Arts at Loaningdale

👀👀SPOTTED 👀👀in Budapest - posters for one of this year's artists Miriam Gómez-Morán's upcoming recital in the Concert Hall of the Liszt Ferenc Memorial Museum in Budapest, the composer's former flat where he lived from 1881-1886. You can also see a collection of the Liszt's keyboard instruments, including a desk made especially for him by Ludwig von Bösendorfer which includes a three octave pull out keyboard! If you (or someone you know) happen to be in Budapest tomorrow evening or Saturday morning then do check it out! there's more info here: https://concert.lisztacademy.hu/all-programs.

to just last week! We can't believe it's almost been a whole week since we ended our first festival - we're still on a high! Here's a few of our fave images from the week - we'd love to see yours too if you've any photos from the festival!



Angela Hewitt
Miriam Gómez-Morán
Nikita Lukinov
Brian Kellock
Worbey & Farrell

And that's a wrap! 🌯 Thanks to Worbey & Farrell for such a fun filled festival finale last night! Thanks also to all our other wonderful musicians Angela Hewitt, Nikita Lukinov, Miriam Gómez-Morán, Brian Kellock & Kenny Ellis, resident visual artist Sarah Dawnay, all who played and listened at our open piano day, our directors Fiona Finch and James Cameron, and, last but not least, our fabulous audiences! We've been overwhelmed by all the support and feedback received in our first year, and look forward to bringing you more world-class piano performances soon!

We'll be posting lots more pics and videos from the festival in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on our socials 👀👀

Happy International Jazz Day! We were channelling some serious jazz club vibes last night with a superb concert from Brian Kellock, with Kenny Ellis on bass. Don't you just love how the hall's transformed?

We were honoured to have Dr. László Kálmán, Hungarian Consul General, as our guest last night for Miriam Gómez-Morán's outstanding recital of works by one of Hungary's greatest composers, Franz Liszt. Miriam played Années de pèlerinage, Book 2 in its entirety to a spellbound audience, on what she's told us is her favourite piano in the world, our beautiful Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik concert grand.

Though hailing from Spain, Miriam has a great affinity with Hungary, and introduced her programme in both English and Hungarian.

Thank you Miriam for such a special performance!

Another fabulous concert last night, this time on our Steinway & Sons concert grand, from our wonderful Live Music Now Scotland Emerging Artist Nikita Lukinov playing a fiery programme including Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky.

You can hear Nikita in Scotland next month on the 19th at Bute Arts Society and on the 27th at Pianodrome, Edinburgh. And you can hear our Steinway tomorrow and Sunday, and our magnificent Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik grand TONIGHT at 7.30pm! Full info at https://artsatloaningdale.org/.

Praise indeed for our Bösendorfer 🥰 come along and hear Miriam Gómez-Morán play Liszt tonight at 7.30! Tickets at the link below, or on the door🚪 https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/biggar/arts-at-loaningdale/miriam-gomez-moran-plays-liszt/e-lmkbro

This 1874 Steinway is not the piano I am performing on tonight, but it is the one I used yesterday evening for a little practising. Isn’t it a luxury to be able to have such an instrument under the fingers?

If you want to hear me playing the incredible “Second Year of Pilgrimage” by Liszt on the very best piano I have tried in my life, come to my recital this evening! https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/biggar/arts-at-loaningdale/miriam-gomez-moran-plays-liszt/e-lmkbro

We were thrilled yesterday to have a FULL HOUSE for the inimitable Angela Hewitt. A truly stunning recital, her final movement of Beethoven's Opus 111 was the stuff of dreams 🥰

Our line up for the rest of the week is:
🎶 Tonight: Nikita Lukinov
🎶 Tomorrow: Miriam Gómez-Morán
🎶 Saturday: Brian Kellock
🎶 Sunday: Open piano day & Worbey & Farrell

All concerts 7.30pm. Tickets available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/artsatloaningdale

Today is the day! And we could not be more excited to be opening our doors for our first ever Spring Piano Festival 🌸✨🤩💐

Join us for five days of memorable music from six very different pianists, right here in the hear of the Clydesdale Valley. Tickets available at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/dashboard.

Hugely interesting article from Angela Hewitt in today's The Guardian on music and memory. There are still a very small number of tickets left for her concert with us tomorrow - if you want to snap up one of the final few head to www.ticketsource.co.uk/artsatloaningdale

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/25/angela-hewitt-pianist-memory-muscle

‘Like s*x and religion, we don’t like to talk about memory’: pianist Angela Hewitt on how she keeps hers in shape From eavesdropping to iPads and beetles to Bach, the pianist reflects on the extraordinary feats of memory required of concert soloists, and how she continues to exercise that muscle

In case you missed it yesterday, you can listen again on BBC Sounds to our Festival Director Fiona Finch and Live Music Now Scotland Emerging Artist Nikita Lukinov, who were on The Afternoon Show with Janice Forsyth & Grant Stott. They're on from about 1.45 (just after Barbara Streisand😉). Check out the show here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001lb7z.

Sarah Dawnay's exhibition, 'New Ground', was hung today, and it has exceeded our expectations. Can't think of a more inspiring setting to walk through to get to our auditorium. Be sure to come a little early for time to have a proper look.

