ST MAGNUS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2025 TICKET BROCHURE

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WELCOME

We’re delighted to share the programme for the 2025 Festival which will, once again, fill the long daylight hours of midsummer with a wide range of events.

This year’s overarching theme is Earth: the soil, the land, the planet where we look at how we interact with the place that we live, how much artistic creativity has taken this as its starting point and even how we recycle.

There’s repurposed electric musical instruments in the unique theatre show Saved, a reflection of the life of the Orkney poet and nature writer Robert Rendall and new musical commissions that reflect upon the land and landscape in Fenella Humphreys’ solo recital. Many performers are ‘in residence’ and we’re pleased to be welcoming Echo Choir for a series of concerts (one alongside our own Festival Chorus), the pianists Mihai Ritivoiu and Nikita Lukinov and a number of writers, novelists and poets.

We’ll also be exploring some new venues around the mainland with events at Swannay Brewery and Deerness Distillery and a late-night concert in the Kirkwall Masonic Lodge.

We’re introducing three Magnus Saver Series for piano lovers, duo lovers and talk lovers where you can save on the ticket price by buying for the whole series . (See booking information)

We look forward to welcoming you to our events at the peak of midsummer.

BACH TO BABAJANIAN

NIKITA LUKINOV AND RESOL STRING QUARTET

Nikita Lukinov................................ Piano

Eliette Harris Violin

Annabel Kidd Violin

EVENT 1

FRIDAY 20 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral

Kirkwall

19.00

Tickets £25, £22, £15

Concession £23, £20

Duration 90 mins

Raphael Chinn............................... Viola

Chloe Randall Cello

J.S. Bach ...........................................

Prelude and Fugue in C sharp minor BWV849

Johannes Brahms

Arno Babajanian

Ludwig van Beethoven

Six Pieces op.118

6 Pictures for Piano

Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Op.58

Nikita Lukinov plays music that travels across centuries of keyboard writing and brings a collection of pieces by the rarely heard Armenian composer Babajanian. The programme concludes with a performance of Beethoven’s elusive concerto no. 4 in G Op.58 in an intriguing reduction accompanied by string quartet.

Heralded as an ‘exceptional talent’ by The Scotsman and a ‘rising star’ by BBC Music Magazine, Nikita Lukinov is a recent graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

JENNIFER WRIGLEY SOUNDS

OF FOLK

Jennifer Wrigley Fiddle

Laurence Wilson Piano

Multi-award winning Jennifer Wrigley is one of Orkney’s finest fiddle players and composers. Her long career has seen her perform all over the world and made her an ambassador for Orkney music over decades and a respected teacher of traditional fiddle.

EVENT 2 FRIDAY 20 JUNE

The Sound Archive Kirkwall 21.30

Tickets £18

Duration 70 mins

HERE MEID

THE ISLAND IN THE SOUND FESTIVAL POET

Niall Campbell ............................... Poet

EVENT 3 SATURDAY 21 JUNE

Stromness Academy Theatre

Stromness

11:00

Tickets £18

Concession £16

10% off 4 tickets or more

Duration 60 mins

Niall Campbell is a poet from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. His first poetry collection, Moontide, was published by Bloodaxe Books and won the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award and Saltire First Book of the Year. Moontide was also shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection and Aldeburgh Prize for Best First Collection. Noctuary, his second collection, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection in 2019.

A selection from these first two books were published in the U.S. as First Nights, part of the Princeton Series of Contemporary Poets. His latest collection, The Island in the Sound, was published in September of last year. Alongside writing poetry, Niall has worked as a librettist for both the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He is also the editor of the acclaimed poetry journal, Poetry London. He lives in Fife.

PLAN AND ELEVATION

RESOL STRING QUARTET

Eliette Harris..................................... Violin

Annabel Kidd Violin

Raphael Chinn Viola

Chloe Randall .................................. Cello

Joseph Haydn String Quartet in C (Apponyi) Op. 74 No 1

Caroline Shaw Plan & Elevation

Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet in F minor Op. 80

A concert that exploits the elegance of the string quartet with one of its masters, Haydn, in a joyous celebratory work and a more sombre and fiery work from the last months of Mendelssohn’s life. In between is a contemporary work by the celebrated composer Caroline Shaw which explores the architecture and landscape of the Dumbarton Oaks estate.

