Neil Georgeson will return to Mareel with Shetland-born cellist Abby Hayward on Thursday 7 September to launch Shetland Arts’ 2017/18 Classical season with “In our Homeland”! Locally born Neil has wowed audiences with his skills as a Classical pianist in his previous concerts, this time he will be joined by Abby to perform a varied and timely programme exploring regional and national identity.
The programme presents pieces including "In My Homeland" and "National Song" by Edvard Grieg, who created a uniquely Norwegian music by drawing on regional folk music, and Peter Sculthorpe, who appropriated indigenous Australian melodies, as well as some new arrangements of traditional Shetland music. Turning to the more political aspects of identity it then turns to an intriguing John Cage piece composed for the 200th anniversary of American Independence. This is then followed by a transcendentally beautiful work written by Olivier Messiaen in a WWII concentration camp, as well as the complete works of Anton Webern for cello and piano and the spirituality of “Fratres” by Estonian composer Arvo Part, both of whom had their music banned by their respective governments. The programme draws to a close with the great and profound Sonata in E minor for cello and piano by Johannes Brahms.
This concert is the first in Shetland Arts’ 2017/18 Classical Season, which will also include a solo performance by Neil Georgeson and performances by Scottish Opera, the Edinburgh String Quartet, and brass ensemble The Wallace Collection.
Tickets for this performance are available now through Shetland Arts Box Office. Discounts will be available for the rest of the classical season for those who have booked this performance. Book now at tickets.shetlandarts.org, over the phone on 01595 745500 or in person at Mareel.
