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Gerard McDonald (Director)
Recreating the Eighteenth-Century tradition of multi-instrumental virtuosity, this accomplished and scholarly ensemble was formed in 1981 by the winners of the first "Croft Original" Competition for Early Music, and made its début at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the same year. The group's Artistic Director, Gerard McDonald, was responsible for co-ordination of the 1985 St. Andrew & St. George's Early Music Festival (described by Radio Forth as "the jewel in the crown of the Fringe"). Arborea Musica & Friends recommenced their regular appearance in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1995, to considerable public and critical acclaim. The Scotsman newspaper awarded their "Pick of the Day" to this series six times in the three years from its inception. The 1997 Fringe saw performances given at St. Cecilia's Hall and at St. John's Scottish Episcopal Church in Princes Street, together with an extensive and highly-successful series of appearances in the auditorium of the internationally-renowned and fashionable Italian restaurateurs, Valvona & Crolla Ltd., in Elm Row.
Arborea Musica has attracted capacity audiences at the Purcell Room and elsewhere. They offer a flexible line-up of players and singers, drawing from a pool of talented professionals whose careers are devoted largely to solo and chamber ensemble performance, and have extensive experience of performance at prestigious private and corporate functions in important venues. Among these players is included the renowned harpsichordists David Pollock and Dr. John Kitchen (Senior Lecturer in Music and organist of the University of Edinburgh).
Details of Arborea Musica & Friends' appearances in Edinburgh during August 2000 and during August 2001 are available on this website, while subsequent concerts in that city are detailed on the Friends of St. Cecilia Hall & the Russell Collection website from time to time.
"... highlights include Arborea Musica".
(THE TIMES, London)
Baroque music on Period Instruments
"Acclaimed period instrument group".
(THE GUARDIAN, London)
"The acclaimed period instrument ensemble".
(THE SCOTSMAN, Edinburgh)
"The excellent Arborea Musica & Friends".
(THE SCOTSMAN, Edinburgh)
"Here were players who knew what they were about, sharing an assured sense of style and commitment.
Don't miss them".
(THE SCOTSMAN, Edinburgh)
"Excellent... Consistently enjoyable".
(THE HERALD, Glasgow)
"Splendid series of concerts".
(THE EVENING NEWS, Edinburgh)
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