EVENT 4

SATURDAY 21 JUNE

Stromness Town Hall

Stromness

14:00

Tickets £22

Concession £20

Duration 75 mins

SAVED

EVENT 5 & 7

SATURDAY 21 JUNE

Orkney Theatre

Kirkwall

16:30 & 19:30

Tickets £15

Concession £13

10% off 4 tickets

Duration 60 mins

Saved is a playful journey through sound, featuring rescued 70s home organs, cassettes, a turntable, AM radios, and a modified whisk. Graeme transforms everyday objects into instruments, blending familiar and unexpected sounds. The show asks, “Is this music, noise, or just sound?” Relax as sonic textures wash over you, blurring the lines between music and noise.

“Brian Eno, Bowie, Sparks, Kraftwerk and Morrissey - loved it”

- Martin Mendelssohn

“A musical alchemist. Graeme Leak’s poetic compositions feel like stepping into an idealised past” - Fringe Biscuit

“A quaint, ingenious use of pre-digital tech” - The Scotsman

“A love child of Buster Keaton and Bowie with scrap heap instruments!” - Ben Sturdy

THE FRAYED ATLANTIC EDGE

LITERARY HOUR

David Gange Writer (in conversation with Alasdair Nicolson)

David Gange is a writer, historian, and photographer based at the University of Birmingham, although he does much of his work on the open ocean in kayaks and other small rowed or paddled boats.

His writing combines sensory experience of the ocean with histories of communities who’ve built their lives on seafaring in small boats. The Frayed Atlantic Edge (Harper Collins, 2019) used a 2,000km journey by kayak to approach Shetland, Scots, Gaelic, Irish, Welsh, and Cornish cultures. This book was joint winner of the Highland Book Prize and shortlisted for prizes including The Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. Afloat (Harper Collins, 2024) includes wider NorthAtlantic geographies: Connemara and the Outer Hebrides, Saami Norway, Faroe, Greenland, Newfoundland and the Caribbean Sea.

EVENT 6 SATURDAY 21 JUNE

Kirkwall Baptist Church

Kirkwall 17:30

Tickets £18

Concession £16

Duration 60 mins

ASCENDING

STEVENS & POUND DUO

EVENT 8

SATURDAY 21 JUNE

Stromness Town Hall

Stromness

21:15

Tickets £24

Concession £22

Duration 75 mins

Delia Stevens ...................................Percussion

Will Pound Melodeon and harmonica

Stevens & Pound present Ascending - a cross-genre concert full of original compositions and reimaginations following the creative evolution of classical composers who were inspired by the English Folk Revival. The duo pay homage to their respective musical backgrounds whilst letting imaginations run riot into an imagined future.

Including folk recompositions of iconic works such as Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, Holst’s The Planets and the BBC Last Night of the Proms favourite The Sailor’s Hornpipe, Stevens & Pound weave together the lilting fluidity of the folk idiom with the highresolution complexity of classical composition, to create a maverick sonic world that completely defies expectation.

AUSKERRY

SOUNDS OF FOLK

Lily Montgomery ............................Fiddle and Cello

Ingrid Tait Fiddle

Magnus Montgomery Guitar

Tom Montgomery ..........................Double Bass

Jamie Sutherland Percussion

Auskerry was formed in 2024 and represents a long tradition of young Orkney folk bands. They play a mix of Orkney, Shetland and Scottish tunes and guarantee a highly entertaining evening.

EVENT 9 SATURDAY 21 JUNE

The Sound Archive Kirkwall 21:30

Tickets £18

Duration 70 mins

HERE MEID

EVENT 10

SUNDAY 22 JUNE

Harray Hall

Harray

11:00

Tickets £24

Concession £22

Duration 70 mins

Ticket includes tea/coffee and a Cinnamon Bun from Eviedale Bakehouse.

BEHIND FROM WHERE WE CAME GRANT McQUADE DUO

Eleanor Grant

Gus McQuade

Repertoire to include:

Trad.

Trad.

Trad.

Robert Johnson

John Wilson

Robert Johnson

Joni Mitchell

Elizabeth Poston.............................

Simon and Garfunkel

John Dowland

Joni Mitchell .....................................

Voice and Double Bass

Guitar

Dashing away

The Cuckoo

Black is the colour

Where the Bee Sucks

Now the Lusty Spring has Seen

Have You Seen But a White Lily Grow

Sweet Bird

Sweet Suffolk Owl

April Come She Will

Time Stands Still

Circle Game

A multi-talented duo on a mission to break down musical barriers, Eleanor and Gus have been captivating audiences with their unique combination of voice, guitar and double bass since their stunning debut recital at London’s Wigmore Hall in 2023. From Dowland to Dankworth, Britten to Joni Mitchell and many lesser known composers, they will draw you into their musical world with a sublime combination of words, melodies, rhythms and harmonies.

