Easter Monday launch for music project

Their ambitious programme for the day is part of a new community music project in East Dunbartonshire, which will include the performance of a new commission by Milton of Campsie composer Peter Kemp.

Conductor Janet Lax and a professional instrumental ensemble from McOpera will use historical tales of local endeavour and innovation to celebrate the achievements of the county – including the Antonine Wall, the Bennie Railplane, the Milngavie Water Treatment works and Craigend Zoo.

The first stopping point and pop-up performance will be at 11.20am at Billingtons Café in Milton of Campsie, the site of the crash landing of Vincenzo Lunardi’s extraordinary hot air balloon on December 5, 1785.

The young singers will then tour featured sites across East Dunbartonshire on Easter Monday with short piano-accompanied performances of each tale

Venues include Waitrose (Milngavie) at 12pm and Mugdock Country Park at 2.30pm.

The premiere performance will be on April 21 at Cairns Church, Milngavie at 8pm, as part of the Milngavie Music Club International Concert season, alongside Stravinsky’s iconic music theatre piece A Soldier’s Tale.

Renowned conductor and former Music Director of English National Opera, Sian Edwards will conduct the Stravinsky, with McOpera Ensemble (formed by players from the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and led by Tony Moffat).

Narration will be by Flora Munro, and commissioned film by Edinburgh-based director Roddy Simpson and artist Derek Gray, who also lives in Milton of Campsie.

The project is supported by Milngavie Music Club, a grant from the John Lewis Partnerships’ Music Matters scheme through Waitrose in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire Arts Council, Allander Travel, Mugdock Country Park and Enterprise Music Scotland.