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Musical gift for Homecoming

Sunday, November 29 at the Forgue Old Parish Kirk, by Huntly

Posting Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Congregations across Aberdeenshire will not only be singing from the same hymn sheet but playing from the same unique musical score as part of official Homecoming Scotland Finale celebrations.

Renowned local fiddler Paul Anderson was commissioned earlier this year by Aberdeenshire Council’s arts development team to create an iconic piece that was inspired by the area’s natural dramatic scenery.

‘Land of the Standing Stones’ has since become a musical thread that has inspired eight further composers with connections to Aberdeenshire, including a reworking of the tune for organ by Dr Roger Williams MBE.

Communities across the north east have now been gifted these compositions and encouraged to use them as part of their own events to mark St Andrew’s Day.

Plans are already underway for a special service on Sunday, November 29 at the Forgue Old Parish Kirk, by Huntly.

Dr David Smith, respected organist and acting head of music at the University of Aberdeen, will be performing the organ piece at a service led by the Rev Alison Jaffrey who is a specialist on Scotland’s patron saint. A solo violinist will also perform Paul Anderson’s tune.

Carol Leathley, Aberdeenshire Council principle arts officer, said, “We’ve gifted the tunes so that a large number of communities and groups can be involved in the musical celebrations, regardless of their physical location.”

“If you would like to participate in the Aberdeenshire-wide celebration and include the Paul Anderson or Dr Roger Williams piece in your event, visit the Land of the Standing Stones website.”

Councillor Richard Stroud, chairman of the Education, Learning and Leisure committee, said: “It is wonderful to see communities across Aberdeenshire coming together on projects like this one and helping to create what will be a memorable St Andrews Day celebration.”

The musical gifts are just one part of a wider arts project to celebrate and share the area’s musical heritage and contemporary vibrancy.

Music to celebrate St Andrew’s Day

Posting Date: Friday, November 11, 2009

An impressive line up of the some of the north east’s musical talent spanning a range of genres and styles will perform live in a special one-off concert in Inverurie as part of the official Homecoming Scotland Finale Celebrations.

To celebrate the year of Homecoming, internationally renowned fiddler and composer Paul Anderson was commissioned by Aberdeenshire Council to create an iconic tune called, ‘Land of the Standing Stones’.

It is hoped the piece will act as a thread that will unite Aberdeenshire in celebration of St Andrew as well as forming the basis of a lasting homecoming legacy in Aberdeenshire.

On Monday, November 30, Paul will perform the tune in a showcase concert at Inverurie Town Hall. He will be joined by a line-up of professional musicians with Aberdeenshire connections who have used Paul’s piece as a starting point to write new musical works. They will perform their variations of the composition in a range of styles for different instruments.

The selected composers are:
James Clapperton (piano)
Robert Aitken (pipes)
John Hearne (classical)
Jonny Hardie (folk)
Justin Brook (jazz)
Claire Singer (electric acoustic)
Dr Roger Williams (organ)
Bill Thompson (sound artist)

Around 50 talented young musicians from Aberdeenshire will join the impressive line up of professional performers including the Edinburgh Quartet, Aberdeenshire Youth String Orchestra, Aberdeenshire Youth Pipe Band and Drums, The Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra and Aberdeenshire Jazz Ensemble will each perform works specially written for them.

Legendary entertainer and classical pianist, George Donald, will compere the showcase event.

Aberdeenshire joins the national Homecoming Scotland finale celebrations: The biggest ever St. Andrew's Do

Posting Date: September, 2009

The Homecoming Scotland Finale Celebrations have been officially launched creating the biggest ever programme of events co-ordinated to mark St Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s National Day.

The spectacular programme has more than 40 events taking place across Scotland from 26 - 30 November 2009 and Aberdeenshire is joining the great line-up of events.

Aberdeenshire Council’s Arts Team has commissioned renowned local fiddler Paul Anderson to compose a new tune that captures the spirit of Aberdeenshire. The work, ‘Land of the Standing Stones’, celebrates the cultural traditions of the north-east and will be performed in a showcase concert in Inverurie on St Andrew’s Day 30 November ’09.

In Aberdeen City celebrations come alive at the Beach Ballroom with a traditional ceilidh led by the renowned ‘Shindig’ band.