SUNDAY 22 JUNE

FESTIVAL SERVICE

ST MAGNUS CATHEDRAL CHOIR

Rev. June Freeth Locum Minister

Michael Bell .................................... Choir Director

St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall 11:15

THE CROSSING POINT

RESOL STRING QUARTET MIHAI RITIVOIU

Eliette Harris Violin

Annabel Kidd ...................................Violin

Raphael Chinn Viola

Chloe Randall Cello

Mihai Ritivoiu Piano

Julian Broughton The Crossing Point

Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet in C major Op. 59 No. 9 (Rasoumovsky)

Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat Op. 44

Beethoven wrote his early quartets for a Russian Count whose name adorns the set and they are vivid and dynamic pieces filled with typically Beethovenian contrasts and emotional changes of direction. Schumann’s quintet is regarded as one of the finest for this combination and was dedicated to his wife Clara who was to be the pianist at the premiere performance.

EVENT 11

SUNDAY 22 JUNE

Stromness Town Hall

Stromness

14:30

Tickets £22

Concession £20

Duration 90 mins

EVENT 12

SUNDAY 22 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall

19:00

Tickets £25, £22, £15

Concession £23, £20

Duration 75 mins

DVOŘÁK LUŽANSKÁ MASS

ECHO CHOIR

PRISMATIC WINDS

ST MAGNUS FESTIVAL CHORUS

Sarah Latto Conductor

Graham Shorter ..............................Festival Chorus Director

Jacques Ibert Trois pieces breves

Carl Nielsen ......................................Quintet

Antonin Dvorak Mass in D Op.86 (Lužanská)

The Festival’s own Chorus is joined by the wonderful choir, Echo, in a performance of Dvorak’s Mass in D written in 1887 for Josef Hlavka to celebrate the inauguration of a private chapel at his summer residence. Originally scored for organ, here this charming and gentle

SEVEN RINGS

ESCOCIA DUO

Katrina Lee Violin

Roberto Kuhn Versluys Classical Guitar

Repertoire to include

Egberto Gismonti

Ariel Ramírez....................................Alfonsina y el Mar

Astor Piazzolla Libertango, Escualo, Ave Maria

Ángel Villoldo El Chocio

Atahualpa Yupanqui .....................Huajra

Sete Anéis unveils the enchanting fusion of two cherished musical genres, folk and tango, evoking the soul and spirit of South America’s diverse cultures. Katrina and Roberto of the Escocia Duo demonstrate their glowing love of the music, seamlessly intertwining their instrumentation to weave narratives that capture the essence of each composition.

From the lively rhythms of tango to the poignant strains of folk melodies, every work is a testament to the ensemble’s dedication to preserving and reimagining these traditional sounds.

The Lodge is only accessible via stairs, with no lift or wheelchair access available. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

EVENT 13

SUNDAY 22 JUNE

Kirkwall Masonic Lodge

Kirkwall

21:00

Tickets £18

Concession £16

Duration 60 mins

The Masonic Hall bar downstairs will be open from 20:00 for refreshments.

EVENT 14

SUNDAY 22 JUNE

The Sound Archive

Kirkwall

21:30

Tickets £18

Duration 70 mins

LEESIK AND CARTWRIGHT

SOUNDS OF FOLK

Kristina Leesik Fiddle

Heather Cartwright Guitar/Singer

Kristina Leesik and Heather Cartwright are a Glasgow based fiddle and guitar duo but Kristina hails from Sweden and Heather from Cumbria. Heather has recently been touring with Kris Drever and Kristina is part of the award winning band Tern and here they bring many cultures together in their partnership and explore tunes old and new.

PICTURES AND REFLECTIONS OF MAY AND JUNE NIKITA

LUKINOV

Nikita Lukinov Piano

Piotr Tchaikovsky “May” and “June” from Seasons Op.37a

Franz Liszt Sonetto 104 del Petrarca

Franz Liszt .........................................

Transcendental Study No.8

“Wilde Jagd”

Claude Debussy Reflets dans l’eau, Ondine

Modest Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

A grand scale sonic art gallery is the theme of this recital with Tchaikovsky conjuring the atmosphere of the months of the year (here the starlit nights of May and a barcarolle for June), a wild hunt from Liszt and some watery impressions by Debussy bringing us to the best known work that leads us through an exhibition seen through the eyes of Mussorgsky.

