Homecoming 2: The Return of Mackay's Memoirs

04.03.19 This event took place twenty years to the day of the original performance of the piece, which ‪@Martyn6452‬ was commissioned to write to commemorate the centenary of his alma mater - Broughton High School.
It was written for the then students at The City of Edinburgh Music School - hence the specific orchestration. Martyn worked with the students to create the piece and would bring in scores - where the ink was literally still drying, in to rehearsals. The parts still bear his hand written notes, and were largely copied down by the conductor of Homecoming 2, Susan Emslie. The piece was used for the Opening Ceremony of the New Scottish Parliament in Princes Street Gardens on 1 July 1999, and televised live from the gardens as the Red Arrows flew over. There was great interest in the piece and it was recorded at Cava studios, Glasgow in January 2005 and completed on the day Martyn died - 30 January 2005. It is his final, and many would say, best work.
We invited back four musicians who were involved in the original performance or recording to revisit the piece, with the current crop of specialist musicians from the music school.
Clarsach: Maeve Gilchrist
Pipes: Ben Duncan
Beats and loops: Dave Lloyd
Vocals and keys: Lissa Robertson
The City of Edinburgh Music School Chamber Orchestra
Conductor: Susan Emslie
Animated film projection: Neil Kempsall
Event videography: Sandy Butler
Supported by Tay Charitable Trust.
Presented by the City of Edinburgh Music School & The Queen’s Hall.