Music in the University
Date: Thursday 21 September 2023
Time: 13:10 - 14:00
Venue: University Concert Hall
Category: Concerts and music, Exhibitions, Public lectures, Social events, Academic events, Student events, Alumni events, Open days and visits, Staff workshops and seminars
Esther Swift
Artists: Esther Swift & Collective
Programme: Sound Effects
About
Esther Swift explores ritual, connection, isolation, and the natural world in this hour long commission from Celtic Connections New Voices: Sound Effects. Esther combines her own songs with instrumental tracks and settings of a poem by Rachel McCrum entitled "First Blast To Awaken Women Degenerate" and the famous words of William Butler Yeats in "I Will Arise And Go Now", as well as echoing the words of Glaswegian poet Edwin Morgan in the title track Sound Effects. After being commissioned by The Edwin Morgan Trust in 2021, she has gained a deeper love and appreciation for this poet's extensive and chameleonic legacy which was always delivered with playfulness and joy.
Likened to Kate Bush, Anna Meredith and Bjork Esther combines her love of folk, jazz, classical and all things in between. A prolific, boldly innovative harpist, composer and singer, Esther works across genres as diverse as classical chamber music and free improvisation, and writes for ensembles large and small. Having studied at Edinburgh’s St Mary’s Music School and the Royal Northern College of Music, as well as with harp pioneer Catriona McKay, she has received numerous prestigious commissions and featured in many international collaborations.
She has travelled to Vietnam, New Zealand, Malaysia, Mongolia, and beyond with her music, and shared international, music lead collaborations with musicians and other artists around the world. She has recently been commissioned by Celtic Connections, Chamber Music Scotland, Manchester Jazz festival and The Edwin Morgan Trust and performed internationally with her band Emergence Ensemble.
Venue
Our Thursday Professional Lunchtime Series is held in the University Concert Hall which is situated in the Main Building (Gilbert Scott), just below the Hunterian Museum.
You can access the Concert Hall through three different doors:
-West Quad through the door to the toilets and Hunterian lift
-East Quad entering through the Hunterian Staircase door
-East Quad entering through the external corridor to Hunter Halls
Here is a MAP
Tickets
We currently have no requirement for pre-booking your FREE ticket! Just turn up at 12.45pm to ensure your seat. Once the Concert Hall is full to capacity, we will be closing doors. Please note the capacity of the Concert Hall is 128 people. Latecomers will not be admitted.
Livestream
Sounds amazing but can't make it in person? If you want to watch this concert online via our live-stream format, please sign up to receive a private livestream link: LIVESTREAM
More information