EVENT 15 MONDAY 23 JUNE

Stromness Town Hall

Stromness

11:00

Tickets £20

Concession £18

Duration 70 mins

EVENT 16

MONDAY 23 JUNE

The Music Room

Sanday Community School

Sanday

16:00

Tickets £20

Sanday resident £15

Tickets are limited for this event

Duration 60 mins

FERRY TO SANDAY IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TICKET

Book ferry via Orkney Ferries www.orkneyferries.co.uk

ORPHEUS IN HIS COTTAGE FESTIVAL ON TOUR

Mihai Ritivoiu Piano

Peter Maxwell Davies

Franz Schubert

Alasdair Nicolson ...........................

Three Sanday Places (Knowes o’ Yarrow, Waters of Woo and Kettletoft Pier)

Impromptu Op. 142 No. 1 in F minor, D 935

Magnus IV. Orpheus in his cottage Claude Debussy Préludes (Les collines d’Anacapri, Des pas sur la neige, Ce qu’a vu le vent d’Ouest)

We pay tribute to Peter Maxwell Davies in the year that would have been his 90th Birthday with a concert played on his piano on the island that was his final home in Orkney. Mihai Ritivoiu presents music inspired by the island by Max himself as well a tribute by Festival Director Alasdair Nicolson. Places, the land and the elements all inspire the works including the snow, wind and hills of Debussy’s preludes.

A laureate of several international competitions, including the George Enescu Competition in Bucharest, Mihai Ritivoiu has performed in major halls throughout Europe and Japan. He has given concerts with such orchestras as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, MDR Leipzig, Romanian Radio Orchestra and George Enescu Philharmonic Bucharest.

NIGHT TRAIN TO ODESA

LITERARY HOUR

Jen Stout

(in conversation with Alasdair Nicolson)

Jen Stout is a journalist, writer, and radio producer from Scotland, frequently working in Ukraine. Originally from Shetland she has lived in Germany and Russia. Her empathetic and vivid coverage on the deportations in Kharkiv region was shortlisted for an Amnesty Media Award. Her first book, Night Train to Odesa, was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, and won the Saltire Society First Book of the Year Award.

As war began, Jen Stout left Moscow abruptly, ending up on a border post in southeast Romania, from where she began to cover the human cost of Russian aggression. Her first-hand, vivid reporting brought the war home to readers in Scotland as she reported from front lines and cities across Ukraine.

Stories from the night trains, birthday parties, military hospitals and bunkers: stories from the ground, from a writer with a deep sense of empathy, always seeking to understand the bigger picture, the big questions of identity, history, hopes and fears in this war in Europe.

EVENT 17 MONDAY 23 JUNE

Kirkwall Baptist Church

Kirkwall 17:30

Tickets £18

Concession £16

Duration 60 mins

EVENT 18 MONDAY 23 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral

Kirkwall

19:00

Tickets £25, £22, £15

Concession £23, £20

Duration 60 mins

A BLUE TRUE DREAM OF SKY

ECHO

Conductor

Sarah Latto

Samuel Coleridge Taylor The Sea Shell

Judith Weir a blue true dream of sky

Kenneth Leighton God’s Grandeur

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina .... I Vaghi Fiori

Shrunk Rajesekar................................. Ganga’s Peace

Philip Glass Three Songs for Mixed Choir

1. Pierre de Soleil

2. There are some men

3. Quand les hommes vivront d’amour

Rory Wainwright-Johnson Summoning Dance

Anon Improvisation on Why did you separate me from the Earth?

Echo Ensemble has quickly become one of the celebrated new ensembles in the world of choral music and the group’s first album Innocence has been nominated as Best Newcomers in the BBC Music Magazine Awards. They have been ensemble in residence at Ryedale Festival, with the LPO and have specialised in collaborative work

SHARING AND GATHERING GRANT McQUADE DUO STEVENS & POUND

Eleanor Grant Voice and Double Bass

Gus McQuade Guitar

Delia Stevens Percussion

Will Pound Melodeon

This concert brings together two duos whose instrumental combinations might be said to be ‘unusual’. Here they present a wide and varied programme and collaborate for the first time.

Eleanor Grant and Gus McQuade have quickly grown a reputation for work that stretches across genres and places Renaissance lute songs next to Joni Mitchell. Eleanor’s soaring voice sheds new light on a host of familiar music and amidst these are some of her own songs. Delia Stevens and Will Pound examine a host of well known music in their unique combination exploring new ways of looking at and hearing the very familiar.

