Scotland’s roots, folk and world music scene is to receive special prominence at one of Europe’s biggest festivals.
Rudolstadt Festival, Germany (6 – 9 July, 2017), will feature Amy Macdonald, 2016 Trad Music Award Folk Band of the Year Breabach, piper, composer and multi-instrumentalist Fred Morrison, Niteworks with their brand of electronic-Celtic fusion featuring Gaelic songs and bagpipes, and Mairi Campbell, at a special Showcase performance comprising storytelling, dance, music and singing.
The festival will also be hosting a number of one off events, including A Man for A’ That –A World Music Tribute to Robert Burns. Artists from various countries will perform selected works by the poet and songwriter in their native languages. Musicians from Ethiopia, Germany, Georgia, India, Israel, Jamaica, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sápmi (Lapland) and Scotland will come together for a performance produced by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s internationally renowned Burns scholar, Fred Freeman.
“The musicians invited to Rudolstadt will be bringing the best of what Scotland has to offer, from the piping virtuosity of Fred Morrison to the electro rhythms of Niteworks.” declared Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland, adding “Germany has for years been a strong supporter of Scottish music and so we are delighted to take this relationship further as Scotland becomes Ruldolstadt’s Country of Focus for 2017. After all, it was the German Echo Awards that recognised Amy Macdonald as Best International Newcomer in 2009, which makes her headline slot this year all the sweeter. The programme taps into the musical glories of Scotland’s past – its travellers’ songs, Gaelic archives and Burns’s favourites – all made vibrant and relevant for audiences today, as our deepest traditions are carried on into the future. What better way to extend a hand of cultural friendship than this?”
About a dozen acts will be reflecting the wide-ranging Scottish scene and its high musicianship. Scotland almost broke down the door to be the showcase country, says Mike Kamp, curator of the country of focus and editor of Folker magazine: “Scotland has an ideal environment for folk music: very deep roots, continuous support for traditional music, and building on this an incredibly creative, receptive scene.”
Commenting on the Rudolstadt Festival, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “Scotland and Germany enjoy a special relationship, which dates back to 1297 when William Wallace wrote to the mayors of Lübeck and Hamburg declaring Scotland open for business. To this day, both nations remain major trading partners. We also share a love of traditional music and storytelling that goes back centuries. Our prominence at the Festival is an excellent opportunity to showcase the spirit of Scotland, as we celebrate our Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. We hope the spotlight on Scotland will entice music lovers to our own plethora of music festivals, which take place across the country throughout the summer months.”
