The Highland Council and the recently formed Beauly Arts Group are combining to present a year long programme of musical events in Phipps Hall, Beauly. The series gets off to a wonderful start on 17 February with the hottest new trio on the Scottish music scene – Karine Polwart, Corrina Hewat and Annie Grace.
The trio were deemed to be one of the highlights of the entire Edinburgh Festival 2006 with their beautiful songs, old, and new, their luscious harmonies and their exceptional playing of harp, pipes and guitar - not to mention their great humour.
This is a special opportunity to hear the trio which has only performed a few times since its inception last year including a sell-out concert at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Corrina says: “The three of us have wound up performing together many times over the past five years: as members of the landmark Scots Women celebration of Scots traditional song; with some of our Gaelic singing sisters, in the popular spin off touring project Scottish Women; and as members and guests of the splendid Scottish folk big band experience The Unusual Suspects”, which Corrina co-directs.
”Through these collaborative encounters we discovered our mutual love of inventive vocal harmony and before we knew it some of the arrangements assembled spontaneously in buses and back rooms hit the stage. And they actually worked,” says Corrina.
In between times Annie has crafted a smokily intimate solo album of traditional and contemporary songs and tunes "Take Me Out Drinking Tonight" (Greentrax), released her farewell album with the influential folk band Iron Horse and starred in award winning stage productions. She doesn't mention it much but she's a bit of legend on the Dutch roots and world music scene too.
Corrina has recorded a spacious and sensuous solo album of Scots song and dazzling harp virtuosity "My Favourite Place" (Footstompin), pioneered (with partner David Milligan) the 32 piece magical musical monster The Unusual Suspects and recorded a gorgeous duo album with Northumbrian piper and fiddler Kathryn Tickell, as well as composed for and played in innumerable collaborative projects.
And Karine has recorded two solo albums of her own songs, "Faultlines" (Neon) and "Scribbled in Chalk" (Shoeshine), the first of which won her a bunch of BBC Folk Awards, and both of which prove that she's a writer who knows both the best and the worst that the world has to offer.
They all sing incredibly wide-ranging material, with a huge range of sound and textures, and incorporate their technical wizardry and individuality into their instruments (Scottish harp, Border pipes, whistle & guitar). Their unique sound is expansive yet intimate, precise yet explosive and unrestrained, and indeed a rollercoaster of emotions to explore.
In addition to the concert the trio are running a Harmony Singing workshop for all-comers in the afternoon (Sat 17 Feb, 2 to 4pm). No experience is required, only a sense fun. This is being run through the Inverness Traditional Music Classes and bookings should be made through Margo Maclennan (01463 724314) or on-line through the booth www.thebooth.co.uk
The Beauly Art programme continues on 7 April with Gerry O’Connor and Donal O’Connor, Duncan Chisholm and Ivan Drever on 19 May. Tickets available from Morisons, Beauly and the booth.
For further information please contact Adrian Clark, Arts Officer, Education, Culture & Sport, Town House, Inverness (Tel.01463.724261) and Donna Cunningham, Chair, Beauly Arts Group 01463 783032.
