PROGRAMME
THE WOODS SO WILD
loch shiel festival 2024
01.05.24 - 05.05.24
featuring:
colin currie
THOMAS FOSTER | maxwell quartet
dopey monkey | CHRIS STOUT & CATRIONA MCKAY
katie coventry | rachel spencer | lisa robertson
west highlandS schools gaelic choir | LOCHABER SCHOOLS’ BRASS
welcome to our 2024 programme - A CELEBRATION AND EXPLORATION OF SCOTTISH NATIVE WOODLANDS THROUGH INSPIRING MUSICAL PERFORMANCES.
The 2024 Loch Shiel Festival will be a celebration of the magnificent temperate rainforests of the five west highland peninsulas, bringing together local communities, audiences and internationally renowned artists in a shared cause of highlighting the important issue of native woodland restoration.
The highlight of the 2024 festival will undoubtedly be the creation of a new large-scale work for children’s Gaelic choir and ensemble, composed by Morvern’s own Lisa Robertson. The work will be the culmination of months of workshops and rehearsals involving local children of the Loch Shiel area.
In addition to the new work by Robertson, we champion new music by composers and performers from Scotland, including a world premiere of Elise Haller-Shannon’s new work composed for the Scottish superstar percussionist, Colin Currie, as well as a new composition by the incredible folk duo, Chris Stout & Catriona McKay, and pioneering Brass duo Dopey Monkey. Sitting alongside new compositions, will be music from throughout history which connects to our woodland theme, by composers including Henry Purcell, William Byrd, Felix Mendelssohn, Ralph Vaughan Williams and many more.
Our artists will engage especially with children and families this year, with school visits, children’s workshops, family-friendly performances, and side-by-side performances.
Festival-goers can also enjoy a variety of other activities around the concerts with talks from leading woodland experts, guided walks, film screenings, and foraging-themed food all on offer. Join us for a celebration of the wonderful, wet, west highland woodland surrounding Loch Shiel!
PROGRAMME & TICKETS
Please note:
• Upon selecting “book tickets”, you will be directed to Eventbrite, our ticket selling provider. An additional booking fee applies to the stated ticket prices below.
• Children under 16 are free and do not need to book - with the exception of the children’s music workshop at glenuig hall on sat 4th may and the closing concert on 5th may. For this event, under-16s must book a ticket, even in the instance that it is free. this is to ensure that seating is available.
• Tickets will be available to buy on the door at our events (subject to availability)
WEDNESDAY 01 MAY 2024 19:00
Opening Concert: Colin Currie | Glenfinnan Church | 19:00
We are delighted to kick off the 2024 festival with a performance from one of Scotland’s most highly respected musicians. Colin Currie, the ground-breaking and multi-award winning Scottish percussionist, has a career which knows no limits in its experimentation and its championing of new music for percussion. Colin, who is an ambassador for Chamber Music Scotland, will be opening the 2024 festival with a solo performance that will feature an array of contemporary compositions, including the world premiere of a new work by Scottish composer, Elise Haller-Shannon, commissioned by Chamber Music Scotland.
book tickets: £15.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S
THURSDAY 02 MAY 2024 18:15
Pre-concert Talk: Izzy Baker | Resipole Studios | 18:15
Forest Manager, Glencripesdale Nature Reserve (RSPB)
Join Izzy Baker, woodland manager at the Glencripesdale nature Reserve as she tells us about the fascinating work she does in her role as woodland manager. Through the vital work of the RSPB in this area, the aim is to secure the future of this magical woodland and the incredible biodiversity it can support.
book tickets: FREE | DONATION TO THE RSPB welcome
thursday 02 may 2024 19:30
Mendelssohn’s Woods: Maxwell Quartet | Resipole Studios | 19:30
The Maxwell Quartet return to Loch Shiel with two milestone works from the string quartet repertoire: Haydn’s early Opus 20 no. 5, and Mendelssohn’s last great work, Op 80 in F minor. Mendelssohn, who famously visited Scotland in 1829, made many sketches of the landscape whilst travelling down from Fort William to Oban by ferry on Loch Linnhe. Tonight’s programme reflects on the importance of landscape to artists, painters, and musicians alike.
The concert will be preceded by an informal chat between local artists who work at Resipole Studios and members of the Maxwell Quartet.
book tickets: £15.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
friday 03 may 2024 12:00
Guided Walk at Loch Sunart Oakwoods: Ian Strachan | 12:00
Meet Ardery Car Park, Acharacle, PH36 4HX
Local naturalist Dr Ian Strachan takes us on a walk exploring some of the wonderful native woodland at the south end of Loch Shiel and out towards Loch Sunart. The Sunart woodland boasts a large percentage of remnant oak woods, and is one of the last remaining examples of the Great Caledonian Forest which once stretched all the way to Portugal. Ian Strachan has been working in the woodlands in the west highlands of Scotland for over 30 years and shares his wealth of knowledge on mosses, lichens and more along the way. Oh, and perhaps one or two musical surprises!
book tickets: £10.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S
friday 03 may 2024 18:00
The Faerie Queene: Tom Foster + Maxwell Quartet | Shielbridge Hall | 18:00
Join us for a wonderful evening of sharing, food, entertainment, glorious music-making from times past, and a thought-provoking film. Beginning the evening, the Maxwell Quartet join forces with harpsichordist Tom Foster for a performance of Henry Purcell’s Faerie Queene Suite, incidental music describing scenes from a magical forest brought to life by Purcell’s wickedly innovative writing, alongside a host of other works from the 17th century by Telemann, Oswald and Barsanti. Following the performance, George, one of the members of the Maxwell Quartet, will be serving his own wood fired pizzas, and we host a very special screening of Happen Films’ acclaimed documentary, “Fools & Dreamers: Regenerating a Native Forest” (30mins).