Thanks to Keith and Ken at Vox Carnyx for sharing the news about our festival! 🗞 we are so excited to be opening our doors to you next week 🥳🥳🥳

New piano festival Loaningdale House, to the north of Biggar in Clydesdale, has a rich, varied and sometimes controversial past, and next week a new chapter in its history begins as it hosts a series of piano recital…

Don't you just love a refreshing spring stroll in the hills? ⛰🌸 We certainly do! Did you know that Tinto Hill is just outside Biggar, and takes only 2 - 3 hours to climb? If you're travelling to one of our concerts, why not head over a little earlier for a brief hill-walk and take in some of the stunning views of the Clyde Valley?

You can reward yourself afterwards with a trip to one of Biggar's many local pubs and restaurants - and, of course, with some fabulous music!

Check out the trail at the Walkhighlands website here:

Tinto from the north A great little hill with commanding views of the Clyde Valley and a massive summit cairn. A very popular landmark, the route is easy to follow and reasonably gentle.

📣📣LAST CHANCE TO ENTER📣📣

Our fab competition with Artmag UK draws to a close today, so if you've not yet entered to WIN a pair of festival passes and a copy of headline artist Angela Hewitt's latest CD, don't delay!

head to https://sweepwidget.com/c/68566-bt5o3fx7 to enter.

WIN! A pair of festival passes to Scotland’s newest piano festival, Arts at Loaningdale, Biggar. 25-30 April. PLUS a copy of headline artist Angela Hewitt’s latest CD – Mozart’s Piano Sonatas K279-284 & 309 recorded on Hyperion records WIN! A pair of festival passes to Scotland’s newest piano festival, Arts at Loaningdale, Biggar. 25-30 April. PLUS a copy of headline artist Angela Hewitt’s latest CD – Mozart’s Piano Sonatas K279-284 & 309 recorded on Hyperion records

What does this man have in common with these works of art?
Answer in Comments!

Happy National Haiku Poetry Day! Haiku is a Japanese poetic form that consists of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. Did you know that composer John Cage wrote seven musical haiku for solo piano? Check out this video of Ikuko Inoguchi, Concert Pianist playing the full set.

If you fancy giving this a whirl - or even if Cage's 4'33 is more your style - we'd love to see you at our open piano day on 30th April! More info on that, and our full programme on our website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSVtQ7fZ3eo.

Cage: Haiku and Seven Haiku Part I of "Musical Haiku", comprising five works that display a link to the Japanese haiku (a short poetic form). John Cage Haiku (1950-1951) Haiku I:...

It's just two weeks until the masters of musical comedy Worbey & Farrell bring our first ever piano festival to a rip-roaring close! Expect musical fireworks and ingenious jokes all delivered with panache and virtuosity. Here's a brief into to what you can expect! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I1QTRAaSiQ&t=3s

A few tickets still available at https://artsatloaningdale.org/worbey-and-farrell/.

⛰️😇

WORBEY & FARRELL - A Short Introduction Worbey & Farrell are internationally acclaimed concert pianists with a wicked sense of humour. They have played with the world’s leading symphony orchestras,...

Did you know that Biggar is home to the 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rated Biggar & Upper Clydesdale Museum? If you are travelling from elsewhere to one of our concerts, why not make a day of it and discover more of the history of this ancient and beautiful part of the world?

Home - Biggar Museum Discover the people who have lived and worked here from prehistoric times up to the mid-20th century - visit Biggar Museum.

"An unstoppable spirit of a young Beethoven consolidates the first half of the programme with Scarlatti and Chopin on both sides... I will conclude the recital with selected “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Mussorgsky. A firework of emotions is guaranteed!"

Some words from our Emerging Artist Nikita Lukinov , whose performance of some of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" will serve as the opening to our own Festival Exhibition, New Ground, a selection of stirring and soothing paintings by artist Sarah Dawnay.

Nikita will also be playing a couple of movements from Prokofiev's Cinderella, including "Quarrel" - which you can have a sneak preview of here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mifBCCKiYho

Tickets for Nikita's recital are still available at https://artsatloaningdale.org/nikita-lukinov/

Cinderella and the Prince; Cinderella's variation & The Quarrel from Cinderella. Op 102 Prokofiev Nikita Lukinov - PianoRecorded live at The Drake Calleja Trust Scholars Concert, March 18th 2022, at The Purcell Room, London. Hosted by Matthew Hargreaves. ...

We are very excited to announce that Brian Kellock will be performing with his long-term collaborator bassist Kenny Ellis at Loaningdale on Saturday 29 April! There are still a few tickets available - head to https://artsatloaningdale.org/brian-kellock/ for more details.

If you can't wait until then, here's short snippet of them performing together a few years back at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (also alongside drummer John Rae). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ae6l9ltQfE

Brian Kellock Trio The pianist’s classic Trio is re-united for a special one-off concert.Ever since they first got together, almost thirty years ago, they’ve been the benchmark...

Come to Loaningdale for a voyage to Italy with Miriam Gómez-Morán as she takes us through Book 2 of Liszt's Années de Pélérinage (Italy).

Don't miss this new piano festival!
https://artsatloaningdale.org/spring-festival-2023/