dgArts Events

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Programme to include: Strauss Waltzes and Polkas, dances by Elgar and Stravinsky, songs by Bernstein and Strauss. Conductor: Nicholas Kok, Soprano: Gillian Keith

The Blue Danube, Radestzky March, Roses from the South, waltzes and polkas…what better way to greet the New Year than a classic Viennese night out with the SCO? Charming soprano Gillian Keith adds extra sparkle in hits from the operettas.

Rab, George, Whitman, Burns and Jazz @ the CatStrand

George Wallace, Rab Wilson and musical friends take us on a lively poetic journey inspired by the work of two great poets: Robert Burns and Walt Whitman.

There will be a community minibus from Dumfries for this event – call Carolyn Yates on 01387 253383 if you want more information.

George Wallace is the Walt Whitman Birthplace 2011 Writer in Residence. An award winning poet and journalist, George has performed his work across America and in Europe. He is the author of nineteen chapbooks of poetry and teaches literature at Pace University in Manhattan. He is editor of Poetrybay, an online poetry magazine archived and distributed worldwide by Stanford University. Other editorial work includes Poetryvlog, Long Island Quarterly, and Walt’s Corner in the Long Islander newspaper A former Peace Corps Volunteer, USAF Medical Officer and community organizer, he is a regular performer at Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, Howlfest, the Woody Guthrie Festival and Bradfest. In the Metropolitan New York area he has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Algonquin Club, Tribes Gallery, Sidewalk Café and at C-Note, and hosts poetry events at Cornelia St Cafe and Bowery Poetry Club. An avid Whitman enthusiast, he is a major interpreter of European Surrealism, New York School and Beat writing.

Rab Wilson, the Robert Burns Writing Fellow in Reading Scots for Dumfries and Galloway, is a poet wha screives maistly in Scots an writes a wheen things in Standaurt Englis as weel. His wark appears regularly in the likes o Lallans magazine, Holyrood Magazine, the Herald newspaper and Chapman magazine. He writes whit it is like tae leeve in Scotland in the 21st Century. His wark contains poleetical satire, humorous warks, elegies, sonnets, meditations oan global events, anti-war poetry, an the hale range o whit haes inspired Scots makars fir a thoosan year syne or mair. ‘Omar Khayyam in Scots’, and an ‘Art Buik’ version o the Roman poet Horace’s ‘First Book o Satires’, a jynt project wi the Dumfries artist Hugh Bryden, are his acclaimed owersettins o classic screeds. His collection, ‘Accent O The Mind’ wis publisht bi Luath Press o Embra in 2006. Scotland On Sunday said o this buik ‘This book contains poetry to rival the best published in Scotland, or written by a Scot, in the past 30 years.’ He wis winner of ‘The McCash Poetry Prize’ in 2008, Scotland’s leadin poetry competition fir poetry written in Scots, rin jyntly bi Glasgow University and the Herald newspaper. In 2009 he published a saicent collection, ‘Life Sentence’, and an anthology o poetry bi contemporary Dumfries and Galloway poets, entitled ‘Chuckies fir the Cairn’. His film documentary anent the history an future o coal mining in South West Scotland, in conjunction wi the West of Scotland University, was shown at the Wigtown book festival in 2010.

Professor Alan Riach, current Chair o Scottish Leeterature at Glasgow University, hus described Rab as ‘one of the best poets now working in Scotland’.

Maelasta – Kirkmahoe Concerts

Kirkmahoe Concerts presents Maelasta – Feargus Hetherington (Violin), Matthew McAllister (Guitar)

The violin and guitar duo Maelasta has appeared in major concert halls across the country including the Sage, Gateshead, the Harty Rooms in Belfast and the National Galleries in Edinburgh. They have performed and given workshops as far afield as Denmark and Abu Dhabi and recorded a debut album Maelasta for Natural Studio Records. The duo performs a wide range of music from classical works to traditional Scottish music. Their concert will include the virtuosic elegance of Paganini, through to the contemporary traditional music of Shetland’s Chris Stout.

Open Stage 26 January 2011

Celebrate the start of the New Year creatively at our Open Stage night. Open Stage welcomes poets and singer songwriters to perform in front of a friendly and enthusiastic audience on the last Wednesday of the month. We always ask along a guest artist to provide inspiration. Open Stage is compered by the warm and talented Nicola Black.

Open Stage takes place in the gorgeous So You Cafe on Castle Street. Doors open at 7pm for you to book your performance slot, and the show starts at 7.30pm. £3 on the door.

The Feral Choir presents “Burns: The Giftie Bard”

Performing as soloists and joining the choirs will be Dave Francis and Mairi Campbell from Edinburgh who perform together as The Cast and have a sparkling reputation for their rendition of Burns’ songs. Also performing will be Wendy Stewart, one of Scotland’s finest traditional harpists and Dave Orr, guitarist. In Burns: The Giftie Bard, the letters of Burns will be woven together with traditional Galloway fiddle tunes and with Burns’ songs – lesser known as well as old favourites.

The Feral Choir presents Burns: The Giftie Bard

Performing as soloists and joining the choirs will be Dave Francis and Mairi Campbell from Edinburgh who perform together as The Cast and have a sparkling reputation for their rendition of Burns’ songs. Also performing will be Wendy Stewart, one of Scotland’s finest traditional harpists and Dave Orr, guitarist. In Burns: The Giftie Bard, the letters of Burns will be woven together with traditional Galloway fiddle tunes and with Burns’ songs – lesser known as well as old favourites.

Roncadora Press ‘Words and Images’ : Gracefield Cafe

Exhibition

An exhibition of images made by artist Hugh Bryden in response to poetry, showing illustrations, covers and designs for award-winning Roncadora Press publications. The exhibition will show and describe the different methods used and the development of ideas to finished print.

To complement this exhibition there will be three evening readings by poets published by Roncadora.

Wednesday 9 February Hugh McMillan / Graham Fulton

Wednesday 16 February Andrew Forster / Jean Atkin

Wednesday 2 March Rab Wilson / John Burns.

These FREE events have been organised in partnership with dgArts. Readings will take place at 7pm in the Gracefield Café Gallery and in most cases will also mark the launch of a new pamphlet by the poets.

Guild of Players Presents: The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of A Christmas Carol

By David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr. Directed by Joyce Ferguson (by arrangement with Samuel French) (is this the play with the longest title ever?)

In a festive mood (albeit a few months late), the ladies mount another assault on the classics with their stage version of A Christmas Carol. They enthusiastically portray a dizzy array of characters from the Dickensian favourite (and a few which aren’t). Another classic dramatic massacre that enthralls!

Lena Martell in Concert with special guest Jackie Grant

Sean Connery was quoted as saying at the Edinburgh Festival 2004 “The best singer not to record a Bond soundtrack was Lena Martell”.

Projects

Arts Live Arts Live – vibrant arts and entertainment from January to June 2011

Dumfries & Galloway Arts present an all-new arts and entertainments programme for 2011, under the new [...]

Brand dgArts Music Making

dgArts has a range of facilities for creative music making, including the Music Bus. dgArts have [...]

Events

Press Roncadora Press: Words and Images at Gracefield Cafe Gallery

An exhibition of images made by artist Hugh Bryden in response to poetry, showing illustrations, covers...

RSNO RSNO Out & About Week: Come and Sing Workshop in Dumfries

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is visiting Dumfriesshire this March with a packed programme of concerts,...