This year’s Sound Festival will open with the world premiere of a new music piece inspired by sci-fi writer Jules Verne’s novel – with an Aberdeen twist.
In Verne’s semi-autobiographical book, Backwards to Britain, composer Jonathan Savournon and his friend Gilles Lavouret embark on a trip from France to Britain, taking in Liverpool, Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, Glasgow and London.
But in the Sound Festival’s Aber-Din – composed by Franco-Lebanese composer Zad Moultaka – the musician is Lebanese and the destination for the friends is, of course, Aberdeen.
The story is told through a dialogue between Red Note Ensemble (Scotland’s contemporary music ensemble) and Percussions Claviers de Lyon, and is accompanied by a film created by the composer.
Zad said: “In my version of the story, Lavouret has just read an obscure scientific article on the history of population movements between the Middle East and the British Isles, which will finally prove that all the British come from Beirut.
“After tough musical and scientific investigations, the two friends conclude that several thousand years ago, the Scots emigrated to Lebanon and not the other way around.”
Aber-Din will premiere on Wednesday October 26 at 7pm at Aberdeen’s Cowdray Hall.
Sound Festival to support endangered instruments in Aberdeen
In addition to the sci-fi-inspired composition, the festival will once again support and highlight “endangered” instruments.
Since 2017, the popular music festival has been focusing on lesser-known instruments, starting with the bassoon followed by the viola, the oboe, the horn, and the double bass.
For 2022, the festival will bring these five instruments together with specially-commissioned works and recitals.
Other highlights include the return of Breton Piper extraordinaire, Erwan Keravec with his quartet Sonneurs, and commissions from both emerging and established composers.
Sound Festival runs from Wednesday October 26 to Sunday October 30. Click here for more details and to book tickets.
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