Voices - Haddo Arts Festival
Alice Dennis, 20 March 2012
The National Trust for Scotland and the Haddo Users Group (including HHCOS) are proud to announce an exciting new venture – an annual Arts Festival for Haddo House. Running from October 6th – 14th 2012, it will be a prestigious ten day event, bringing together performers and artists of national importance alongside the distinctive and talented voices of the North East. This is the first of what is planned to be a durable and important annual Scottish festival using the fantastic facilities at Haddo and its country park.
We have already had confirmation of a fully staged operatic performance by Scottish Opera and a Family Concert by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (generously sponsored by Total UK) and we are now in negotiations with the Scottish Ballet Orchestra.
The opening concert, with the Haddo House Choral & Operatic Society, will feature 'name' soloists and the Haddo Orchestra conducted by Garry Walker in a choral programme celebrating Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, supported by Subsea 7.
There will be a cutting edge Art Exhibition called ‘Voices’, fascinating house tours with music, a Young Artists recital and a 'Bothy Nicht' to enjoy during the week.
There will be much to encourage young people to learn more about art itself; invited school children will take part the workshops with environmental sculptor Ian Hunter from ‘Littoral’, nature walks and a guided tour of the art exhibition all free of charge (buses sponsored by Total UK). There will be drama workshops for teenagers, working with a TV actor, with a closing performance at a family Ceilidh. Art workshops for adults, working daily at Haddo with an artist, are also in the planning stage.
In these days of financial austerity, the arts are even more important to support people's morale. Bringing performers of such excellence to Haddo with reasonable ticket prices will attract new audiences, which will have a knock on effect at Haddo House for the rest of the year.
Haddo House is always under pressure with funding squeezes and anything we can do to raise its profile and utilize all its assets, will help ensure this beautiful property remains open with healthy funding and increased numbers of visitors annually. Haddo House should be a major player in maintaining the vibrant artistic culture of the North East – it’s such a special place!
If you would like to support the festival financially, or in kind, or can recommend a company who might be interested in sponsorship, please contact Alice Dennis, Festival Arts Director on 01358 722977 or alice (at) hhcos.org