Gina McCormack (violin) and Nigel Clayton (piano)Haddo Arts wanted to help and support musicians and performers, deprived by the coronavirus pandemic of the ability to engage with audiences in live performances as concerts were cancelled. We decided to deliver as many elements of Haddo Arts Festival 2020 as possible by taking it online whilst still maintaining a strong sense of Haddo as a special venue.
Several items were filmed at Haddo, including the traditional Harvest Festival Service, Festival host Jamie MacDougall’s introductions and short Festival trailer. Gina McCormack & Nigel Clayton recorded their violin and piano recital in Mellerstain House, near Kelso. NESMS students Laura Smith and Colin Sinclair recorded in the June Gordon room at North East Scotland Music School.
Song for Haddo 2020: Fables & Foibles brought together 97 young Aberdeenshire singers and instrumentalists, plus 33 youngsters from Dunbar Voices, in brand new music inspired by the Aesop’s Fables paintings hanging in Haddo House. Individual recordings were edited together with images to create a very special film.
One element of the Festival was able to go ahead at Haddo. Experimental Use of 2m Space, a socially distanced promenade art exhibition in the South Courtyard and Garden attracted over 500 visitors between 3 – 10 October.
Paintings of Aesop's Fables from the Hall Haddo House