EVENT 19 MONDAY 23 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall

21:30

Tickets £22

Concession £20

Duration 70 mins

EVENT 20

TUESDAY 24 JUNE

Stromness Town Hall

Stromness

11:00

Tickets £20

Concession £18

Duration 60 mins

THE GREAT PASSION

Fenella Humphreys Violin James Runcie Writer

J.S. Bach

Toccata and Fugue BWV 565

J.S. Bach Partita in D minor BWV 1004

James Runcie’s novel, The Great Passion, tells the story of young Stefan Silbermann, sent to train as a singer in Leipzig under the Cantor Johann Sebastian Bach. Based on true events, Stefan lives with the Bach family through joyful chaos and heart-rending tragedy and witnesses the creation of some of Bach’s greatest works - most notably the great St Matthew Passion.

In this beautiful collaboration, James is joined by the award-winning violinist Fenella Humphreys. Readings from his work and insightful commentary are intertwined with Fenella’s playing of selected Bach pieces for solo violin, including her own special arrangement of the famous Toccata and Fugue BWV 565 and the heartbreaking Partita in D Minor.

WILD LOCH MOUNTAIN

PRISMATIC WINDS

Leila Marshall Flute

Irena Klimach Oboe

Matthew Jansen Giraldo

Robert Newth

Emma Simpson

Malcolm Arnold

Felix Mendelssohn

Frank Sinatra You Make Me Feel So Young

Robert Newth Wild Loch Mountain Lomond Thyme

Grazyna Bacewicz Kwintet

George Gershwin Summertime

Robert Newth Scottish Fantasy

Here we have a selection of music which is firmly rooted in Scotland but which visits Poland and American jazz on its travels. Notable in the midst of some familiar music and tunes is the Kwintet by the Polish composer Bacewicz. Until recently her name was not so familiar but there is a large body of very fine music. The ensemble’s own horn player has put pen to paper to create two works which feature some well known tunes. Prismatic Winds is made up of players who are recent graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

St Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall 13:00

Tickets £23, £20, £12

Concession £21, £18

Duration 70 mins

EVENT 22

TUESDAY 24 JUNE

St Ninian’s Kirk

Deerness

15:30

Tickets £20

Concession £18

Duration 60 mins

The seats in St Ninian’s offer Presbyterian comfort so feel free to bring a cushion. Parking is limited at the church so a shuttle bus will operate from Deerness Community Hall car park. Last shuttle 15:15.

ANYONE LIVED IN A PRETTY HOW TOWN

ECHO CHOIR

NIALL CAMPBELL

Sarah Latto Conductor

Niall Campbell Poet

Music to include

Benjamin Britten Hymn to St Cecilia

Judith Weir Vertue

Geoff Haynes....................................

Anyone lived in a pretty how town

Echo Ensemble join with poet Niall Campbell for an afternoon of sung and spoken word in the beautiful acoustic of St Ninian’s Kirk by the sea at Deerness. Featuring British composers, the centrepiece of this concert is Britten’s masterpiece the Hymn to St Cecilia. Echo Ensemble has quickly become one of the celebrated new ensembles in the world of choral music and the group’s first album Innocence has been nominated as Best Newcomers in the BBC Music Magazine Awards. They have been ensemble in residence at Ryedale Festival, with the

TELL ME GOOD THINGS

LITERARY HOUR

James Runcie Author (in conversation with Alasdair Nicolson)

James Runcie is the author of twelve novels, four plays and a memoir. He is also an award-winning documentary film-maker, playwright and literary curator. He has been Artistic Director of the Bath Literature Festival, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre, London, and Commissioning Editor for Arts on BBC Radio 4. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a member of both the Crime Writer’s Association and The Detection Club. From his detective novels set in Grantchester to fiction about the creation of J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion to a memoir about his wife, Marilyn Imrie, James has fascinating stories to tell.

