Tremendous treat for Ardrishaig audience
THE AUDIENCE in a packed Ardrishaig Public Hall was treated to an afternoon of mesmerizing music as Mid Argyll Arts Association welcomed the Bardic Trio.
The trio, made up of Scottish tenor Jamie MacDougall, Matthew McAllister on guitar and harpist Sharron Griffiths, have been together since 2013.
Jamie has been the ‘nation’s voice’ for classical music on Radio Scotland since 2001. He regularly presents for Radio 3 and for 15 years has anchored BBC Proms in the Park.
He continues to enjoy a busy singing career which takes him around the world, working with some of the world’s top orchestras.
Welsh born harpist Sharron Griffiths is also in great demand as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician.
She is a member of several successful chamber ensembles and regularly works with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Opera and many more.
Talented
The third member of the trio is widely regarded as one of the most exciting and talented classical guitarists in Europe.
Matthew McAllister has been delighting audiences worldwide for well over a decade. He has performed at major venues across the world, from Amsterdam to Mexico City.
Performing on Saturday January 14, the afternoon began with Jamie, accompanied by Matthew and Sharron, singing from the Robert Burns Songbook.
Matthew then played Farewell to Stromness, a piece originally for piano and voice, written by Peter Maxwell Davies.
This was followed by music from a Welsh songbook with Sharron playing Watching the Wheat by John Thomas - the true story of the tragic love affair of Wil Hopcyn and Ann Thomas.
Matthew, on guitar, then played the traditional Clychau Aberdyfi and Jamie sang the beautiful lullaby Suo Gan in Welsh and English, before reading an excerpt from Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood, as the harp and guitar played in the background.
Following the interval, the trio entertained with music from an Irish songbook.
The afternoon concluded with Jamie again singing from Robert Burns’ Songbook accompanied by Sharron and Matthew.
With rapturous applause from the audience, bringing the trio back in to the spotlight for a second bow, the afternoon was brought to a close, much to the audience’s dismay.