Scottish Ensemble Put Wellness Centre Stage With Maggie's

Scottish Ensemble is putting wellness centre stage with brand new events aimed at enhancing wellbeing through both music, and techniques and tools aimed at helping people find calm.

At a time when so many are struggling in terms of their mental health - coping with working from home, home-schooling, loneliness and even bereavement - SE launch Breathe: Music and Your Mind with Maggie's, three events inspired by their longstanding relationship with the charity.

Supporting and developing their brilliant work with people with cancer and their families by bringing live music into their centres, which they have been doing since 2016, SE are taking their music and mindfulness sessions online with three free, one-hour events on Sunday 28 March at 3pm and Tuesday 30 March at both 2pm and then again at 5.30pm.

The ensemble will continue to share its trademark music for strings alongside reflections from Maggie's Lead Psychologist, Lesley Howells, on how we can all use music in our daily lives to help us feel better. Listening to music is one of the easiest ways to enhance well-being and the ensemble are encouraging audiences from all over the world to join them in escaping the rigmarole of the daily grind and restrictions and to help restore focus in an undeniably tumultuous world.

Young people's mental health is also at risk due to the pressures and anxieties stemming from the pandemic, so the ensemble has also programmed a Maggie's event for schools on Monday 29 March at 12.30pm. Like the events for adults yet tailored to the needs of school age children (years P6-S6) this event will address the types of stresses these young people might be encountering, while perhaps also introducing them to new music.

With the increase in pressure on everyone's mental health, we could all do with taking some time out for ourselves and these special performances will help viewers find new ways to listen and give them a taste of how to channel music to sweep away daily pressures.

William Norris, Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble said: "These free events give people a much-needed opportunity to switch off, step back, and put their own wellbeing centre stage. Maggie's Centres are at the forefront of the quest to improve mental wellbeing with music and conversation, and the way they resiliently continue to improve the lives of so many every single day is truly inspiring. We're delighted to be working with them again to help bring the soothing and stress-relieving power of music to as many people as possible, and can't wait to see what this partnership brings in the future."

In addition to these events, Scottish Ensemble continue to promote innovation and collaboration with 2021 digital programme as they announce new film First Light with celebrated Guest Director Max Baillie.

Premiering online on Thursday 29 April at 7.30pm (and available to view online thereafter for ticket holders until midnight on Monday 7 August) First Light is a collaboration between SE and self-described cross-pollinator, soloist, chamber musician, improviser and member of Lodestar Trio and ZRI, Max Baillie.

First Light is an uplifting concert featuring works by Haydn, Vivaldi, Jessie Montgomery, Steve Martland and Max Baillie himself, performed by SE musicians Kate Suthers, Kana Kawashima, Tristan Gurney, Laura Ghiro and George Smith on violin, Jane Atkins and Andrew Berridge on viola, Alison Lawrance and Naomi Pavri on cello, Diane Clark on bass and Jan Waterfield on the harpsichord.

Bringing life and energy to audiences via their screens, First Light signals the transition from darkness to brighter times and Max will lead viewers on a journey through joyful, uplifting and optimistic music, bursting with luminosity.

From Jessie Montgomery's explosive Starburst, through the tempestuousness of a new string ensemble arrangement of Haydn's 'Fifths string quartet to Vivaldi's vivacious Concerto Grosso in G minor, the programme presents a visual and sonic dialogue between old and new, between the human and the natural, between darkness and light.

Working with Flux Video to create a striking film, Scottish Ensemble invite audiences old and new to join them online to re-energise. Created under Covid-secure conditions First Light was filmed in the Engine Works, Glasgow; a venue that brings the tradition of Glasgow's proud industrial history and blends it with a modern, contemporary and visionary concept.

William Norris, Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble, said: "First Light symbolises the transition that we are all going through right now, both in terms of slowly coming out of restrictions and also the changing of the seasons. Max brings a unique creative flare to everything he does, and his music-making reflects our values around innovation, reaching new audiences and promoting cross pollination of sounds and styles; it has been a privilege to have worked with him. We really hope our audiences, both new and existing, enjoy tuning in."

Max Baillie, First Light Guest Director, said: "It was an absolute pleasure working with Scottish Ensemble to create First Light, which to me symbolises positivity and hope as we look towards spring and the rest of 2021. We have all had to adapt over the past 12 months and to be able to work with such a forward thinking, adaptable and innovative organisation was a hugely refreshing and rewarding experience. I really hope that audiences the world over enjoy First Light as much as I enjoyed making it."

Available from www.scottishensemble.com.

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