Amy Laurenson, New Voices

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 1 February, 2026

 Amy Laurenson (piano), Norman Wilmore (alto saxophone), Matt Tighe (violin), Madeleine Stewart (violin), Su-a Lee (cello), Miguel Girão (guitar), Charlie Stewart (double bass), Gregor Black (drums, bodhran)

The ink barely dry on the scores, and some of the pieces christened in the taxi on the way to that morning’s rehearsal, the quality of Amy Laurenson’s New Voices programme certainly belied the speed with which it was compiled. Drawing extensively on her Shetland background, the piano virtuosa, a recent BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year, presented a programme that not only highlighted her own playing but gave plenty of space to her musicians too. Laurenson was frequently seen to be smiling encouragement from the keyboard as they demonstrated their own take on the material.

 The afternoon opened with a reel unusually played on the saxophone with whispers of cadences from traditional Shetland reels, the tunes which followed full of syncopated riffs and stops. The well-crafted, textured backdrops for Laurenson’s fluent, lightning-fast playing were particularly evident on ‘Conehead Chris’ and ‘Twa Grannies in the Bed’ (both titles references to members of her family). Speed wasn’t always the order of the day. One piece opened with a swinging shuffle, while another, with an extensive pizzicato introduction, was minuet-like, stately and graceful. A particular highlight was ‘Up the Kaim and Doon the Snook’, inspired by a trip to Foula, redolent of wind-swept cliffs and wheeling seabirds, building to a stormy climax with the saxophone to the fore.

 The encore began with a little march, a gorgeous melody, which segued into – what else? – a reel, closing out what has been this year a vintage New Voices programme.