* Edinburgh composer, Julian Wagstaff, brings an hour-long retrospective show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015
* Entitled, Song to Me, after a song from his stage musical, John Paul Jones
* Professional show features singers and musicians from Scottish Opera, the Edinburgh Quartet and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
* Runs 25-28 August in St Mark’s Unitarian Church, Castle Terrace (Venue 125) at 8.30pm
* The show includes highlights from the operas The Turing Test and Breathe Freely, the musical John Paul Jones, the piano trio A Persistent Illusion and many more
* Concerts introduced by the composer
SCOTTISH composer, Julian Wagstaff, has announced a series of retrospective concerts to be performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015.
Looking back on 15 years of work in the theatre and concert hall, the hour-long show features favourite songs from the composer’s musicals and operas including John Paul Jones and Breathe Freely, as well as instrumental music – such as A Persistent Illusion and Hebridean Sunset Rag.
The concerts will also provide an opportunity to hear works by the composer which are less frequently performed.
Song to Me features Scottish soprano, Marie Claire Breen, who was a Scottish Opera Emerging Artist from 2010-12.
She made her BBC Proms debut in 2010 performing Serenade to Music with Donald Runnicles and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The musicians include Mark Bailey (cellist with the Edinburgh Quartet) and clarinettist, Jean Johnson.
Julian Wagstaff said: “I am delighted to be bringing a new show to the Fringe in 2015. It is 15 years since I finished composing my first musical, and I thought it would be a nice opportunity to look back on the music and songs I have written for the theatre and concert hall over the last decade-and-a-half.
“I am thrilled that some of the excellent musicians I have worked with over the years are able to join me on stage for these concerts, and excited to be working with two excellent singers, Marie Claire Breen and Colin Thomas Bryce.”
Composer, Julian Wagstaff. enjoyed a sell-out success on the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his opera, The Turing Test, about the quest to build a truly intelligent machine.
His stage musical, John Paul Jones, set during the American Revolution, was revived as a concert version in 2010 in association with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
The show’s website can be found at www.SongToMe.co.uk.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Show: Song to Me – the music and songs of Julian Wagstaff, introduced by the composer.
Website: www.SongToMe.co.uk
Venue: artSpace@StMarks, St Mark’s Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace, EH1 2DP (Venue 125)
Dates: Tuesday 25 August – Friday 28 August 2015 at 8.30pm
Tickets: 0131 226 0000, www.edfringe.com
Prices: £10.00 (£8.00 concessions, £7.00 students)
Performers:
Marie Claire Breen – Soprano
Colin Thomas Bryce – Tenor
Jean Johnson – Clarinet
Mark Bailey – Cello
Andrew Johnston – Piano
Production team:
Composer/lyricist/producer – Julian Wagstaff
Assistant producer – Alexander Horowitz
Stage manager – Emily Ingram
Julian Wagstaff
Julian is a composer, writer and guitarist based in Edinburgh. He enjoys close connections with many of the country’s leading musicians, and his works are widely performed throughout the UK and beyond.
His Piano Quintet appears on the album Frontiers and Bridges recorded by the Edinburgh Quartet and produced by Calum Malcolm, available on the Circular Records label.
His opera, The Turing Test, was a sell-out success on the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, gaining excellent reviews in the UK press and cited by the novelist Alexander McCall Smith as a cultural highlight in the Daily Telegraph’s Review of the Year.
His stage musical John Paul Jones, on the life of the Scots-born hero of the American Revolution, was revived professionally as a concert version in 2010 with musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, singers from Consort of Voices and guest soloists.
His opera, Breathe Freely, was recorded at Scottish Opera’s production studios in 2014 and will be released on the Linn Records label in October 2015.
Julian holds a PhD in musical composition from Edinburgh University. He recently served as Composer in Residence at the School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh and is published by Europa Edition.
More details can be found on Julian’s website: www.julianwagstaff.com
Contact:
All enquiries: Julian Wagstaff can be contacted on 07932 596533 or by email at julian@julianwagstaff.com
Internet resources:
www.SongToMe.co.uk
www.julianwagstaff.com
www.edfringe.com
Photographs/biography:
Royalty-free photographs and other information can be downloaded from www.julianwagstaff.com/press.
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Julian Wagstaff contact details…
Contact: Julian Wagstaff
Phone: 07932596533
Email: julian@julianwagstaff.com
Website: http://www.songtome.co.uk
