Preview: Sypert Concert Series
St Cecilia’s Hall and Museum June 2026
Saturday 13 June Anna Stegmann (recorders), Corina Marti (harpsichord)
Saturday 20 June Jean-François Madeuf (natural trumpet) and the Rossetti Players
Saturday 27 June Música d’Outrora
Since its closure for essential maintenance at the end of December 2025, St Cecilia’s Hall and Museum in Niddry Street has fallen silent, with none of the beautiful concerts and fascinating events we are used to. However, this sad state of affairs is about to end. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of May 2026, and normal service will be resumed. Hallelujah!
The first series of concerts to be held in the newly-reopened Hall will be the Sypert Concert Series. Every June Dr George and Dr Joy Sypert, lovers of music and of Scotland and benefactors of St Cecilia’s Hall and the instrument museum it houses, generously sponsor these concerts, which showcase some of the wonderful instruments in the Museum’s collection. This year’s excellent series features a recorder and harpsichord duo, a chamber ensemble, and a natural trumpet and chamber ensemble. Each concert will feature different instruments from the 6,000 strong collection.
On Saturday 13th June at 7.30pm, Anna Stegmann (recorders) and Corina Marti (harpsichord) collaborate to present Silent Speech: Ganassi’s vision of the human voice. This concert includes works by Tromboncino, Gombert, Cara, Willaert, and others from the rich musical culture of 16th century Venice where vocal polyphony and improvisation flourished.
On Saturday 20th June at 7.30pm, Jean-François Madeuf (natural trumpet) and the Rossetti Players combine forces in Purcell’s and Clarke’s Trumpeter: a tribute to John Shore. This is a vibrant tribute to John Shore (c.1662-1752), celebrated trumpeter, lutenist, and inventor of the tuning fork. Well, someone had to, and I am sure generations of musicians, some with slightly bruised heads, are grateful to him.
On Saturday 27th June at 7.30pm, Música d’Outrora (Asako Ueda violin, theorbo, Timothy Lin viola da gamba, cello, Louis Moisan guitar, theorbo, Pablo Devigo harpsichord) make a welcome return to St Cecilia’s for Still Life: early Baroque fantasy. Based on the ensemble’s recent debut album, this is a journey through 17th-century stylus phantasticus: Castello, Stradella, Fontana, Buxtehude, and others.
A superb series not to be missed, and a welcome return for audiences to St Cecilia’s Hall.
Tickets cost £23 full price, £20 for over 60s, £8 for students, children, and unwaged. Please book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/6281103087?aff=ebdsshios
