival celebrates 32^nd year Celtic Connections Glasgow 16^th Jan to 2^nd Feb

The world’s leading folk, roots and world music festival Celtic Connections has unveiled its ambitious program 2025. Glasgow UNESCO City of Music-  25 venues, 300 events across 18 days, anticipating 110,000 visitors and 1,200 musicians and artists

The premiere winter festival will illuminate stages across Glasgow. Eclipsing dark winter nights with a kaleidoscope of internationally-renowned music, exciting new performances, unique showcases and one-off collaborations. Around 1,200 musicians from 20 countries will descend on Glasgow for the international celebration of Celtic music. 

 

*Celtic is about the most unique and inspired collaborations, emotional tribute concerts, beautiful Gaelic song, traditional ballads and instruments, exciting ceilidh bands, and accomplished musicianship. Plus international and Celtic music. 

 

Highlights include – Grammy-award winner Lyle Lovett, Katie Tunstall, 

**Opening concert – celebrates Glasgow 850, “Let Glasgow Flourish”  the city’s Coat of Arms, to pay tribute to the city’s rich artistic heritage of music, art, poetry, dance and film. How this has fed into Celtic Connections. With unique collaborations, from well-kent faces and emerging talent.  

 

Bluebells Barrowlands; Peat & Diesel Emirate; Braebach with Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO); 

celebrated Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis will undertake her first orchestral commission at the festival with the Scottish Orchestra and her Scots-Irish quartet Allt, alongside Zoe Conway, Eamon Doorley and John Mcintyre. 

Malinky 25^th anniversary concert.  Frigg, Finnish band, Scandi folk with BBC Symphony Orchestra. Old Fruitmaket – Glasgow trad scene TRIP headline show; Gaelic song and Hebridean music with Ceolos @30 from South Uist. 

 

New Voices Commissions – BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2021 pianist Michael Biggins, Skye born harpist Clorstaidh Beaton and promising banjo talent Ciaran Ryan.

Showcase Scotland partners with Ireland, with Niamh Bury Trio, Nuala Kennedy and Eamonn O’Leary, Corar Trio, Florock, Grainne Hunt and Leonard Barry Trio.

 

The SNJO hosts Nu-Age Sounds: PLANET WORLD, The Old Fruitmarket, with Mercury Prize nominated pianist Fergus McCreadie and jazz singer kitti. And SAY Award shortlisted corto.alto folk-infused jazz Barrowlands, with Scots jazz talent Bemz, Pippa Blundell, Becky Sikasa and JSPHYNX.

 

Canntaireachd with Gaelic singers Kathleen MacInnes, Kim Carnie, and pipes.

Celebrated Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis will undertake her first orchestral commission at the festival with the Scottish Chamber Orhestra and her scots-Irish quartet Allt which, alongside Zoe Conway, Eamon Doorley and John McInytre. 

*Transatlantic Sessions celebrates 30 years of the roots of Americana, with popular house band led by Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas - and featuring vocalists Loudon Wainwright III, Julie Fowlis, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams and Ireland’s Niall McCabe. Plus American folk-roots pop singer-songwriter Josh Rouse celebrates the 10th birthday of his famous album Nashville, Bluegrass sensations Hawktail, Boston’s Lake Street Dive share their avant-garde Americana sound. 

 

Tradition series, plus ceilidhs, late night sessions, Festival Club, screenings, workshops, the Scottish National Whisky Festival and education program. 

Duncan Chisholm

The very best in world music acts will once again be welcomed to the Celtic Connections line up. Fronted by London-born Nigerian singer Eno Williams, Ibibio Sound Machine will play the Tramway. A clash of African and electronic elements, the outfit is inspired by the golden era of West-African funk and disco and modern post-punk and electro. Femi Kuti & The Positive Force will also bring their iconic live show to Scotland. The eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Femi will showcase his jubilant energy and distinctive voice to a Glasgow Royal Concert Hall audience.

From small beginnings in 1994, the festival now attracts international artists, and this year will welcome artists from 20 countries - Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, France, Italy, Nigeria, Spain, Wales, Ireland, Republic of the Congo and more. This year will see the launch of under-26s pass, and ensuring the magic of the festival continues to be accessible.

 

Ceiran  Ryan

Glasgow’s much-loved venues, famous for having the “best fans in the world”, are set to give artists a warm welcome -  The Old Fruitmarket, Barrowland Ballroom, SWG3, Saint Luke’s and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Celtic Connections and Peat and Diesel will become the first band to play at the Emirates Arena in the city’s east end.

 

TICKETS -  Wednesday 16 October 2024 at www.celticconnections.com.

This year the festival will focus on several High-profile women – Madison Cunningham,  Lady Blackbird, Beth Malcolm, Abi Sompa, (Orchestral Qowwali Project). PLUS award-winning Karine Polwart headline show and 300 choir, Julie Fowlis and Allt and the Scottish chamber Orchestra. 

