The Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin Big Band aims to bring 20 high-school aged musicians together approximately once a month during term time to learn new music, make group arrangements, and perform gigs.
With the Big Band, EYG aims to take part in artistically exciting projects and have so far collaborated with the Tinderbox Orchestra, the EYG Archive Project, Mike Vass, Jan Bee Brown and have supported the Remembered/Imagined project (from Mr McFall’s Chamber), performing a BBC Performing Arts Fellowship Commission by Ailie Robertson.
The band returns for a new term in September 2015 with maverick accordionist Pàdruig Morrison at the helm. As part of the term they hope to be teaming up with the Tinderbox Orchestra for a recording of Pàdruig’s piece (originally written for EYG’s Archive Project and performed by the Big Band in 2013), Cas na Caora, and possibly other adventures (all tbc, depending on timetabling and funding). Over the course of the sessions Pàdruig hopes to write some new music for the band, and we will also be learning some repertoire as part of the Traditional Music Forum’s Monster Trad project.
Band members need to be secondary school age, with an intermediate to advanced playing standard and experience of playing in a group (like the kind of mixed instrument classes that happen at the Easter Gaitherin). The price is £60 for the term (a concession price is available).
They also work with volunteers during the sessions. If you are over 18 and would like to gain experience working with an exciting youth orchestra, please contact charlotte@eyg.org.uk. Find out more.
Dates (Sundays 11am-3pm venue tbc):
- 6th Sept
- 4th Oct
- 25th Oct
- 8th Nov
- 29th Nov
- Concert: tbc