Across Scotland celebrations will feature gigs, concerts and ceilidhs; fashion shows, fun runs, and fireworks; banquets, Burns and pipe bands; art, installations and exhibitions; parades, parties and debates.

The festivities across Aberdeen City and Shire are being delivered in partnership with the two local authorities who have developed exciting new events to mark the end of what has been a truly celebratory year for Aberdeen City and Shire and Scotland.

Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism said: “This year, St Andrew’s Day is made even more special as it heralds the closing of a very successful Homecoming Year. November 30 also kicks off our Winter Festival leading on from a remarkably successful summer season and so gives us another chance to showcase Scotland as a great year-round visitor destination. We have an unprecedented programme of events planned around Scotland’s national day and I encourage all Scots everywhere and anyone with an affinity for Scotland to celebrate our rich heritage and vibrant modern culture.”

Marie Christie, Project Director for Homecoming Scotland 2009, said: “All over Scotland individuals and organisations are working hard to make sure that this Homecoming Year presents the most diverse and exciting programme of events ever co-ordinated to mark St Andrew’s Day. Throughout the year, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire have hosted a fantastic Homecoming programme and we are looking forward to this exciting line-up of events for the Finale.”

A16 page A5 guide detailing the above events will be available at VisitScotland Information Centres and many other key outlets across Scotland and the UK. The programme is also available online at www.homecomingscotland2009.com both as a downloadable file and searchable database.

Musical reflections on Aberdeenshire to create a lasting Homecoming legacy in Aberdeenshire

Posting Date: Monday August 24th, 2009

A renowned local musician has created an iconic composition which will be the basis for a lasting Homecoming legacy in Aberdeenshire.

Fiddler and composer Paul Anderson was commissioned by Aberdeenshire Council and has created “Land of the Standing Stones” to celebrate the Year of Homecoming.

The piece, a slow air for fiddle, was inspired by Aberdeenshire’s dramatic natural scenery and in particular the large concentration of standing stones which are a significant feature of the local environment.

The commissioned work will be played out in the environment which inspired it, at a launch ceremony at Easter Aquhorthies stone circle near Inverurie tomorrow. (Tuesday, August 25)

It also marks the start of the council’s St Andrew’s Day Music Initiative, during which the council’s arts development team will encourage community-wide participation.

The concept behind the project, which will unfold over the coming three months, is that the Land of the Standing Stones tune becomes a musical thread which unites people and communities in celebration of St Andrew across Aberdeenshire

The piece is intended to be the starting point for other composers who can use it as inspiration for their own piece or arrange the existing music for different instruments.

It is hoped musicians in a range of genres and styles will take up the challenge and demonstrate the wealth of musical talent in the north-east.

People of all ages, even communities, are encouraged to get involved and express what Aberdeenshire means to them in musical terms.

This is expected to include schools, churches, youth groups and arts projects.

Participants could also, for example, write song lyrics to accompany the music or use it at local events or venues.

Paul Anderson said: “I wrote the piece at the Tomnaverie stone circle near Tarland, a place I go quite often to compose music.

“The title of the piece was partly inspired by its being composed at Tomnaverie, but it’s more to do with it being representative of the whole of the north-east.

“I believe we have one of the greatest concentrations of standing stones and stone circles in the world and so Land of the Standing Stones seemed very appropriate as a title.

“Community involvement will be crucial to the success of this initiative, but I am confident the wealth of musical talent in Aberdeenshire will be hard to hold back.”

Aberdeenshire Council’s Cultural Services Manager, Lorraine Grant, said: “Aberdeenshire is internationally recognised for its strong musical traditions, but also as an area which hosts a wealth of creative talent.

“We are confident that Paul’s tune will inspire our creative communities to produce and share their own work, and I look forward to seeing and hearing that musical talent emerge over the coming months.

“From the pipes to the spoons, from a choir to a clarsach, all interpretations will be equally valid – we just want people to enter into the spirit of what we’re trying to do and to make our St Andrews Day celebrations a highlight of Homecoming 2009.

“This will also create a lasting legacy for Homecoming Scotland in Aberdeenshire, one which may last hundreds of years.”

Aberdeenshire Council has supported a large number of community events to mark the Year of Homecoming.

Events will run until the end of the year, culminating on Hogmanay with community celebrations including Stonehaven’s Fireballs Ceremony and Aberdeen’s party on Union Street.

For further information please visit:www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/homecoming