sound festival

Aberdeen’s sound festival takes a wide-ranging programme of new music online between Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 October.

The festival features World Premieres of works by Laura Bowler, John De Simone, Rylan Gleave, Georgina MacDonell Finlayson, Fiona Harrison, Ben Lunn, Deirdre McKay, Carmel Smickersgill, Pete Stollery, Amit Anand Vamanacharya and Rūta Vitkauskaitė.

There will be a focus on The French Horn as part of sound’s ‘endangered’ instruments series with performances from members of the Guild of Hornplayers including Pip Eastop and Ben Goldscheider.

Throughout the weekend there will be conversations and interactive Q&A’s with composers and musicians including Master of the Queen’s Music Judith Weir, Irish composer Sam Perkin, and Professor Pete Stollery gives a live talk about his Covid-19 sound map.

Other highlights include Ten Wee Drams with bass clarinettist Sarah Watts and film screenings including Grey Area performed by Crash Ensemble blending skateboarding with contemporary music, an organ recital with Dr Roger Williams, and The Big Picture by Judith Weir commissioned for Aberdeen Art Gallery’s re-opening celebrations in 2019.

Events are free to watch and will be broadcast on sound’s YouTube channel and website.