On my way to Glasgow from Haltwhistle.This is my first time in the city and I am so much looking forward to visiting it. I am here to understand the traditional music better and I can't wait to attend to one of the famous sessions spread all over the city, to meet the young talents of the traditional music department at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and to find some space to compose.
I will do a research on the connection between Music and Nature. The city, as everywhere in Scotland, is very green and sensitive towards the environment. There are many artists that are working on projects nature-related and the Whittaker Library at the Consevatoire has a huge collection of new and old publications on this topic.
I am very intrigued to learn more about composers that have been incredibly inspired by the natural elements such as Messiaen, Peter Maxwell, Elgar and many more. There are also a lot of publications that try to explain the origin of the music starting from the sound of the birds.
My focus will be on traditional music as well and it's powerful voice. I have arranged a few meeting with local musicians and a few lessons with the famous fiddle cellist, Natalie Haas.
One of the highlights will be the interview with Alan Reid, member of the historical Battlefield Band, the most famous traditional band in the world and the most innovative too. Infact Alan brought the keyboards into the traditional music, he was very criticised by the conservatives, and he opened new sound worlds within the tradition. Many new composers are now referrign to his work as a turning point in traditional music. Who could be better than Alan to make me understarding this genre?
Visit his website to find more https://www.alansongsreid.com
Thanks to Alasdair Pettinger, director of the Scottish Music Centre, I will have the chance to consult the most amazing collection of traditional scores and publications of studies on theory and harmonization in folk music. I find very intersting that the Scottish Music Centre shares the same building with the BBC Symphony Scottish Orchestra. Seeing these to worlds, the classical and traditional, together is the same place is a little bit unusual but not here in Glasgow. Infact, many virtuoso fiddlers were classicaly trained at the Royal Academy of Music.
I will have a quick stop at the Botanic Gardens and the world-renowend National Piping Museum. This is going to be fun!
🚂 Follow my journey https://www.riccardopesmusic.com/musicandnatureinscotland
⚡️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riccardopes_music/
⚡️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riccardopesvioloncello/
Comments