book tickets: £15.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S
friday 03 may 2024 19:30
Fools & Dreamers: Film Screening & Pizza Night | Shielbridge Hall | 19:30
In between concerts, we are proud to host a very special screening of Happen Films’ acclaimed documentary, “Fools & Dreamers: Regenerating a Native Forest” (30mins). Fools & Dreamers: Regenerating a Native Forest is a documentary about Hinewai Nature Reserve, on New Zealand’s Banks Peninsula, and its kaitiaki/manager of 30 years, botanist Hugh Wilson. Originally branded a madcap fool, he is now considered a hero locally and across the country, and oversees 1500 hectares resplendent in native forest, where birds and other wildlife are abundant and 47 known waterfalls are in permanent flow. He has proven without doubt that nature knows best – and that he is no fool.
Pizzas will be freshly prepared by the Maxwell Quartet’s very own George Smith!
book tickets: FREE | pizza £10
friday 03 may 2024 20:30
The Woods So Wild by Candlelight: Tom Foster | Shielbridge Hall | 20:30
Our evening at Shielbridge concludes with a magical performance by candlelight from one of today’s great harpsichordists. Praised for his “dazzling virtuosity” (The Spectator), Tom Foster has a busy career as a continuo player on organ and harpsichord and as a harpsichord soloist. He performs all over the world with the English Concert and is a regular guest with many of the world’s best baroque music groups. Join us at the Shielbridge Hall for this very special woodland-themed programme, which ruminates on the popular Tudor song ‘The Woods so Wild’ with multiple versions of this piece by composers including William Byrd and Orlando Gibbons.
book tickets: £10.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S
saturday 04 may 2024 11:00
Family Workshop: Dopey Monkey Brass | Glenuig Hall | 11:00
Dopey Monkey have been amazing and enchanting their audiences, and defying all expectations of a brass ensemble, since their inception in 2015. Danielle and Martin bring their playful creativity to the Glenuig Hall with a special workshop and performance for children and families, exploring how music is communicated, written down, and described. After the workshop, all are welcome to join us for coffee (and a play!) outside the hall on the shores of Glenuig Bay.
book tickets: £5.00 per child (accompanying adults free)
saturday 04 may 2024 13:00
Woodlands & Waterwords: Dopey Monkey | Glenuig Hall | 13:00
Unlike their name suggests, this duo is one of the most intelligent, thought-provoking and creative brass duos on the international scene. Dopey Monkey began in 2015 with Danielle Price and Martin Lee Thomson exploring all things tuba and euphonium in an informal concert for friends. Known for their varied creative output, they draw upon their experiences in jazz, folk, classical and experimental music to create new projects and musical works. Expect the unexpected, theatrical, atmospheric, and perhaps most of all, expect to hear tuba and euphonium like you have never heard them before!
book tickets: £10.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S
saturday 04 may 2024 19:00
Glen Shee: Chris Stout & Catriona McKay with Maxwell Quartet | Glenuig Hall | 19:00
We welcome back the phenomenal folk duo of Chris Stout (fiddle) and Catriona McKay (clarsach) to Loch Shiel Festival, after their stunning performances here in 2018 - this year, with a new masterpiece, entitled “Glen Shee” and inspired by the rich history and landscape of ‘The Fairy Glen’. They join forces with the Maxwell Quartet, whose recent album ‘Gather’ has been receiving international praise. Expect feet to tap, and sparks to fly in this very special collaboration.
book tickets: £15.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S | cash bar in operation
sunday 05 may 2024 12:00
We’ll to the Woods No More: Katie Coventry & Rachel Spencer | The Boathouse | 12:00
Scottish mezzo-soprano Katie Coventry joins us for a very special performance with violinist Rachel Spencer, with the rare combination of works composed for soprano and violin. Perhaps the most famous of these is Ralph Vaughan Williams’ setting of A.E. Housman’s ‘Along the Field’, which is miraculous in its expressive reach for two simple lines, brought to life here by two outstanding musicians. Prepare to be stunned by wonderful musicianship and communication, all set in front of a breathtaking view at the gorgeous Roshven House.
book tickets: £10.00 | FREE TO UNDER 16S
SUNDAY 05 MAY 2024 15:00
Repairing the Atlantic Rainforest: Alistair Gibson | Glenfinnan Coffee Co | 15:00
Join Glenfinnan Estate Manager, Alistair Gibson, a self-proclaimed fanatic on Scottish Rainforests, to hear about the work he is doing on the Glenfinnan Estate to protect and restore this important habitat. Coffee available from the fantastic Glenfinnan Coffee Company, outside Glenfinnan Church.
sunday 05 may 2024 19:00
Closing Concert: Our Woods *World Premiere* | Glenfinnan Church | 19:00
concert features: Maxwell quartet / dopey monkey / Katie coventry / west highland schools Gaelic choirs / lochaber high school brass band / Lisa Robertson (loch Shiel festival commission)
Our festival finale promises to be an event to live long in the memory, and unite us all in the shared celebration of the Scottish rainforest and its people and history. Lochaline-based composer, Lisa Robertson has been commissioned by Loch Shiel Festival to compose a piece that features a Gaelic choir made up of the local schoolchildren from Acharacle, Loachaline and Strontian primaries, alongside our stellar line up of festival artists, and also joined by young brass players from Lochaber schools. The work celebrates the Gaelic poetry of local bard Dr John Maclachlan, born 220 years ago this year (and died 150 years ago), and the wonderful natural habitat that the local native woodlands provide.
