Scotland The Brave
17 January 2006
The Whistlebinkies in Hong Kong
HONG KONG CITY HALL CONCERT HALL, 8pm
Scotland the Brave is a unique cultural collaboration between The Whistlebinkies, Scotland’s Traditional Music Ensemble, the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong and the Red Guard Pipe Band. It is an evening of traditional Scottish music, old and new, composed and arranged by the composer and founding member of the Whistlebinkies, Edward McGuire, and conducted by Scottish conductor David Gwilt. Special guest will be Scottish based Chinese composer and performer Ip Kimho on the traditional Chinese instrument Yang Qin. The concert will be recorded for radio broadcast.
The Whistlebinkies will also present a concert and workshop on 18 Jan for local Chinese instrumentalists and students at the Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong.
After The Whistlebinkies’ recent successes in a major collaboration with local Scottish Chinese residents and traditional Chinese instruments as part of a Scottish Arts Council Creative Scotland Award and the group’s growing links with Hong Kong, China and the Far East, The Whistlebinkies will make a welcome return to Hong Kong. This invitation will continue their work in building cultural links between Scotland and China and their relationship with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong which itself has its own growing commitment to Celtic music, as part of its innovative programming as a recent and invigorating addition to Hong Kong musical life.
Scotland The Brave will present to Hong Kong audiences a varied showcase programme of arrangements and original compositions in the traditional Scottish folk music medium by leading Scottish composer and member of the group, Eddie McGuire. The music will be played by the individual and combined forces of a chamber orchestra, a pipe band and The Whistlebinkies. There will be new arrangements of tunes played by The Whistlebinkies with orchestral and pipe accompaniment, and will include Voyage Home, the finale from McGuire’s L’Epopée Celtique, acclaimed at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient and Celtic Connections festival. The evening will present Scottish music as a living tradition rooted in the richness of Scotland’s heritage and able to respond creatively to the richness of other cultures. From intimate folk tunes to the rousing finale, Scotland the Brave promises to be an exciting showcase of Scottish music abroad. With interest already shown in The Whistlebinkies from other countries, this is an opportunity for the group to develop their presence in the Far East market, attracting interest in their recording catalogue with a new CD due for release during 2006.
THE ARTISTS :
THE WHISTLEBINKIES
- Peter Anderson Scottish side drum/bodhran
- Anna Dagg fiddle / viola
- Stuart Eydmann fiddle / concertina / vocals
- Mark Hayward fiddle
- Rhona MacKay clarsach / vocals
- Eddie McGuire flute
- Rab Wallace lowland pipes / Scottish smallpipes
- With guest Ip Kimho, Yang Qin
CITY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OF HONG KONG, Cond, David Gwilt
RED GUARD PIPE BAND
Download a full press release here