WHAT’S THE STORY?
THE East Neuk Festival of music that takes place in Fife starts today and continues until July 4. Established in 2004 it was the brainchild of Donald and Louise MacDonald and founding and current artistic director Svend McEwan-Brown.
The 2021 Festival (ENF) programme includes seven live concerts, pop up events throughout the area, installations and broadcasts online and on BBC Radio 3. The award-winning Festival is this year heavily promoting its support of young musicians.
WHERE EXACTLY IS THE EAST NEUK?
AS the name suggests, it’s the east corner of the Kingdom of Fife, stretching from the fishing villages on the north side of the Firth of Forth inland to the Riggin o’ Fife for about 40 sq miles of territory, including Elie and Earslferry, Colinsburgh, St Monans Pittenweem, Carnbree, Anstruther Crail and Kingbarns.
WHAT’S IN THE FESTIVAL?
THIS year will see al fresco performances, pop-up events, digital performance, art installations, community-led projects, and radio broadcasts promising a rich festival experience for audiences in Fife and beyond. ENF’s new and customised Band in a Van will travel around the East Neuk giving pop-up performances for local audiences and a large-scale labyrinth inspired by the contours of the Fife Coastal Path route will be created in the grounds of the National Trust for Scotland’s Kellie Castle.
Following an open call to the local community, a film capturing the sights and sounds of life during a day in the East Neuk will be shown at the Dreels Hall in Anstruther.
WHO ARE THE YOUNG MUSICIANS BEING SUPPORTED?
EACH year ENF supports at least one young musician with a residency that allows them to develop work. The latest ENF Retreat Residency will be undertaken by young jazz composer, vocalist and storyteller Nishla Smith.
Partnering with scientists from St Andrews University’s School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Smith will develop a song cycle called “Aether” for voice and improvising ensemble exploring impacts of the climate crisis across different environmental settings. The project will culminate in a development residency with the ensemble, and a performance of the new work at the 2022 ENF alongside the creation of a short film which will document the partnership, research, creative and rehearsal processes.
Smith commented: “For a while now I’ve been thinking about how I can use my artistic practice to create something meaningful in response to the environmental problems we face as a society. In ‘Aether’, I wish to broach my anxieties and hopes in a way that I also find artistically meaningful. I want to create something that balances the seriousness of the subject matter with some moments of hope and optimism.”
WHAT ARE THE ORGANISERS SAYING?
THEY are very keen to promote their call for action to be taken to support young musicians an performers.
Svend McEwan-Brown, said: “Multiple lockdowns have caused irreparable damage to all musicians’ lives and careers, and we witness with dismay the especially harsh impact the crisis is having on those in their first years as professional performers. Millions of opportunities have been lost to these young people all over the globe, and while the scale of this crisis puts it well beyond our reach to resolve, we certainly can play our part in creating opportunities and supporting excellence and creative endeavour as much as we possibly can.
“We have always keenly felt our responsibility to support musicians in the early years of their careers and remain committed to offering opportunities that we hope will help to take them forward and allow them to develop profile and build a career. This year we have continued to offer opportunities through our ENF Retreat programme and we open our festival concert series with two young pianists making their debuts. We are delighted to be announcing Nishla’s residency. A wonderful performer with an enquiring mind, I’m really looking forward to seeing how her project develops.”
WHAT’S WITH THE SAND PAINTINGS?
BRILLIANT, albeit temporary installations. There have been a few already and maybe more to come, the paintings capture different aspects of the Festival. A portrait was revealed on Tuesday and caused quite a stir among local residents in Elie. The picture was of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart alongside a caption by the renowned pianist Paul Lewis. The drawing celebrates Lewis’ East Neuk Festival debut which will take place at the converted barn, Bowhouse, at St Monans this weekend featuring music by Mozart, the world’s favourite composer of classical music.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN FIFE THIS SUMMER?
The Fife Tourism Partnership is responding to coming out of lockdown by promoting the Kingdom’s many attractions this summer. To mention a few that are coming up, there’s the BCGP Comic and Toy Market this Saturday at Kingsgate Centre in Dunfermline, the all-summer Burntisland Fair starting on Monday, July 5, the Bennet’s British Superbike Championship at Knockhill on July 10-11, and Largo Arts Weeke starting on July 17.
You can find out more at www.welcometofife.com/events
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