Live Music Now, a charitable scheme founded by the late Lord Menuhin in 1977, will present eleven performances in various Wick and Thurso community venues between 28 February and 3 March.
Wick born accordionist and pianist, James Ross, will perform for children and young people with special educational needs, adults with learning disabilities, primary school children and elderly people.
A full schedule of performances is attached, but, briefly, the venues are: North Primary School, Wick; Wellington Centre, Wick; Westminster Seaview Nursing Home, Wick; Forse House, Latheron; Pultney Town Academy, Wick; Hempriggs House Care Home, Wick; Thor House, Thurso; Westminster Pentland View Care Home, Thurso; Achvarasdal Eventide Home, Reay; Thurso High School Special Needs Unit; Mount Pleasant Primary School Special Needs Unit, Thurso.
James Ross, from Wick, began playing music at the age of eight, studying under respected musician and composer, the late Addie Harper. He went on to study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow, from which he graduated with a BA in Scottish Music in July 2000.
He subsequently gained an MA in Traditional Irish Music Performance in June 2001, studying piano under Professor Mícheal Ó Súilleabháin at the Irish World Music Centre, University of Limerick.
He has performed extensively throughout Britain, Ireland, America and Canada.
James has recorded with James Graham, Wendy Weatherby and has just recorded a cd will fiddler Anna-Wendy Stevenson which will be released later this year and his current project is recording his debut solo CD.
As part of the prestigious Celtic Connections New Voices series James's commission 'An Cuan' written for piano with string quartet, soprano saxophone, double bass and percussion was performed at this year’s festival to critical acclaim.
He teaches traditional piano at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Since, November 2001, he has been part of the late Yehudi Menuhin's Live Music Now! scheme, which takes live performances to a wide range of community venues.
Live Music Now was founded by Yehudi Menuhin in 1977 with the two-fold aim of taking live music of high quality to everyone in our communities while simultaneously offering young professional musicians the invaluable opportunity of performing at the outset of their careers.
The tour to Caithness is presented with most generous funding from Highland Council. Further information from: Carol Main, Director, LMN (Scotland) - tel: 0131 332 6356 www.livemusicnow.org
