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Festival 2025: The Big Music
The 2025 Loch Shiel Festival - The Big Music - takes its name from the highland piping tradition of “Ceòl Mór”, and promises an immersive experience into the rich cultural heritage of the Highlands, with a diverse and groundbreaking lineup of performers.
This year at Loch Shiel Festival, we are celebrating and exploring highland cultural traditions, from piping to psalms, and from storytelling to sessions. With talks, outdoor performances, film screenings, workshops, and family performances featuring some from some of the best musicians and ensembles in the world, the festival is sure to be a hugely memorable and inspiring experience for everyone.
Join us from 1st-4th May 2025 in the breathtaking surroundings of Loch Shiel to experience some truly transformative listening experiences!
festival highlights
roo & NEIL | ARIUNDLE CENTRE
BRIGHDE CHAIMBEUL WITH THE MAXWELL QUARTET | GLENFINNAN CHURCH
the big music: lochaber schools pipe band with kirsty gunn | glenfinnan viaduct
music and stories at the boathouse | roshven house
music of home: maxwell quartet | resipole studios
seinn spioradail: frances wilkins & kristine kennedy | glenfinnan church
hymns & psalms: maxwell quartet | GLENFINNAN CHURCH
loch shiel folk sessions | prince’s house hotel
booking
Explore Music in Nature
Loch Shiel Spring Festival brings together great chamber music performances with breathtaking surroundings of the Scottish Highlands. Each year we invite some of the top artists in Scotland and further afield.
the best of new scottish music
We’re incredibly proud of the music scene in Scotland, which not only embraces its traditions and cultural history, but fearlessly explores the new, too. Loch Shiel Festival is committed to bringing the most exciting Scottish artists to perform year on year.
unique site-specific experiences
We love to take you to new spaces to appreciate music in a different context. We’re not afraid to get a bit damp ‘n’ muddy to explore the soundscape, and have curated events in bothies, under railway viaducts, in forests, ruined castles, and much more!
youth & community
The Highlands is all about community spirit and engagement, and our festival is closely connected with the local people of Loch Shiel. We partner with local schools and music organisations to put on unique collaborative events between international artists and the local community.
chamber music at its finest
At its heart, Loch Shiel Festival is a true celebration of the magic of intimate chamber music. From Indian tabla music to European classical string quartets, we think Loch Shiel is the perfect place to come and be inspired by the wonder of intimate music making.