CHRIS STOUT AND CATRIONA MCKAY

The relationship between Têtê à Têtê and Chris Stout and Catriona McKay was born out of the project Odysseus Unwound. Back in 2006, we were asked by an arts project who had worked with them if it might be possible to create an opera with knitters and spinners in Shetland. A magical series of visits then happened, including a residency for the whole Têtê à Têtê company in Fair Isle. You can see what happened in two documentaries made by the BBC. One really humbling thing for us as an opera company was to hear the local families making music. It's a great pleasure to have resumed that connection in programming this Cubitt Session by introducing Chris Stout, whose Auntie Florrie you can see in our documentaries, together with Catriona McKay performing some really magical music.
‘Clear and strong…always a startling freshness and spontaneity at work…virtuosic and physically engaging. ***** The Glasgow Herald
It's hard to believe there's only two people on stage as Catriona McKay and Chris Stout weave their way between glorious soundscapes and music of breathtaking simplicity.
Chris and Catriona have taken these most traditional of instruments and catapulted them into the contemporary world of music making.
They have excited audiences all over the world with their own unique brand of music inspired by the traditions of their native Shetland and Dundee. This year they have recorded a reduced version of their performance for us at Cubitt Sessions.
This music knows no boundaries. They have performed, recorded and collaborated with musicians from Japan to Brazil, Alaska to Australia. The duo have performed on the biggest stages with Symphony Orchestras such as The Trondheim Symphony and the Russian Philharmonic.
Recent collaborations closer to home include a critically acclaimed album with Irish singing legend Seamus Begley and Scottish singer-songwriter King Creosote.
In 2011 Chris and Catriona were delighted when composer Sally Beamish composed a concerto for the duo. ‘Seavaigers’ was described in the Scotsman as "thrilling...lyricism and fire...delicate restraint and furious gusto...music that wore its ambition and
complexity brilliantly lightly creating a seamless mesh between folk and contemporary classical stylings.".
Chris and Catriona are creating music that lives with the listener long after the concert is over. It's a class act not to be missed!
MORE INFORMATION
mckaystoutmusic.co.uk
tete-a-tete.org.uk
@teteateteopera

[@riksinnett3619]

Exquisite mastery from these two yet again. Beautiful, intricate, intuitive and exhilarating, none better anywhere in the world