www.list.co.uk/music Alasdair Roberts and Muntu Valdo

Aside from the usual host of great acts and fresh new up-and- comers, we’ve always appreciated the Celtic Connections tradition of throwing together two seemingly-disparate artists as a method of exposing one set of music fans to an entirely different genre. Thus, we get Scots trad-folk revolutionary Alasdair Roberts, with his myth- twisting take on the Scots tradition, playing with his touring buddy from this year, Cameroonian singer-songwriter Muntu Valdo, who’ll be experimenting with a mix of live guitar and harmonica playing, and some sample/loop effects, all imbued with the African roots of the soul, blues, funk and jazz genres. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 19 Dec. Part of Celtic Connections.

Edinburgh Dick Gaughan Leith Folk Club, The Village, South Fort Street, 07502 024852. 7.30pm. £10. See Fri 7.

and gypsy folk melodies from violinist Lev Atlas. Monday 17

Wednesday 12 Edinburgh FREE Easy Chair The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street, 220 4298. 6pm. Laidback folksy sounds from Graham Laird and Mike Bennet.

Friday 14

Glasgow Old Russian New Year Café Cossachok, 10 King Street/Trongate 103, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. A traditional celebration of the Old Russian New Year with a shot of vodka, dumplings and popular Russian tunes. Partick Thistle & Shamrock St Peter’s Hall, Chancellor Street, 576 1378. 7.30pm. £5. Concert, ceilidh and informal music session hosted by Partick Folk Club, featuring some of Glasgow’s finest musicians including The Ideal Band, bring your own instruments.

Edinburgh Mama Rosin Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate, 225 1757. 7pm. £7. Swiss Cajun music outfit.

Tuesday 18

Glasgow FREE The Blas Collective The Rio Café, Hyndland Street, 334 9909. 8.30pm. See Tue 11. Edinburgh Wendy Weatherby Band Leith Folk Club, The Village, South Fort Street, 07502 024852. 7.30pm. £8. Lush, imaginative Scots traditional music and song plus new music in a traditional style from the cellist/singer.

Wednesday 19 Edinburgh FREE Easy Chair The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street, 220 4298. 6pm. See Wed 12.

Saturday 15 Thursday 20

Glasgow The 12th Jimmy McHugh Memorial Concert Woodside Hall, 36 Glenfarg Street. 8pm. £10. Irish and Scottish musicians pay tribute to the late Jimmy McHugh. Sunday 16

Glasgow From Russia With Lev Café Cossachok, 10 King Street/Trongate 103, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Russian, classical

Kinross Mama Rosin The Green Hotel, Muirs, 01577 863467. 9pm. £14. See Mon 17. Got an opinion? You can now Comment on all our articles at list .co.uk

CLASSICAL Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to suzanne@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Carol Main & Tasmin Campbell. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Thursday 6

Glasgow FREE Kelvingrove Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 1pm. Free lunchtime organ recitals every day by different organists. NYOS: From the New World Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10–£18. Julian Clayton conducts Scotland’s national youth symphony orchestra in an America-inspired New Year concert. Opening with Barber’s Essay No 2 and showcasing the skills of violinist Kurt Nikkanen in Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto, the concert culminates in Dvorák’s much-loved tribute to the diverse traditions and folklore of America, Symphony No 9 (‘From the New World’).

Dundee Raymond Gubbay presents: Johann Strauss Gala Caird Hall, City Square, 01382 434940. 7.30pm. £23 (£19.50). Join the Johann Strauss Orchestra on a trip back to the elegant gilded ballrooms of 19th-century Vienna, complete with period-dressed dancers. Soprano Amy Freston joins the orchestra and conductor David Juritz for an evening of song, dance and music courtesy of the artistic endeavours of the Strauss family. Perth RSNO New Year Viennese Gala Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, 01738 621031. 7.30pm. £8.50–£23 (£4.25–£11.50). Join conductor David Danzmayr and soprano Sarah Tynan for a feast of waltzes, polkas and mazurkas from Johann Strauss et al, including On the Beautiful Blue Danube the ‘Overture’ to Die Fledermaus and the Emperor Waltz amongst others.

Friday 7

Glasgow Russian Orthodox Christmas Café Cossachok, 10 King Street/Trongate 103, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Operatic arias, Russian and Armenian romances and folk songs performed by vocal stars from around the world including Anush Hovhannissyan, Bjartmar Sigurdsson and Maria Atlas. Edinburgh RSNO New Year Viennese Gala Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £12–£32 (£6–£16). See Thu 6.

Saturday 8

Glasgow Rhodri Davies and Dominic Lash Glasgow University Concert Hall, University Avenue, 330 4092. 2–9pm. £tbc. The harp player and double bassist take on an epic seven-hour performance of music by composers from the Wandelweiser group including Eva-Marie Huben, Radu Malfatti and Michael Pisaro, produced by experimental sound installation group Never Come Ashore. Raymond Gubbay presents: Johann Strauss Gala Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 3pm & 7.30pm. £20–£29.50. See Thu 6. Edinburgh FREE Goodenough St Cuthbert’s Church, 5 Lothian Road, 229 1142. 1.30pm. Organ recital.

CLASSICAL Music

✽✽ HITLIST

THE BEST CLASSICAL & OPERA

✽✽ Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Ticciati’s Schumann One of the highlights of the SCO’s season is sure to be 27-year-old principal conductor Robin Ticciati (above) and his take on Schumann, whose Symphony No 4 is heard in its original version, putting paid to the old-fashioned notion that Schumann wasn’t much of an orchestrator. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 13 Jan; City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 14 Jan. ✽✽ Hebrides Ensemble In the last few days of calm before Christmas, relax for an hour with the exquisite sounds of Mozart’s music for ensemble of two violins, two violas and cello, paired with the more contemporary chamber music of Australian Brett Dean, he of Bliss fame at last year’s Edinburgh International Festival. And there’s even a free glass of wine. St George’s West Church, Edinburgh, Thu 20 Jan. ✽✽ BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Afternoon Performance Forget the day of hard work and take the afternoon off to hear the beautifully expressive playing of 23-year-old wunderkind Khatia Buniatishvili from Georgia in Mozart’s great Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor. City Halls, Candleriggs, Glasgow, Thu 20 Jan.

Edinburgh Incidental Orchestra and Chorus St Anne’s Church, 1 Kaimes Road, Corstorphine, 316 4740. 2.30pm. £7 (£4). The new chorus takes on Handel’s Messiah for its debut appearance in a collaborative performance with recently formed youth orchestra, EIO. Afternoon tea completes this exciting event. The Met: Live in HD Cameo, 38 Home Street, 0871 902 5723. 6pm. £25 (£19.50/£21.50). Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West - The Girl of the Golden West - was a hit at last year’s Edinburgh International Festival. Experience the Met’s version live from New York in all its high definition big screen glory. Dunfermline RSNO New Year Viennese Gala Carnegie Hall, East Port, 01383 602302. 7.30pm. £22 (£19). See Thu 6.

6–20 Jan 2011 THE LIST 75