Scotland’s Contemporary Music Ensemble

Since its formation in 2008, Red Note Ensemble has taken up a leadership position as Scotland’s contemporary music ensemble, performing and developing an extensive, highly-varied and critically-acclaimed programme of new music.

Since its formation Red Note Ensemble has taken up a leadership position as Scotland’s contemporary music ensemble, performing and developing an extensive, highly varied and critically-acclaimed programme of new music to the highest standards, and taking new music out to audiences across Scotland and internationally.

Red Note performs the established classics of contemporary music, commissions new music, develops the work of new and emerging composers and performers from Scotland and around the world, and finds new spaces and new ways of performing contemporary music to attract new audiences. Within Scotland the ensemble has performed from the Outer Hebrides to the Borders in concert halls, bothies, pubs, clubs and aircraft hangars, amongst other unusual settings. Outwith the UK it has a growing international reputation, performing to great acclaim at festivals in France, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Australia in recent years.

The ensemble also undertakes an extensive programme of Access, Engagement and Participation (AEP) work, focusing particularly upon working with younger and older people, people with multiple disabilities, people living in areas of multiple deprivation, and also working to address inequalities of access and representation due to race/ethnicity and gender imbalances. We also undertake an extensive performer and composer development programme within schools, universities and conservatoires nationally and internationally.

As part of our core programme, we run an informal new music series, Noisy Nights, featuring new works from emerging and amateur composers selected from an open call.

Red Note is Associate Ensemble of the soundfestival in Aberdeen where we perform each year. We also work with them on composer development opportunities with the Go Compose! and Composer Development Workshops programme.

We are also Associate Contemporary Ensemble at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow where we take parts in programmes such as the Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship and PLUG festival.

We regularly perform at hcmf// and Lammermuir Festival and collaborate with organisations such as Artlink.

Red Note is a Delphian Records recording artist, releasing CDs of music by Eddie McGuire, John McLeod, David Wilde and Lyell Cresswell and James Dillon.

Red Note is supported by Creative Scotland and is a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner.

The premiere was delivered with superb focus and intensity by Scotland’s top contemporary music ensemble, Red Note, who seem incapable of being dazed by anything and who add their own wit and bright spirit to whatever they tackle” Kate Molleson, The Herald

Red Note Ensemble’s blistering account of three radical masterpieces….a magnificent achievement in dazzling venue” David Kettle, The Scotsman

Red Note Ensemble is a Scottish success story.” Anna Picard, The Times

Red Note Ensemble, superb Scottish specialists in the contemporary, deliver ever piece with precision and relish.” BBC Music Magazine

(Red Note’s pianist) Simon Smith knocked off outrageously elaborate figuration as though a tune on a pub piano.” Paul Driver, Sunday Times

All gratitude to Red Note Ensemble who, in high-definition audio, perform (James Dillon’s) commissioned works with razor precision” Liam Cagney, Gramophone

 

Meet The Team

Meet The Musicians

Meet The Board