East Neuk Festival: more acts announced for 2023 festival

Su-a Lee & Friends

Cellist, Su-a Lee has appeared in almost every ENF as a member of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, but this year Festival Director, Svend McEwan-Brown invited her to curate two concerts of her own to showcase her personal, genre-busting music making. On 1 July, she appears with 3 top Scottish traditional musicians: fiddler Duncan Chisholm, and multi-instrumentalist composers, Hamish Napier and Donald Shaw. All three feature on Su-a’s acclaimed album, Dialogues, and their collaborations will be included in the evening’s playlist. On 2 July, she takes to the stage as a member of musical mavericks Mr McFalls Chamber. Tangos from South American and Finland are promised, as well as a solo on the musical saw.

Guitar concerts

On Saturday 1 July, Anstruther’s Dreel Halls hosts two very different guitar concerts. At 5pm, Harry Diplock Trio bring Django Reinhardt inspired jazz. A regular at Ronnie Scott’s, he comes to ENF right after gigs at the Festival Django Reinhardt in France. At 9.15pm, guitarist Morgan Szymanski and artist/designer/musician Tommy Perman bring their 2022 album, Music for the Moon and the Trees to the live stage. The album was recorded at midsummer 2019 when these two childhood friends took time out in rural Fife to record sounds of a woodland – trees, birds, bats – and build delicate, softly spoken and atmospheric improvisations on them. Here they perform it live for the first time, with visuals by Perman.

Wayward Jane

The weekend kicks off on Friday 7.30pm at Anstruther Town Hall with Wayward Jane, who describe themselves as a good time, good feeling, old time-inspired, rootsy folk band.

This versatile four-piece includes fiddle, clawhammer banjo, double bass, guitar, wooden flute and close vocal harmony. They bring shed loads of charm, fun and fine musicianship to the party.

A door to the past

A short drive up the coast from Anstruther lies Crail Airfield, AKA HMS Jackdaw, the best-preserved example of a Second World War Naval Airfield in Scotland.

At its height, the population of those stationed at the airfield considerably outnumbered residents of nearby Crail, and enjoyed facilities that included a ’cinasium’: a cinema which also served as gymnasium, dance hall, party venue and concert hall.

The building fell into disuse years ago, but Crail Airfield Ltd have generously offered ENF access for a very special one-off: on Saturday, July 1, the building will be opened for visitors to explore and to experience a newly commissioned installation by sound-artists, Kinbrae (brothers, Andy & Mike Truscott).

Taking from the recent history of the airfield itself, and the events that once took place at the cinasium, they will fill the space with the sounds evocative of a bygone era.

The installation will run from 11am-5pm; entry is free.

ENF is grateful for the support of Creative Scotland and EventScotland charitable trusts and the many private donors whose exceptional generosity has made this year’s programme possible

Programme details at: www.eastneukfestival.com