Karine Polwart

Julie Fowlis

Caroline Lucas Another England at Edinburgh book festival 2024

 

The nation is a construct of stories” Phillip Larkin.

 

Fourteen years in the European parliament, and former English Green party leader

The UK is coming apart. Wales wants a new constitution, Scotland has over 50% support for independence and Ireland has moves to unify. England appears to be left squeamish about the English flag - as a symbol of imperialism and exceptionalism. There is also the rise of the right in England. Lucas said we need a different story, of a more progressive England. 

 

British Trust attempts to bury slavery, the story of imperialism was a good theme and initiatives to alter that story .The recent violent riots in Southport – the media were reluctant to name it. There were counter protests against racism and of another England.

 

There is a need to see England as separate from Britain. There is the myth of 4 equal nations likely to encourage the rise of far right. Anglo-centric British nationalism which constantly muddles England/ Britain. The English lack confidence in ‘who’ we are. The hate-filled language of the Tory party the past decades has had consequences. 

 

Lucas has a long-standing interest in literature.. She is interested in the narratives and false histories of England. The battle of Flodden was won by Catherine of Aragon – which was written out of history by Henry. The victors rewrite history. Robin Hood did steal from the rich - but never gave to the poor! The Spanish Armada was held back by bad weather. The Charters of the Forrest – which gave rights of landless people to forage, but who has heard of it? The Magna Carta was about the rights to restrain the power of the king. 

 

England is nature depleted: the right to roam in England, is only 8% land, and 3% rivers. The history of the enclosure movement. They discussed, should the values of today be imposed on the values of the past? Lucas felt that history is always evolving and the Colston statue in Bristol is now in a museum with a plaque stating his story. After all statues are often put up much later on, by those who want to use history for contemporary needs. 

 

There is a Chapter on inequality – on a wealth tax, constitution, reform voting system. Take finance out of politics? She is a big admirer of Anthony Burnett of Open Democracy, who is a constitutional expert. She’s concerned about the disengagement of young people from politics and a fairer voting system. At the recent General election, a third of people didn’t bother to vote. This is a serious issue. Labour won a big majority of two thirds of the seats, with only a third of the vote. 

(Comment: We were told by the powers that be back in 2011, that we get strong government with our First past the post voting system,(!!) when we had a vote on the issue – and weak, chaotic government with Proportional Representation, such as France, Germany and all other European countries have! Only Belarus uses FPTP voting. First past the post voting means that most votes don’t count and only marginal seats matter. It also means there is a lack of negotiation and collaboration in the UK government, compared to elsewhere.) 

 

There is a lot literature can tell us. Lucas asked us to put people and planet before profit!

 I was sad to hear Little is retiring from his role at the book festival as an interviewer. 

**Allan Little - “Edinburgh festival essentially became a peace project.” 

Lifted Up at Edinburgh festivals 2024!

 

high street performers

Weather warm and muggy this year over for the Edinburgh festivals. Who says Scotland is always cold? asks a young American girl. But the next day the humidity lifts and its clear, windy and sunny. In Scotland, often has the three seasons in one day. We meet old friends and later make our way up the very busy high street – past the excited performers, the tourists young and old, as Edinburgh comes to life again for its annual celebration of the arts, culture, drama and music, from the sublime to the idiotic. Entrancing audiences both young and old, and from near and far.

 

One of the world’s oldest and biggest Arts festivals, begun in 1947 after the war. (which might have ended all wars but didn’t)

Sunday – Bach’s St Matthews Passion. Such a wall of sound: spine-tingling and goose bumps. 

With the Festival chorus, BBC symphony orchestra and a top line up of soloists. What joyous, soul enriching and uplifting music by the genius of Bach. – and interpreted by Mendelsohn. 

 

Festival chorus & Symphony orchestra

Carmen Festival Theatre

Monday – Scottish National art gallery to see the exhibition of John Laverty. Persuasive impressions.

A major exhibition of Irish and Scots impressionist painter John Lavery July to October, 2024. He was a great journeyman, who painted extraordinary images of ordinary life in Glasgow, Spain and Morocco. His portraits have a surreal quality: both commanding and expressive. 

 

Tuesday – Carmen Opera with incredible singing and performances and unforgettable music by Bisset. What a treat! 

Paintings by Sir John Lavery July to October 2024.  ‘An Irish Impressionist: Lavery on Location’, a collaboration between the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, National Museums NI, and the National Galleries of Scotland. That capture Lavery's impressions of people and places, from his travels - Scotland, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Palm Springs, Glasgow, London, and Venice. Portraits, genre scenes, landscapes, and cityscapes. 

The Arts are under pressure like never before. Recent funding has been cut.  But art is not an extra in life or for our heritage and stories. Its central.

 

This year’s festival theme was ‘The Rituals that Unite Us’. 

 

We must hold on – to the past and to future innovations.