Scottish city to host one of the world’s longest-running music festivals

A SCOTTISH city is set to host one of the world’s longest-running music festivals later this year.

The five-day Nordic Music Days festival comes to Scotland for the first time ever in its 136-year history.

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It will be just the third time the event takes place outside the Nordic countries, as it was previously held in Berlin in 2012 and London in 2017.

And it is set to take place in Glasgow later this year.

The festival will bring together Scottish and Nordic music and musicians with performances, installations, screenings and talks in venues across the city.

There will be a huge event at the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, pop-up events in shops, parks and other venues.

There will also be a linked conference on the role and value of experimentation in new music at the University of Glasgow.

This year’s event has the theme “Word of Mouth”, which will see Scotland’s major orchestras performing “bold and ambitious new music” from a range of Scottish and Nordic composers.

Nordic Music Days festival will run from Wednesday, October 30 until Sunday, November 3.

Anders Hillborg, Sir James MacMillan and Academy Award-winning composer Hildur Guonadottir, whose screen credits include the music to the film Joker and the series Chernobyl, will be performing at the festival.

Martin Jonsson Tibblin, Chair of the Council of Nordic Composers and the Swedish Society of Composers said: “Nordic Music Days has been an unmissable event for over a century.

“It’s a chance for composers from across the region to gather together, hear each other’s music, discuss trends and ideas, and to share and develop cultural and artistic experiences.

“There’s a strong affinity to Scottish music and culture in the Nordics, so the Council of Nordic Composers is looking forward to seeing the opportunities that open up for composers, performers, organisations, and audiences as a result of this exciting new partnership.”

Emma Campbell, music officer at Creative Scotland, said: “Scotland’s music is distinguished by an adventurous spirit that’s ready to share with the rest of the world.

“We are delighted that our own Unesco City of Music will host a festival that seeks out old, new and surprising points of connection between Scotland and our like-minded neighbours in the Nordic regions.

“Thanks to the collaborative vision of the Nordic Council of Composers, the RSNO and the festival organisers, audiences can look forward to celebrating bold and ambitious new music that will build a lasting legacy between our countries.”

The decision to bring the event to Scotland was also welcomed by Scotland’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson.

“We are delighted to welcome Nordic Music Days to Scotland for the first time in its 136-year history,” he said.

“The five-day programme is truly innovative and a celebration of contemporary music from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Scotland.”