Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider  

 

The Secret North - 22 June at Lyth Arts Centre

5th June 2017

Photograph of The Secret North - 22 June at Lyth Arts Centre

Bringing together six world-class musicians from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Scandinavia in a cross-cultural celebration of new music that bridges the divide between folk, classical, traditional and avant-garde in six new compositions.

DATE: June 22, 2017.
TIME: 8:00 pm.
LENGTH: 2 Hours
INTERVAL: Yes
AGE SUITABILITY: 8+
LOCATION: Lyth Wick Scotland KW1 4UD
VENUE: Lyth Arts Centre

Featuring:

  • Donald Grant - Fiddle
  • Ailie Robertson - Harp
  • Sondre Meisfjord - Double Bass
  • Karen Tweed - Accordion
  • Jarlath Henderson - Whistle, Pipes
  • Marit Fält - Mandola

As musical collaborations go, this promises to be an extraordinary music interchange. Individually, each member has carved out a reputation for not just mastering their chosen fields, but rising above, redefining and renewing the musical world they come from. In The Secret North, they come together to premiere six new compositions, written by each musician specifically for the ensemble, resulting in a concert of enthralling new music, grounded in tradition, but shot through with the adrenaline of contemporary influences. This is music that is both ancient and utterly new.

The Secret North was the brainchild of Ailie Robertson and Donald Grant who have been friends since they were teenagers. Both have played folk music all their lives, but are also heavily involved with the UK classical scene - Donald plays with The Elias Quartet, one Britain's leading ensembles, and Ailie is gaining a reputation as one of Scotland's brightest young composers, picking up the prize for ‘Achievement for New Music' in the inaugural New Music Scotland Awards earlier this year. They have worked together on several occasions, and indeed Ailie collaborated with The Elias Quartet on her recent single, ‘Haven' which reached #2 in the iTunes Classical Charts last year. 

Speaking about The Secret North, Ailie says, "we were both increasingly interested in investigating where the lines between classical and folk music were, what would happen if we tried to use much larger ‘classical’ structures but in a folk style." They decided to run what is essentially a musical experiment. "It’s like the musician equivalent of the Big Brother house! We put 6 musicians who don’t know each other into a house together for a week and see what comes out at the end!". 

Inviting musicians from Scotland, Ireland and Norway to take part is one of the most important factors of the project - the meeting will be a sharing of culture, an opportunity to learn from the different experiences we all have, the different approaches to our traditional and classical music and how we see their roles. Donald says, "It was also very much like writing our musical 'wishlist' of who we wanted to work with - all the invited artists are people whose music we find exciting and inspiring, so we can’t wait to create with them!"

Scottish tour dates:
  • June 18th - Edinburgh, Soundhouse at The Traverse
  • June 19th - Glasgow, Folklub at The Admiral Bar
  • June 20th - Isle of Mull, An Tobar
  • June 21st - Isle of Skye, SEALL at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
  • June 22nd - Lyth, Lyth Arts Centre
  • June 23rd - Lochinver Village Hall
  • June 24th - Ardross Community Hall
  • June 25th - Inverness, Eden Court Theatre

Media Enquiries: Jill Lerner of James H Soars Media Enquiries.
07702 230856 jill@jameshsoars.com

 

Related Artists

 

Related Articles

[]
4/3/2024
Anthropocine - The Human EpochThumbnail for article : Anthropocine -  The Human Epoch
A cinematic meditation on humanity's massive reengineering of the planet, ANTHROPOCENE: The Human Epoch is a four years in the making feature documentary film following the research of an international body of scientists, the Anthropocene Working Group.   From concrete seawalls in China, to the biggest terrestrial machines ever built in Germany, to psychedelic potash mines in Russia's Ural Mountains, to metal festivals in the closed city of Norilsk, to the devastated Great Barrier Reef in Australia and surreal lithium evaporation ponds in the Atacama desert.  
[]
15/2/2024
Uýra - The Rising ForestThumbnail for article : Uýra - The Rising Forest
Uýra shares ancestral knowledge with Indigenous youth in the Amazon to promote the significance of identity and place, threatened by Brazil's oppressive political regime.  Through dance, poetry, and stunning characterization, Uýra confronts historical racism, transphobia, and environmental destruction, while emphasising the interdependence of humans and the environment.  
[]
5/12/2020
A Festive Drive-in Experience At Lyth Arts CentreThumbnail for article : A Festive Drive-in Experience At Lyth Arts Centre
This Winter, Lyth Arts Centre will produce a new drive-in festive experience for all the family to enjoy.   Through a projection mapping installation, this exhibition will share Caithness' amazing Winter and Christmas history.  
[]
22/10/2020
Lyth Arts Centre Look To The Future Following Funding AwardThumbnail for article : Lyth Arts Centre Look To The Future Following Funding Award
Worries over the financial outlook for Lyth Arts Centre (LAC) have been eased for the time being after the venue was awarded £97,000 in Scottish Government funding.   The sum - from the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund - represents the full figure requested by co-directors Charlotte Mountford and Tom Barnes, who say the money secures LAC's short-term future up to the end of March next year.  
[]
17/3/2020
Coronavirus Action Plan At Lyth Arts Centre - Check Shows Cancelled
Posted 16/03/20 on Lyth Arts Centre web site by Calvin Wilson [Last updated: Tuesday 17 March, 10.30am].   Here at Lyth Arts Centre, we've already taken steps towards keeping our audiences happy and healthy with the recent Coronavirus developments.  
[]
5/3/2020
Andreas Tophøj and Rune BarslundThumbnail for article : Andreas Tophøj and Rune Barslund
Danish duo Andreas Tophøj and Rune Barslund perform with violin, accordion and viola.  The accomplished duo has its roots in Jutland, Denmark, and emerged from the folk scene formed around the Academy of Music in Odense, which until recently was named after composer and musician Carl Nielsen.  
[]
11/1/2020
Lyth Arts Plan Spectacular September Show At Wick HarbourThumbnail for article : Lyth Arts Plan Spectacular September Show At Wick Harbour
SCOTLAND'S YEAR OF COASTS AND WATERS 2020 Posted 06/01/20 by Charlotte Mountford Happy New Year! January marks the beginning of Scotland's Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.  This year, Scotland celebrates its Coasts and Waters with a year-long programme of events and activities which will shine a spotlight on these vital elements of our landscape.  
[]
5/12/2019
Paper Moon At LythThumbnail for article : Paper Moon At Lyth
7th and 8th December 2019.  Saturday 7th December - Sold Out.  
[]
5/12/2019
Wishing The Wind Winter Exhibition At LythThumbnail for article : Wishing The Wind Winter Exhibition At Lyth
The ancient folklore tradition of ‘buying the wind' was common across Caithness and the fishing routes of the North Atlantic.  The tradition involved sailors purchasing 3 knots of thread, rope or fabric, to be undone as wind is required, but the mariner is instructed on no account to untie the third knot, as it may start a hurricane.  
[]
5/12/2019
Joanne Kaar With Liz & Michael O'donnell At Lyth Festive Makers EventThumbnail for article : Joanne Kaar With Liz & Michael O'donnell At Lyth Festive Makers Event
6th December 4.00 - 9.00pm.   handmade home grown willow baskets lichen inspired art greetings cards string dogs handmade paper art turned wooden xmas trees childrens books written & illustrated by Liz O'Donnell There is also FREE fun for all ages - come along and join in with Lyth Arts Centre's Wishing the Wind outdoor light installation - make a wind spinner to hang on the tree!.