Waterfront Hall at near sell out for Burns...

28 January 2015

The Ulster Scots Agency hosted a rousing Burns Night concert with the Ulster Orchestra on 24 January 2015 to a near sell-out crowd.

The concert featured Scottish Singer of the Year 2014 Emily Smith and included a fantastic night of music, dance and song with performances by the Ulster Scots Agency Juvenile Pipe Band, the Markethill Dancers, singer songwriter Eilidh Patterson, folk band Bernagh, drummers Mathew and Marcus Wenlock and of course the Ulster Orchestra.

Emily Smith has risen to become one of Scotland’s leading folk singers in the course of the last decade and took to the stage with her husband, guitarist Jamie McClennan, to perform Burns favourites such as The Silver Tassie; as well as solo selections such as My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.

Emily said “Burns Night is such a wonderful occasion, the connection between Northern Ireland and Scotland is a strong one, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate it together.”

Ian Crozier CEO of the Ulster Scots Agency said “It is a testament to his legacy that so many people in Ulster, Scotland and across the world hold celebrations on his birthday and that 220 years after his death his memory lives on.”

The Ulster Orchestra was conducted by John Logan, who led the performers in a programme of music that mixed traditional favourites with more up to date work such as Dougie MacLean’s The Gael, taken from the soundtrack of the film Last of the Mohicans and Logan’s own composition, Tiree.

The Ulster Scots Agency is also thrilled to announce that this year, for the first time, the concert will be broadcast on BBC Northern Ireland television. Made for BBC NI by Barking Films, audiences can see the concert on BBC Two NI on Sunday 1^st February.