Join the Scottish Candlelight Orchestra and award-winning violinist Ben Shute for a festive programme of Christmas string classics!
Following their 5★★★★★ and sold-out show in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe,
"Matthew Shiel has ‘composed’ a most enchanting concert, relating amusing, enlightening stories to introduce each piece; his eloquent performance expresses a dramatic, emotional mood from sad and sorrowful to light-hearted and lyrical, oozing a joyful sense of romantic love." (5★★★★★ Edinburgh Guide)
"A ripping good yarn. Sim and Shiel both are masters of their crafts." (5★★★★★ Binge Fringe Magazine)
Moonlight Concerts return to Edinburgh with a musical show inspired by the Scottish Candlelight Orchestra and the most romantic and festive violin concertos ever composed - Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Corelli's charming Christmas Concerto -and for an extra festive flavour - elegant orchestral arrangements of popular Christmas Carols including In the Bleak Midwinter and O Little Town of Bethlehem arranged and performed by tonight's incredible American concerto soloist Ben Shute.
PROGRAMME
O Little Town of Bethlehem - arranged for orchestra - by tonight's artist
Four Seasons (Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter) - Vivaldi
Concerto grosso in G minor Op. 6, No. 8 ('Christmas Concerto') - Corelli
In the Bleak Midwinter
Tonight's artist: Ben Shute
Since his concerto debut as a teenager at the Opening Night Gala of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Stephen Gunzenhauser, he has collaborated as soloist with modern- and period-instrument orchestras in the United States and Europe in concertos of Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven, Paganini, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Sibelius, as well as concert works from Bach to Sarasate to John Williams. CD recordings include "In Sara Levy's Salon" with the Raritan Players (period instruments), the complete piano-violin sonatas of Brahms with pianist Kai-Ching Chang, and the premiere recording of the violin-piano sonatas of Karén Khanagov with Anastasia Abu Bakar. His Adoramus for solo violin was a finalist for the 2023 American Prize in chamber music composition.
"The playing was detailed and beautifully balanced" — Washington Post
"Benjamin Shute. . .played the Sibelius [concerto] with marvellous command... impressive." — Badische Zeitung