North Highland Connections Advance Notices For 2010

7th February 2010

FEBRUARY

RSAMD String-players residency directed by Robert Irvine

Our partnership with the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama will result in an interesting variety of residencies and public concerts. The first, at Tain, Ross-shire, will be the postponed residency of string players, under the direction of Robert Irvine, the celebrated cellist and teacher. The students, who form the Jura Quartet, will work side by side with string players at Dornoch Academy.

At the final public concert in the inspiring setting of St Duthus Collegiate Church in Tain, they will perform Haydn's Quartet, Op 33 no 5 in G Major ("How do you do"); Stravinsky's 3 pieces for String Quartet and Beethoven's Harp Quartet, opus 74. They may also include work created by students at Dornoch.

Location:
St. Duthus Collegiate Church in Tain, Ross-shire

Concert's Date:
20 February at 7:30pm

Admissions:
Ticket £8 (concessions £6). School students free!

Reservations:
Telephone 01847 890076
E-mail info[AT]northhighlandconnections.org

MARCH
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Shakespeare
at Ullapool
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Following the highly successful Shakespeare mini-festival presented by the post-graduate acting course from RSAMD, at Ullapool last year, the course will present two plays, 'Hamlet' and 'Winters Tale' at Ullapool, Sutherland.


Once again, there will be special matinée performances specifically aimed at school groups. Last year we had almost two hundred school students at the two matinée performances.


"HAMLET"
Tuesday, 23 March 2010 at 1:30pm and 7:30pm

"A WINTERS TALE"
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 at 1:30pm and 7:30pm.

Location & Information:
Macphail Centre, Ullapool. 01854-613336

Admission:
Tickets £7 (concessions £5)
Special rates for school groups for afternoon
performances (£3)

Reservations:
Telephone: 01854 - 613336
E-mail: mail[AT]macphailcentre.co.uk
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Scottish Traditional Music Course and Concert with Phil Cunningham
Quickly following the Shakespeare residency we will have another RSAMD residency. This one will be based on the Heritage Centre in Castletown, Caithness. It will feature students from the Scottish Traditional Music course.

They will work alongside students selected from local schools, presenting a public concert on the final evening, Friday, 2nd April. The concert will feature the celebrated Phil Cunningham, who will compere the concert and will perform with the young musicians. We will send out details of the venue and programme in the near future.

Location: Castletown Heritage Centre

Date: 29 March to 2nd April

Information:
Telephone 01847 890076
E-mail: MF[AT]northhighlandconnections.org

Admission for the concert:
Tickets £8 (concessions £6). School students free!
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APRIL
"Young Artistes Series" Jayson Gilham - piano
April will also include the first 'Young Artistes' concert of 2010, featuring the twenty-four year old Australian pianist, Jayson Gillham. Since moving to London in 2007, Jayson has been awarded the Royal Academy of Music's Bach, Beethoven, Romantic and 20th Century piano prizes.

He was the first prize winner of the 2008 Prix d'AmadèO de Piano (international competition of Aachen, Germany), as well as the 2008 Australian National Piano Award. Other awards include prizes in the 2008 and 2009 Royal Over-Seas League Music Competitions, and first prize in the 2007 Beethoven Piano Society of Europe's Intercollegiate Piano Competition.

Jayson will perform at the High School, Thurso, Caithness, on Wednesday, 7th April, and in the Drawing Room at Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland, on Friday, 9th April.

PROGRAMME
Mozart Sonata in D major, K 576;
Bartok Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythms;
Debussy Two Etudes - Sonorités opposées, Arpèges composés; Hindson AK-47 ;
Chopin Three Etudes - Op. 25 No. 6, Op. 10 No. 10,
Op. 10 No. 12;
Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55 No. 2;
Mazurka in F-sharp minor, Op. 59 No. 3;
Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54 .

Location and Dates:
Wednesday, 6 April 2010 at 7:30pm at High School Hall, Thurso, Caithness

Friday, 9 April at 7:30pm at Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland

Admission:
Tickets £8 (concessions £6)

Reservations:
Telephone 01847 890076
E-mail: MF[AT]northhighlandconnections.org

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Coming Soon...!

Looking further ahead, NHC will present more drama tours, as well as tours by the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland string ensemble; the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and a variety of concerts in the 'Young Artistes' series. We are working with the organizers of the Royal National Mod to present events which will happen before and after the main week, offering additional activities to attract Mod visitors to extend their stay in the North Highlands. We hope that some of these events will come from our new cultural links with our Scandinavian neighbours.

Following their very successful 'pilot' residency at Lybster in 2009, a (larger) group from The Prince's Drawing School' will be based at Lybster between 27th July and 6th August. There are plans to include open classes for members of the local painting community, as well as an exhibition. Details are being worked out and information will be made known as soon as possible.

North Highland Connections
66 Princess Street
Thurso, Caithness KW14 7DH
www.northhighlandconnections.org