EVENT 23 TUESDAY 24 JUNE

Kirkwall Baptist Church

Kirkwall 17:30

Tickets £18

Concession £16

Duration 60 mins

TUESDAY 24 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral

Kirkwall

19:30

Tickets £25, £22, £15

Concession £23, £20

Duration 90 mins

SPONSORED BY

IMPRESSIONS IN THE MISTS

MIHAI RITIVOIU

Mihai Ritivoiu Piano

Peter Maxwell Davies Farewell to Stromness

Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata Op. 28 in D major “Pastoral” Leoš Janácek In the Mists

Franz Liszt Années de pèlerinage: Chapelle de Guillaume Tell, Au bord d’une source, Vallée d’Obermann

Claude Debussy Préludes: Les collines d’Anacapri, Des pas sur la neige, Ce qu’a vu le vent d’Ouest

A recital programme which transports us across countries, landscapes and through the elements and weather. Several sets of elusive impressions bring us Liszt’s time in Switzerland, the delicate melancholy of Janacek’s Mists and Debussy’s fleeting sketches of snow, wind and hills. Beethoven’s sonata bears the name ‘pastoral’ and, though he did not name it, has a sense of the countryside with its drones and gigue-like final movement.

Mihai Ritivoiu was born in Bucharest and studied there at the National University before coming to the Guildhall in London. He is a laureate of many international competitions and is a regular recitalist across venues in Europe.

SETE ANÉIS ESCOCIA DUO

Katrina Lee Violin

Roberto Kuhn Versluys Classical Guitar

Egberto Gismonti ...........................Sete Anéis, Agua e Vinho, Palhaco

Ariel Ramírez Alfonsina y el Mar

Astor Piazzolla Libertango, Escualo, Ave Maria

Ángel Villoldo ..................................El Chocio

Atahualpa Yupanqui Huajra

Sete Anéis unveils the enchanting fusion of two cherished musical genres, folk and tango, evoking the soul and spirit of South America’s diverse cultures. Katrina and Roberto of the Escocia Duo demonstrate their glowing love of the music, seamlessly intertwining their instrumentation to weave narratives that capture the essence of each composition.

From the lively rhythms of tango to the poignant strains of folk melodies, every work on this album is a testament to the ensemble’s dedication to preserving and reimagining these traditional sounds.

EVENT 25 WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE

Hoy Heritage Centre

Hoy 13:00

Tickets £18

Concession £16

Duration 60 mins

FERRY TO HOY IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TICKET

Book ferry via Orkney Ferries www.orkneyferries.co.uk

FROM SANDAY

Fenella Humphreys .......................Violin

Robert Saxton

EVENT 26

WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral

Kirkwall

13:00

Tickets £23, £20, £12

Concession £21, £18

Duration 70 mins

SPONSORED BY

Fledgling Bird

Michael Small ..................................Prism

Kaija Saariaho

John Paul von Westhoff

Bon Vent

Suite no. 5 in D minor

Marcus Rock ....................................Tendrils and Tremors

★ Scottish Premiere ★

Astor Piazzolla

Laura Shipsey

Ailie Robertson

Sally Beamish

Heinrich Biber

Maxwell Davies

Tango Etude no 4

Stormfield Songs

★ Scottish Premiere ★

Skydance

The Lone Seafarer

Passacaglia

Last Postcard from Sanday

Fenella Humphreys is a multi award-winning violinist and regular at the Festival and whilst she is very at home in the standard repertoire she has been a tireless advocate, commissioner and performer of new music. Here she presents a fascinating array of music - including two Scottish premières – inspired by sea, sky, wind, birds and much more.

SONG, LULLABY, BLUES

Gus McQuade..................................Guitar

Toots Thielemans Bluesette (arr. R. Dyens)

Roland Dyens ..................................Libra Sonatine

Frederic Mompou Suite Compostelana

Heitor Villa-Lobos Etude X

Ronaldo Miranda ...........................Appassionata

An atmospheric programme of music for guitar in the newly refurbished old cheese-making room at the Swannay Brewery.

Music from Brazil, Belgium, France and Spain with Mompou’s musical portrait of Santiago de Compostela at its heart. Gus McQuade is a rising star amongst the younger generation of guitarists and recently received the New Elizabethan Award from the Musicians’ Company and made his debut at the Wigmore Hall.

EVENT 27 WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE

Swannay Brewery Birsay 15:30

Tickets £18

Concession £16

Duration 60 mins

EVENT 28

WEDNESDAY

25 JUNE

Kirkwall Baptist Church

Kirkwall 17:30

Tickets £18

Concession £16

Duration 60 mins

BECOMING A COMPOSER

LITERARY HOUR

Errollyn Wallen ................................Composer (in conversation with Alasdair Nicolson)

Errollyn Wallen is one of the UK’s most performed composers and here talks to fellow composer Alasdair Nicolson about her life and work and her move to Orkney.

