Music

The programme will include two concerts in St Magnus Cathedral. For one of them we’ll go back to the 17th century and hear music by Humfrey and Handel, Monteverdi and Vincenzo Galilei. There will be Buxtehude and Judith Weir too; and the music of Edward McGuire. Indeed the composer himself will be joining us for an after-concert talk, where we’ll hear about astronomy’s influence on his music.

We’ll find out too how music and astronomy came together in the life of Sir William Herschel. We’ll hear about his discoveries in the sky and listen to some of his compositions.

There is traditional music as well, from Orkney and from Shetland, including a tune which gives its title to one of the events in this year’s programme: Haal in da drogue an gie da boys a biscuit!