Making music at Mausoleum
Composer hosts suite performance
It has been a busy week for Hamilton Mausoleum with the unique building playing host to a world premiere performance, while a new programme of tours were launched.
Composer Francis Macdonald hosted his ‘Hamilton Mausoleum Suite’ in the venue on Monday evening in front of an audience of 50 – the maximum capacity.
The classical music piece was specifically composed for the mausoleum by Macdonald, who is also known by many as the drummer from Lanarkshire band Teenage Fanclub, and it was recorded in the historic building for an album released earlier this year.
It was composed specifically for the unique acoustic properties of the building and recorded there with musicians from the Scottish Festival Orchestra. The iconic 128ft mausoleum famously has the longest echo in the world.
As a thank you to museum staff for their help during the recording session, he agreed to all 50 tickets for the live premiere being given away free to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of Hamilton’s Low Parks Museum.
Meanwhile, the 2018 mausoleum programme has been launched with scheduled tours on the first and third Sunday of every month through to Sunday, November 18. There will be two tours on each day at noon and 2pm, and tours must be booked through Low Parks Museum at least two days in advance. Tickets for the noon tour cost £6 (£4 for concessions) and include a complimentary bowl of soup or a hot drink and a cake in Low Park’s Museum Mezzanine Cafe afterwards. Tickets for the 2pm tour cost £3.50 and £2 for concessions.
Hamilton Mausoleum is not wheelchair accessible and is unsuitable for people with walking difficulties. Email museum staff at linda.barrett@ southlanarkshireleisure. co.uk or aileen.meechan@ southlanarkshireleisure.co.uk to arrange a tour or call 01698 452382.