In 2024 Errollyn was made the Master of the King’s Music and this year sees many premieres, performances and record releases notably a collection of her orchestral works. At home both in chamber music, orchestral music and opera, she has a fast growing catalogue of works.

B’ THE SHORE

JOHNSMAS FOY

A glimpse into the life and works of Robert Rendall

Written by Issy Grieve and Greer Norquoy ORKNEY VOICES

Robert Rendall was significant figure in his day, and good friend of George Mackay Brown, having published three poetic collections and two scientific works about seashore life and shells. Here a new multi media presentation brings together music, visuals, poetry and the character of Rendall himself with ‘live’ painting from Ingrid Grieve during the performance.

EVENT 29

WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE

EVENT 32

THURSDAY 26 JUNE

Stromness Town Hall

Stromness

18:00

Tickets £16

Concession £14

10% off 4 tickets or more

Duration 60 mins HERE MEID

EARTH, SOIL, THE LAND

Karen Tweed Accordion

Karen Street Accordion

With special guest Andy Tweed Saxophone

EVENT 30

WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE

Dashing Deer

Deerness Distillery

Deerness

19:30

Tickets £20

Concession £18

Duration 60 mins

HERE MEID

Karen Tweed and Karen Street come from polar opposite musical backgrounds yet are utterly inspired by each other and the same musical giants such as Piazzolla, Pärt or Karen Carpenter. Whether injecting jazz twists into traditional Irish music or gliding cheeky classical-inspired motifs into musette waltzes, they delight in breathing playfulness around wherever their accordions take them. Respected composers, this concert will include new pieces inspired by ‘A Glisk of Sun’ which are selected articles of ‘countrywoman’ Bessie Skea, whose weekly column for the Orcadian Newspaper lasted for forty years.

DISTILLER’S PLATES

Add a Distiller’s Plate to your ticket for £20.50 – hearty for one or good to share. Pre-order required for this event. See more details on www.stmagnusfestival.com. Drinks to be purchased separately if required. The Dashing Deer bar will be open from 7pm and remain open after the event.

THE PILGRIM’S PATH

Gemma McGregor Flute

Katherine Wren Viola

Sheila Garson Speaker

Gemma McGregor

The Pilgrim’s Path

Gemma McGregor has created a new work based around the story of St Magnus and which follows points on the Magnus Way – a pilgrimage route in Orkney which leads to St Magnus Cathedral and where the relics of Magnus are to be found. Against the backdrop of the Sails for St Magnus which are great canvases hung between the medieval pillars, the performers will present six new pieces whose titles are inspired by George Mackay Brown. The music will be interspersed with the spoken word.

EVENT 31

WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall

21:00

Free

Duration 60 mins

AN ASSEMBLY OF ACCORDIONS

EVENT 33 THURSDAY 26 JUNE

St Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall

19:00

Tickets £23, £20, £15

Concession £21, £18

Duration 70 mins HERE MEID

Karen Tweed ....................................Accordion

Karen Street Accordion

Participants in the First Orkney Accordion Course and local musicians

During the days of the 2025 Festival there will be an Accordion Course taking place with participants drawn to Orkney to learn, play together and work on new music. This concert presents the work done on this course and presents new arrangements of music specially made for accordion ensemble. The sound of a multitude of accordions, with some other special guests, promises to be a riot of sound and a joyful celebration of the accordion to round off this first partnership between the Festival and the Karens.

DEEP WHEEL ORCADIA

Harry Josephine Giles Performer

Atzi Muramatsu...............................Composer

Susan Worsfold Director

Deep Wheel Orcadia is based on the award-winning verse novel by Harry Josephine Giles. A fusion of performance, music and image tells the story of Astrid – who, on return from art school on Mars, meets Darling, a Martian hiding on a space station struggling for survival. Written in Orkney dialect, this spellbinding production includes music by BAFTA-winning composer Atzi Muramatsu with direction by Susan Worsfold.

EVENT 34

THURSDAY 26 JUNE

Orkney Theatre Kirkwall 21:00

Tickets £18

Concession £16

10% off 4 tickets or more

Duration 60 mins

Suitable for ages 12+

O’ HILL AND MOUND - THE HAPPENING

JOHNSMAS FOY

Lynn Barbour ...................................Storyteller

An exciting promenade performance set amidst the ancient landscape of Sandwick in the Elemental Garden of Legend and Lore and round the fireside with stories from the midsummer world of Orkney. An opportunity to be transported to the mysterious and magical world of The Trowie Healer o’ Shapinsay -a traditional Orkney Island Folk Tale around the ancient Islanders’ belief of ‘Abeun The Hill’ - and The Two Fiddlers by George Mackay Brown.

