John McLeod is keeping 2020 as a sabbatical year. He will still be administering his catalogue and there will still be performances of his music, but he is spending more time on the written word in the form of poetry, prose, short stories and an autobiographical chronicle.
Tuesday 26 November 2019 Scarsdale Church, New York City
The King’s Toccata (US premiere) – Sandro Russo (organ)
Sunday 24 November 2019 at 9 p.m. BBC Scotland
Classics Unwrapped – extended interview by Jamie MacDougall on John McLeod and his music
Tuesday 5 November 2019 at 1.10 p.m. Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh
Songs from Above and Below – Taylor Wilson (mezzo-soprano) and Margaret Murray McLeod (piano)
Sunday 27 October 2019 at 10.30 a.m. Dunblane Cathedral
St. Cuthbert’s Mass – Choir of Dunblane Cathedral with Kevin Duggan (organ)
Saturday 14 September 2019 at 2 p.m. National Mining Museum, Newtongrange
Song of the Golden Bird (from Songs from Above and Below) – Barbara Cole Walton (soprano) and Michal Gajzler (piano)
Wednesday 21 August 2019 at 7.30 p.m. Stoller Hall, Manchester
Piano Sonata No.1 – Murray McLachlan (piano)
Tuesday 13 August 2019 at 12.30 p.m. St. Andrew’s and St. George’s Church, Edinburgh
Saturday 3 August 2019 at 12 noon Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh
Animal Songs – Sally Carr (soprano), Calum Robertson (clarinet) and Anna Michels (piano)
Thursday 21st February 2019 Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow
A Dramatic Landscape – Matas Scerbauskas (clarinet), RCS Wind Orchestra conducted by Nigel Boddice
News from Griffin Music June 2018
John McLeod – 2 major albums of his music released this summer
plus performances at major festivals and an exciting new commission!
McLeod continues to enjoy a resurgence in his music over the last few years since his success at the 2014 BBC Proms with an early orchestral work The Sun Dances. It’s distinctive colour and drama are equally evident in this new recording, ‘Out of the Silence’ covering music composed over a 40 year span and including a spectacular showpiece in the Percussion Concerto played here by the fabulous Dame Evelyn Glennie and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the composer’s direction. Delphian Records DCD34196
The second release is a double album of McLeod’s complete piano music. Generously filled with over 158 minutes of music, it includes all five piano sonatas and Murray McLachlan’s transcription of the ‘Fantasy on themes from Britten’s ‘Gloriana’, originally scored for guitar and now a virtuosic showpiece for the keyboard. Murray McLachlan, who performs most of the works, is one of Britain’s most celebrated pianists and has a long and prolific recording history. On the same album Rose McLachlan, performing the Hebridean Dances, makes her recording debut at the age of 14. Divine Art Records MSV77207
Apart from these CD releases McLeod’s music continues to create interest at major festivals and elsewhere.
Malaysian pianist Bobby Chen will be performing McLeod’s Three Protest Pieces at the Ulverston International Festival on 14th June. Then on 25th June the outstanding young British guitarist, Michael Butten will play McLeod’s Fantasy on themes from Britten’s ‘Gloriana’ at the St Magnus International Festival (Orkney) – repeating it later in the final of the New Elizabethan Award at the Royal Academy of Music, London on 6th July.
An exciting new commission from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Looking ahead – 25th October (Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh) and 26th October (City Halls, Glasgow) sees the first performances of McLeod’s Nordic Fire – Concerto for Viola and Orchestra commissioned by the SCO for the brilliant viola player Jane Atkins. The title refers to the amazing light, colour and energy of the aurora borealis – that natural electrical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky, especially near the northern magnetic pole. It will be conducted by Joseph Swensen.
For more information please ring Griffin Music 0131 441 3035
