Dame Evelyn Glennie’s visit to the Tryst

On Friday 22nd April 2022, young musicians from across the south of Scotland joined percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and composer Sir James MacMillan to create new music together from scratch, which they performed in a public event that evening in Dumfries House. A very special experience for all of those involve, have a look at the inside the workshop. Sponsored by Trinity College London.

The Cumnock Tryst offers prize to Scottish Young Musicians competition winner

Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year is a new Scotland-wide music competition launched by The Music Education Partnership Group, Scotland's only music competition where funding and expertise is offered to every school and Local Authority, giving all pupils in the country the chance to take part.

After much anticipation, the full list of prizes for the competition can now be announced. The Cumnock Tryst is delighted to be giving the opportunity for the competition winner to take one of the recital slots at the festival to be held in Dumfries House on Sunday 8th October 2023.

Sir James Macmillan said: "We are excited to offer the chance to perform at The Cumnock Tryst to the winner of Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year. This new competition will be of immense help and encouragement for the aspirations of thousands of young musicians, and we are delighted to support the ambitions of young soloists from around the country."

The final, which will take place on Sunday 29 May 2023 at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, will be presented by Jamie MacDougall and feature a special welcome by international classical violinist Nicola Benedetti.

You can find out more at their website: https://www.scottishyoungmusicians.com/

James MacMillan at Ashmole Primary School

James MacMillan launched Cumnock as a Centre of Excellence in the learning and teaching of composition back in 2021 and his work with the Tryst in promoting creativity in the classroom continues around the globe. Earlier this year he was invited by Music Masters to work with a group of young musicians from Ashmole Primary School in London, to help them develop their own piece of music on the spot. Watch below to see how pulse, drones, dancing violins and the tiniest musical fragments can come together to create something very special.

Dame Evelyn Glennie is coming to Cumnock

An evening with Dame Evelyn Glennie is a special one-off event for our local community and supporters which will also herald The Tryst’s return to activity.

Evelyn Glennie is one of the most influential musicians to have emerged from Scotland in recent decades. She is one of those rare classical performers who are genuinely loved and admired by a huge range of people. Because of this she has attracted many to the beauties and joys of percussion music, and modern classical music in particular. It has long been our ambition to bring her to Cumnock so that the local people in Ayrshire and the Tryst’s many supporters can have the opportunity to meet her, and to hear her talk and play.

Dumfries House, Friday 22 April 7.30pm
Sign Language interpreted
FREE tickets

“At this event, I will also announce the programme for our Cumnock Tryst 2022 festival. The concerts and events from 29th September to 2nd October this year represent an important development in The Tryst’s growth, and our supporters will be excited to hear of our new plans for our 8th festival.

I composed my concerto Veni, Veni Emmanuel for Evelyn in 1992, and she has played it all over the world. It has become my most popular and performed work, having now received over 600 performances. In many ways Evelyn and I have been good for each other! We have figured as vitally influential figures in each other’s careers and lives in music. This event in Dumfries Houses gives our audience the opportunity to hear about this and about Evelyn’s extraordinary musical journey from an Aberdeenshire schoolgirl to an international star and virtuoso.

As well as hearing Evelyn and I in conversation, our audience will be treated to a special and intimate musical glimpse into her legendary artistry, as she will weave some solo percussion pieces into the evening.

In the afternoon Evelyn and I will work with young people from across Ayrshire in a workshop on musical creativity, and they will then perform as part of the evening event. It will include a British Sign Language interpreter and be carried out in collaboration with CentreStage, who seek to deliver life changing social benefits through participation in the arts, and Solar Bear theatre company who work with deaf and hearing actors, theatre makers, artists and young people.”

— Sir James MacMillan

A weekend with our friends from The Sixteen

The Cumnock Tryst has had a great weekend with our friends Harry Christophers and Eamonn Dougan from The Sixteen.

On Friday, The Cumnock Tryst Festival Chorus had a wonderful reunion with their Chorus Director Eamonn Dougan, singing together for the first time in two years! Have a look at all the photos here.

Meanwhile, Harry Christophers spent the morning with a group of singers and conductors at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

We then hosted a residential weekend for the 22 young singers of Genesis Sixteen, conducting scholar Olivia Tait and three composers, Eoghan Desmond, Lisa Robertson and Anna Semple, who worked with Harry, Eamonn and James MacMillan before an informal performance at Dumfries House.A wonderful weekend of music-making in Cumnock!

Come and Sing Photo Credits: Stuart Armitt