EVENT 35 & 36

FRIDAY 27 JUNE

Storytelling and Folklore Centre Sandwick

14:00 & 19:00

Tickets £16

Duration 90 mins

EXHIBITION LOST AT SEA

The exhibition makes use of an astonishing private collection of model boats. Conceived by gallery owner and ship’s captain, Maiwenn Beadle, the installation is in memory of friends who didn’t come back.

20 - 27 JUNE

Ship of Fools Gallery Kirkwall 10:00 - 16:00

Admission Free Closed Sunday

ST MAGNUS SAVER SERIES

BOOK ALL FOUR EVENTS IN A SERIES AND GET 15% OFF AUTOMATICALLY

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

– We regret that tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded after purchase.

– The management reserves the right to cancel a performance without prior notice due to exceptional circumstances which may be out of our control. In such an instance ticket holders will be offered an alternative performance or a refund.

– Latecomers will only be admitted when there is an appropriate break in the performance.

– Concessions are for schoolchildren, full-time students and registered unemployed. Concession tickets may be subject of proof of status.

– The use of photographic equipment and video cameras is prohibited during the performance.

– Mobile phones must be switched off during the performance.

DATES

Magfest Members Priority Booking opens at 10am on Monday 31 March 2025. General Booking from 10am on Monday 7 April 2025.

BOX OFFICE OPENING HOURS

From 31 March to 14 June 2025

Monday - Tuesday 10am - 12 noon Wednesday - Saturday 2pm - 4pm

From 16 to 27 June 2025

Monday - Sunday 10am - 4pm

LITERARY TALKS SERIES

Events 6, 17, 23, 28

PIANO SERIES

Events 1, 11, 15, 24

DUO SERIES

Events 8, 10, 13, 25

HOW TO BOOK

– Online at www.stmagnusfestival.com

– By telephoning 01856 871445

– In person at St Magnus Festival Box Office, 13 Albert Street, Kirkwall

– On the door for performances that are not sold out.

For general enquiries please email boxoffice@stmagnusfestival.com.

PRICING AND SEATING

To give greater customer choice the Festival has banded ticket prices for many events. Please note that the lowest price is for unreserved seats and/ or seats which offer very limited views of the performance area. In St Magnus Cathedral this will include some seats with no view. Unreserved seats are available from the opening of ticket booking.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OR ASSISTANCE

If you have special seating requirements or have a query regarding access, please contact the Festival office by telephoning 01856 871445 or email boxoffice@stmagnusfestival.com. We will do our best to satisfy seating requests at all venues.

FESTIVAL TRANSPORT

Most Festival events take place in Kirkwall or Stromness which are 15 miles (30 mins) apart. On weekdays and weekends there is a regular daytime bus service. Details and timetables are available from the VisitScotland Information Centres in Kirkwall and Stromness.

CATERING WITHIN EVENTS

Please be aware that our food may contain or come into contact with common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soya and wheat.

MAGFEST MEMBERS SUPPORTERS OF ST MAGNUS

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

Since 1977, St Magnus International Festival has been at the heart of Orkney’s cultural life. Every June, we stage a variety of world-class events set against the backdrop of Orkney’s magical midsummer.

Our Magfest Members play a vital role in helping us maintain the quality of Festival performances and the associated community and education projects year after year.

BENEFITS INCLUDE

– Personalised Membership Card

– Priority Booking ahead of general booking (access to 2 tickets per event)

– Regular Newsletter Updates

– Exclusive Member Event with Festival Director and Artists

– Acknowledgement of Support in Festival Programme

– Complimentary Festival Souvenir Programme Book

– Discount on Festival Merchandise

– Savings on select last-minute tickets

Become a MAGFEST MEMBER to access priority booking and other exciting benefits online at Support Us - Magfest Members

Scan the QR code below.

OUT AND ABOUT

– Harray Hall, Harray

– Sanday Community School, Sanday

– St Ninian’s Kirk, Deerness

– Hoy Heritage Centre, Hoy

– Swannay Brewery, Birsay

– Deerness Distillery, Deerness

– Orkney Folklore and Storytelling Centre, Sandwick

please contact the Festival office. St Magnus International Festival, 13 Albert Street, Kirkwall KW15 1HP

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