Red Note, Scotland’s contemporary music ensemble, and prolific internationally acclaimed tabla player Kuljit Bhamra, are bringing Bhangra and bagpipes to the Hebrides this April!

The 4 day “From Reels to Ragas” tour, which begins on 11 April 2012, is a cross-genre project fusing global and Indian music in a series of exciting concerts and free workshops on the Hebridean islands of Coll, Barra, Harris and Skye. Joining tabla-player Kuljit are Robert Irvine on cello, Jacqueline Shave on violin and Fiona Winning on viola.

Robert Irvine, Artistic Director, Red Note says, “We are so excited to be collaborating with such a world renowned artist as Kuljit, a musician from the very top of his field, and to be given the opportunity to share this fantastic music with the people of the Hebrides.”

‘From Reels to Ragas’ will explore harmony and counterpoint within a raga, which is a traditional form of Indian music with a single-line melodic format; during Indian classical music recitals the raga scale provides a rigid framework within which the performers can improvise. In contrast, Western ‘modes’ and ‘keys’ are usually used for composition, working with musicians in a notational-based context. Kuljit hopes to explore and combine these two worlds without sacrificing the roots of either.

Kuljit Bhamra says, “My recent experimentations with the tabla have driven me to work with an extended number of drums (usually only two) to allow me to pick out simple melodic phrases whilst also playing rhythmically, and I will use these during our performances. I’m excited about working with Red Note and hope that at least some of the performances will attract South Asian audiences too – Bollywood is all about strings!”

In addition to the world premiere of Kuljit’s new work ‘Lost Temples’, this tour announces renowned international violinist Jacqueline Shave as the Leader of Red Note Ensemble. Jacqueline first met Robert Irvine, Red Note’s cellist, in London where they played in a string quartet together for 5 years. Their musical partnership has grown from strength to strength over the years and in 2011 Robert invited Jacqueline to lead and direct Red Note’s work with Gabriel Jackson and their Shaker loops programme.

Jacqueline Shave says, “It felt like coming home playing with ‘Bert’ again, so much so we put on Beethoven Cycle recently on the Isle of Harris and played together at Red Note’s December Noisy Nights at The Traverse, Edinburgh. Having played many ‘grand’ concert halls all over the world, there is nothing that gives me greater pleasure than playing to an intimate group in a relaxed setting. It is a rare thing to have such a natural affinity with another musician, such as Robert, and I am delighted to be able to take up the Leader position in Red Note. I’m hoping to be moving to Glasgow next year and look forward to many musical adventures with the group.”

Jacqueline added, “I’m so looking forward to playing with Kuljit again and to play his new composition. It’s difficult to describe the lyrical beauty of his instrument, and the sounds and atmosphere he creates, but it will be unlike anything else you have heard, quite unique and hypnotic

The ‘From Reels to Ragas’ programme  includes music from all around the world: ‘The Bagpiper’s String Trio’ by Judith Weir, 3 pieces forming a very short instrumental opera based on the life of James Reid, a bagpiper in Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army; ‘Canto’ for solo cello by Giles Swayne, a full-on response to the composer’s experience of African musics, both minimalist and complex in tone; ‘The Stream Flows’ by Bright Sheng, a fresh and richly themed  Chinese folk song followed by a fast country dance; ‘Machair to Myrrh’ by Jacqueline Shave, written for tabla, guitar and violin with a central improvised section, rhapsodic broken chords, inspired by Gnaoua music and ‘Bucolics’ by Witold Lutoslawaski, a folk based attractive and melodic piece, in five movements, lasting just over five minutes.

The ‘From Reels to Ragas’ tour is a cultural and educational event promoting music, social inclusion and participation in the Hebrides; undoubtedly one of Scotland’s most beautiful and captivating locations. Local audiences will have the opportunity to listen to multi-award-winning virtuoso instrumentalists, improvisers and composers in a relaxed, fun, accessible environment. The workshops will enable local communities to discover India’s culture, explore the rhythms and different styles of Indian music and have a go on the tabla, drums and Indian harmonium.

As well as the concerts, Kuljit and the players will lead workshops in the afternoons before each performance for everyone to come and try their hand at mastering Indian rhythms and get a feel for the exciting breadth of music Red Note is bringing.

It is hoped that this tour will inspire and nurture the artistic health of the area, taking participants beyond the sensual enjoyment of music and leave a little bit of Bollywood in its wake!

Tour Dates/Venues/Ticket booking:

Wednesday 11 April – Coll 7.30pm

Arinagour Village Hall; no bookings tickets on the door on the day – £6.00, under 12’s free.

Thursday 12 April – Barra 7.30pm

Castlebay Community Hall; 01871 810047; tickets on the door – £6.00, under 12’s free.

Friday 13 April – Harris 7.30pm

The Mission House; 01859 530 227; tickets on the door £6.00, under 12’s free.

Saturday 14 April – Skye 7.30pm

The Aros Centre; Box Office 01478 613750 – £10.00, under 12’s free.

All Coll, Barra, Harris and Skye workshops are free to all participants, and will take place on the afternoon of the performances. Visit www.rednoteensemble.com

Source: Red Note Ensemble