Music videos celebrate Scotland’s nature reserves
Stunning videos, featuring award-winning compositions inspired by Scotland’s national nature reserves, have been released by NatureScot and Highland arts organisation Fèis Rois.
The first competition of its kind in Scotland encouraged entrants to connect with nature by writing music inspired by the coasts and waters of Scotland’s beautiful nature reserves, as part of the celebrations for the Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.
The 11 music videos are being launched online to help connect people to nature through music. The competition, In Tune With Nature/Air Ghleus le Nàdar, was judged by a panel of well-known faces from the Scottish music industry, including Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis; BBC broadcaster and journalist Vic Galloway; Scottish Music Centre Director Gill Maxwell; and singer-songwriter Karine Polwart. Compositions entered ranged from classical to pop, with songs written in Gaelic, Scots, Shetland dialect and English.
The winners each received a £500 cash prize and, when Covid-19 restrictions were eased, had the opportunity to visit the nature reserve that inspired their music with filmmaker Graeme Roger from Wildbird. These compositions and accompanying videos, which feature footage recorded on the Isle of Rum, Beinn Eighe, Forvie, Isle ofMay, Tentsmuir, Caerlaverock, Creag Meagaidh, Loch Leven and Taynish, are now available to watch on the NatureScot website.
Singer-songwriter, Iona Lane, whose entry was inspired by the Isle of Rum, said: ‘The nature reserves in Scotland are all wonderfully beautiful places. Having the opportunity to write music about the spectacular Isle of Rum was a true honour and a delight that kept me in touch with nature whilst being locked down in a city.
‘Visiting Rum was even wilder than I could have imagined. Exploring an island that has nature, wildlife and sustainability at its heart was a terrific experience; one that I will never forget.’
Ben Ross, NatureScot’s head of nature reserves, added: ‘It’s wonderful to see the creativity and love of nature shown in these pieces and videos. Under the lockdown, composers had to experience the nature of our amazing national nature reserves virtually or think back to past visits. So it’s particularly fitting that they’ve been able to visit and have their music set to images of our lovely nature reserves. These sites have such an amazing variety of wildlife, as well as stunning beaches, mountains, lochs and rivers for people to enjoy. It’s hard not to be inspired by such beauty.’
Fiona Dalgetty, chief executive of Fèis Rois, commented: ‘We were overwhelmed at the quality of entries for In Tune With Nature and it is a pleasure to finally be able to share the brilliant music and creativity produced during lockdown, and filmed in the nature reserves, that inspired the musicians. It has been important to us, over the last few months more than ever, to provide support and motivation for musicians whilst also providing people with new music to lift spirits.’
To watch the In Tune With Nature films, please visit https://bit.ly/3f4JM53 .