On Saturday 24th September 2011, some of Scotland’s finest professional musicians will be performing chamber music simultaneously at 1.00pm all over different parts of Scotland. This unique day has been arranged to celebrate the launch of Enterprise Music Scotland’s 500 concert season for the upcoming year and to promote chamber music in Scotland by introducing these exciting concerts to new audiences who are not regularly in contact with live music.

The concerts will be taking place in the most unusual of places to allow members of the public the opportunity to hear live music for all and engage them in the wonderful world of chamber music. Tasters of the 500 concerts happening over the next year will be found at venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ayr, Lockerbie, Falkirk, Dundee, Kircaldy, Gatehouse of Fleet, Inverness, Whithorn, Dunblane, Moffat, Perth and the Isle of Arran. The musicians will be taking over public spaces in hospitals, village fetes, shopping centres, supermarkets, art galleries, shops and more! The project will feature over 20 promoters and 75 musicians and to prove that chamber music can be more than just a string quartet the day will include the biggest variety of ensembles Scotland has to offer….

An example of one of the chamber ensembles taking part in the National Chamber Music Day is Daniel’s Beard, a chamber ensemble made up of some of Scotland’s top musicians based in Glasgow’s West End. In partnership with The Four Acres Charitable Trust, Daniel’s Beard has a performance residency in The Cottier Theatre, Hyndland, where the group performs regular concerts featuring music that is at the core of the chamber music repertoire alongside lesser known gems that they discover along the way…There is a core line up of violin, viola, clarinet, horn, cello and piano, but guest players regularly feature, so look out for Daniel’s Beard in all forms – string quartet, wind quintet, piano trio….and more.

Andrew Saunders, creator of Daniel’s Beard and the Cottiers Chamber Project, commented: “ Chamber Music is rooted in being the music of friends- it’s the musical equivalent of sitting down for a chat over coffee or a pint. People tend to dismiss it as the poor cousin of an orchestral spectacular or as old-fashioned and irrelevant, but they’re wrong! It’s music that challenges and inspires, music that is a personal journey for players and listeners alike. The National Chamber Music Day is about contacting new audiences and showing them that chamber music is relevant and exciting. Can you think of a better way to spend a day than a trip to Arran with your pals to play great music and have an adventure?”

Please see the complete list of ensembles and venues the groups will be performing below along with the links to read about these talented and unique ensembles taking part. Further information and updates can be found at www.emusicscotland.co.uk

 ● Travelling by Tuba, Ayr Music Club, Foyer of Ayr Hospital, 1-3pm.

● Maxwell String Quartet, Classic Music Live! Falkirk, Highgate Shopping Centre, 1-3pm.

● Karin Leitner (flute), Richard Morrison (baritone), Alina Bzhezhinska (harp), Cromarty Arts Trust, Fortrose Academy as part of the Black Isle Gathering, 1-3pm.

● Cosmopolitan String Quartet, Dumfries Music Club, The Loreburn Shopping Centre, 1-3pm

● Scottish Reed Trio, Dunblane Cathedral Arts Guild, Marks and Spencer, Dunblane, 1-3pm

● Arunda Wind Trio, Dundee Chamber Music, Overgate Shopping Centre, 2-4pm

● Liquid Architecture, Gatehouse Music Society, Faed Art Gallery, 1-3pm

● Amici Cello Trio, Glenkens and District Music Club, Co-Op, Castle Douglas, 1-3pm

● Daniels Beard, Isle of Arran Music Society, Kilmory Hall Fete 1-3pm

● Amici Winds, Kirkcaldy Music Society, Shopping Mall, 1-3pm

● Duo Concertante, Linlithgow Arts Guild, Tesco, 1-3pm

● Sax Ecosse, Lockerbie Music, Tesco, 12-2pm

● Modera Moderna, Moffat Music Society, Scottish Woollen Mill, 2.30-4.30pm

● The Campbell Duo, Music in Peebles, Theatre Café, Eastgate Theatre, 1-3pm

● Alban Minstrels, Music Nairn, Sainsburys, 1-3pm

● Flercussion, Perth Chamber Music Society, Dobbies Garden World, 1-3pm

● Williams Duo, Laigh Room, St Cecilia’s Hall and Museum of Instruments in Edinburgh, 1-3pm

● Lucy Russell (violin), Heather Tuach (cello), Swallow Theatre Association, Old Bank Bookshop in Wigtown, 1-2pm

● Pure Brass, Westbourne Music, Queen Street Station, Glasgow, 12-1.30pm

● Artic Winds, Westbourne Music, Glasgow venue TBC, 1-3pm

● The Rope & Duck Company, Woodend Music Society, Lang Byre Gallery and Buchanans Bistro, Woodend Barn, 1-3pm

Enterprise Music Scotland is a charity funded by Creative Scotland to support top quality live chamber music concerts. It represents over 80 chamber music clubs throughout Scotland made up entirely of voluntary promoters who actively programme and promote chamber concerts throughout the year. Helping to facilitate access for all to live music across the whole Scottish community, the promoters engage professional musicians to visit and perform in their local venues ranging from local church halls, community spaces, schools and local concert halls.

Helen McVey, Executive Manager, Enterprise Music Scotland, commented:

“EMS is a truly special organisation. We provide assistance to make over 500 concerts a year across the whole of Scotland a reality. This day will pair up musicians with promoters to work together to profile the abundance of high quality live music events available in local areas. The day is timed to profile the work of EMS – I’m really excited and hope to see a positive impact on audience numbers after the event. Enterprise Music Scotland develops audiences through local contacts – it’s the people on committees throughout Scotland who do all the hard work!”

 www.karinleitner.com www.alina-harpist.co.uk  www.richardmorrison.co.uk

Source: Cromarty Arts Trust