Sounds of St Cecilia’s, Fringe 2026
Preview: Sounds of St Cecilia’s 2026
St Cecilia’s Hall and Museum August 2026
This year’s excellent series of Fringe concerts in the beautiful 18th century surroundings of St Cecilia’s Hall on Niddry Street spans music and instruments from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and from Europe to Japan. It features a harpsichord soloist and duo, a violin and piano duo, a recorder and harpsichord duo, and a shakuhachi player. Each concert features instruments from the 6,000 strong collection.
Wednesday 12 August 3pm The Forgotten Baroque Traditions: Kenneth Yeung (harpsichords). A journey across two antique keyboards with Cabezon, Frescobaldi, Froberger, Pasquini, and J.S. Bach. Interspersed is a new tombeau: an elegy for the Tai Po fire in Hong Kong, linking past practice with contemporary resonance.
Saturday 15 August 3pm In Conversations: Baroque, Blues, and Beyond: Hilary Michael (violin/saxophone), Richard Michael (piano). Duo Hilary Michael and Richard Michael present a unique dialogue between musical eras, shining a light on what unites, rather than separates, the genius of composers such as J.S. Bach and Duke Ellington. At its heart lies the art of improvisation, where the duo engages in real-time musical ‘conversations’, inviting the audience into their creative process. From Bach-inspired fugues to swing, it’s a masterclass in versatility, creativity, and collaborative spirit.
Wednesday 19 August 3pm Spanish Flavours: Dance, Fire, and Elegance on Two Harpsichords. Ebi Çoku (harpsichord), Kejsi Çoku (harpsichord). The Çokus Duo explores Spanish-inspired sound-worlds, with the rhythmic brilliance of Antonio Soler, the fiery charm of Luigi Boccherini’s Fandango, and the elegance of François Couperin. Performed on two harpsichords, the concert reveals a vivid dialogue between contrasting styles, where dance rhythms, expressive ornamentation, and bold character unfold with striking immediacy. From the courtly sophistication of the French Baroque to the spirited vitality of Iberian dance, this is a journey through 18th century Europe, celebrating national identity and shared musical language.
Supported by the Keyboard Trust.
Saturday 22 August 3pm Fit for a Flute. Gerry McDonald (recorders), John Kitchen (harpsichord). The critically acclaimed team of Gerry McDonald and John Kitchen contrasts three of Corelli’s violin sonatas in virtuoso early 18th century transcriptions for recorder, with J S Bach’s arrangements of two of Vivaldi’s violin concertos for solo keyboard, played on the 1764 Hass harpsichord.
Wednesday 26 August 3pm Shakuhachi: The Sound of Silence Markus Guhe (shakuhachi). Rooted in Zen meditation, the shakuhachi (a Japanese bamboo flute) explores the boundary between sound and silence. Today its evocative voice resonates beyond temples, bringing a centuries-old tradition into modern concert halls for a wider audience.
Supported by the Shackleton Fund and the University of Edinburgh.
A superb series not to be missed.
Tickets available on the door or from www.edfringe.com: £15 (full price); £12 (Friends of St Cecilia’s Hall & Museum: available on the door only); £5 (concessions: student, unemployed, disabled, under 18)
www.friendsofstceciliashall.com
