One of Scotland's most successful, respected and popular musicians, Dougie MacLean, was in Perth today (Monday 12 December 2005) complete with his ”wee grey Fergie” tractor to launch the Horsecross season and announce his Rural Image show which will take place in Perth on Friday 13 January 2006.
Dougie is just one of the many artists featured in our brand new programme; other well recognised names include: Barbara Dickson, Alexander O’Neal, Richard Thompson, Stockhausen’s Stimmung, Dylan Moran, Ashkenazy, Jethro Tull, Carol Smillie in The Vagina Monologues, Circus of Horrors and productions from the 1st season of work from the National Theatre of Scotland to name but a few.
The programme is out from tomorrow (Tuesday) and lists a wide range of shows and events for all ages and tastes. We’ve got the best of classical, traditional, rock and pop music, talks, top drama, comedy, family shows and digital art.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with interest in the new Concert Hall,” said Jane Spiers, Chief Executive of Horsecross. “With 3,000 Horsecrossregulars signed up to our membership scheme and great uptake on our Kids Go Free offers, both the concert hall and theatre are welcoming new audiences.
“Our family programme sold out within days last time, and lunchtime concerts turned out to be so popular that we’ve moved them from the studio to the main auditorium. We’ve had to put on more dinner tables for Hogmanay because of demand and we’ve sold out shows from Goldfrapp to the Proclaimers. We’ve been able to secure Scottish exclusives with acts like Bob Geldof and international new media artists like Janek Schaefer. We look forward to enticing audiences from far and wide for our Spring programme.”
The New Year begins with the sell-out New Year Viennese Concert by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Our classical programming continues to feature some of the best artists around. The Belcea Quartet perform their second helping of Mozart on Tue 10 Jan, and all things Mozart continue. Supported by EventScotland, Horsecross will be hosting a number of Mozart+Burns events throughout the year.
2006 is a major year for Mozart lovers with it being the 250th anniversary of his birth. By way of celebration, Horsecross will present an array of Mozart related events including A Mozart Journey Series, and a Day of Mozart + Burns. Come along and enjoy this day of music and words on Sat 28 Jan, explore their world of art, and ponder what might have happened if Rabbie had met Wolfgang – they had more in common than you may think!
If you prefer something a little more contemporary – make sure you get your tickets for some of the January concerts. Dougie MacLean brings his Rural Image production which incorporates original music and song, dance, digital imaging and, set and lighting design.
Also in January, Perth welcomes Richard Thompson and Barbara Dickson. The two offer a different kind of musical experience but both promise to be a fabulous night out.
While Richard’s music will ‘crash the boundaries between electric and acoustic music’; Barbara’s dulcet tones will offer up some of her greatest hits such as Answer Me, January February and of course I Know Him So Well.
Indie music fans will also be in their element with the Complete Stone Roses on 7 April, or choose to enjoy a multitude of music styles with the Tsunami Appeal Concert which includes a true Pearl of the Tay Fraser Anderson and anarchic Michael Rattray Allstars to name but a few.
As usual we have great comedy on offer and are pleased to welcome the creator of Channel 4’s Bafta award- winning Black Books, Dylan Moran on Fri 16 Jun.
It’s a must to book now for family workshops and shows - in last season’s brochure, they sold out within days! This season’s programme is truly extensive and offers music, singing, drumming, storytelling, illustrating and cartoon drawing, and even gory make-up workshops.
Musical Minors is the first of the block of children’s workshops and begins Wed 11 Jan. It runs for six weeks and introduces music and percussion in an informal group setting.
Theatre-lovers will be keen to see shows from the newly established National Theatre of Scotland, and Perth welcomes two shows in May next year. Hair raising children’s show, The Wolves in the Walls, and gritty Glasgow tenement drama, Elizabeth Gordon Quinn starring Siobhan Redmond. In addition, for the first time, Perth Theatre will be going on the road and will tour its production of Phedre to The Citizens in Glasgow and Warwick Arts Centre in England.
Don’t forget to experience some of the concert hall’s digital art at Threshold. You can either get active and play a game of virtual football or just sit back and relax with a coffee and enjoy the variety of work on the Threshold wave.
Perth Concert Hall successfully launched in September this year and all at Horsecross were overwhelmed by the tremendous support received and the public’s enthusiasm towards Scotland’s newest arts and music venue.
Horsecross Chief Executive, Jane Spiers is delighted that the interest continues and that the first season alone has achieved so much.
“By the end of 2005, we will have staged over 50 concerts, over 20 cultural events, and we are also aware that people are willing to travel to Perth,” says Jane. “Not only have we welcomed concert-goers from across Scotland, but from England, Ireland and Europe.”
“We’ve also performed extremely well with the business community too. We’ve hosted 23 auditorium conferences with some of these on a national and international scale,” adds Jane.
“With the launch of the new season programme, we look forward to an exciting year ahead. Perth is definitely a great place to be right now.”
Horsecross will continue its dedication to ensuring Perth Concert Hall and theatre are major players in the arts in Scotland while performing a central role in helping Perth become one of Europe’s most vibrant small cities.
www.horsecross.co.uk
