The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Musicians call on international singers to lend their voice to create peace song
Special performance on Remembrance Sunday planned
Scottish musicians are recruiting fellow performers from around the world to create a song for peace.
Aberdeen University lecturer Neil McLennan and Scottish fiddler Thoren Ferguson launched the project on the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which brought an official end to the First World War.
The iSing4Peace musical score will feature Scottish singer Fiona Kennedy and royal composer Paul Mealor.
Other contributors include Scotland’s national orchestra the RSNO, poet Grahame Davies, and Calum Malcolm, who has produced albums for Mark Knopfler, Simple Minds, Big Country and The Blue Nile.
Organisers hope that singers from around the world will lend their voices in support.
The project, which was launched at Dunnottar Castle at the weekend, will culminate in a special performance on the afternoon of Remembrance Sunday.
It was born out of a similar initiative, iPlay4Peace, which over the last three years has seen musicians around the world join together to play the same piece of music.
Mr McLennan said: “The current difficulties created by the Covid-19 crisis have shown the importance of coming together in new ways and the important healing power of music.
“Remembrance is not about glorifying war, but about reflecting on the difficulties faced by the generations that have come before us.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has reawakened many people to the human suffering from the devastation caused by war and international crises like the Spanish flu 100 years ago.
“Music provides an important outlet for reflecting, remembering and uniting as a global community. It is an international language we can all connect to and enjoy.”