A reminder that the 4th Distil Showcase will take place at the Tolbooth in Stirling next Friday (23rd) at 8pm. This year we’ll be featuring new music from:

Ruaridh Campbell, Marie Fielding, Corrina Hewat, Karen Marshalsay, Aidan O’Rourke, Fiona Rutherford, Matt Seattle, Simon Thoumire, Karen Tweed, Innes Watson, Lori Watson. The band this year is Mr McFall’s Chamber and the Musical Director is David McGuinness. Soloists, in addition to some of the composers, are Shona Mooney and Angus Lyon.

The work with Mr McFall’s marks a different direction for the Showcase and this is sure to be an entertaining and stimulating evening of music. We’ll also be hosting a wee reception in the bar at the Tolbooth after the gig and would be delighted if you could join us for that.

Ticket info here: http://www.stirling.gov.uk/tolbooth/tb_event/oct_09/distil_showcase_09.htm

Thought I'd give this one a boost. Rehearsals start tomorrow morning. Karen Marshalsay's new piece features the bray harp (wire strung harp with buzzy bits) and is inspired by the Forth Bridges. Her great-grandfather worked on the Forth Bridge back in the 1880s. Matt Seattle's 'John Anderson (Hey Joe), as its title suggests, nods in the direction of two of Matt's heroes. Both Karen and Matt will be playing with Mr McFall's Chamber on their own pieces.

Today's rehearsals got off to a great start with a very fresh sounding piece from young harpist, Fiona Rutherford, as well as the ones from Karen Marshalsay and Matt Seattle which I mentioned yesterday. Tomorrow Aidan O'Rourke, Karen Tweed and Ruaridh Campbell will all be at the Tolbooth supervising rehearsals of their new pieces. Aidan has Shona Mooney soloing with Mr McFall's Chamber, while Ruaridh has enlisted the help of his old sparring partner, Angus Lyon. Karen will be playing on her own piece.

Tickets available from the Tolbooth by phone and on-line.

http://www.stirling.gov.uk/tolbooth/tb_event/oct_09/distil_showcase_09.htm

The Watsons, Lori and Innes, are up for rehearsal today, with Angus Lyon coming in to join forces with McFall's on Lori's piece. Later in the day we'll be rehearsing Marie Fielding's piece, a two-hander featuring McFall's bass player, Rick Standley, and Simon Thoumire.

Tomorrow sees the last of the rehearsals (discounting Friday's dress rehearsal) with Corrina Hewat, and more work on any of the pieces that need tidied up. Two of the composers, Aidan O'Rourke and Karen Tweed, have gigs in London tonight, and will be breengin back up the road to Stirling for tomorrow afternoon.

http://www.stirling.gov.uk/tolbooth/tb_event/oct_09/distil_showcase_09.htm

Well done. Rehearshals should be encouraged.

Rehearsals finished today with, among others being tweaked and tightened, Corrina Hewat's 'Conversations and Connections', a vocal piece from her 'Making the Connection', re-worked for string quintet and clarsach. A gorgeous piece of music. Tomorrow sees a run-through of everything and then the show itself. Come along if you can!

http://www.stirling.gov.uk/tolbooth/tb_event/oct_09/distil_showcase_09.htm

Looking forward to this. MacFall's sounding sublime this afternoon.

See you there!

Final nudge.

Hope it goes well, folks - pretty nervewracking for all concerned - it's a big deal putting on so many new pieces with a week's rehearsal - most ensembles would only do one at a time !
Good luck !

What a wonderful night of music. Thanks to all of the composers, and especially to Mr McFall's Chamber and MD David McGuinness who were heroic throughout.

And here is a great review from Rob Adams for the gig. I thought all the composers really upped their game for this project and McFalls Chamber were magnificent - a joy to work with.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-reviews/distil-showcase-tolbooth-stirling-1.928433