University graduate and composer Joe Stollery will have an orchestral piece premiered by the Aberdeen City Orchestra at St Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen on Saturday February 28th, conducted by his father - emeritus professor Pete Stollery.
Joe, who graduated with an MMus in Composition from the University in 2016 and was awarded a PhD in Musical Composition in 2024, has been commissioned by Aberdeen City Orchestra to create a new 15-minute orchestral piece.
With the working title Apparitions from the Land Beyond the Mountains, it draws inspiration from the folklore and landscapes of Aberdeenshire, weaving together vivid musical tableaux in contrasting sections. Each scene is rooted in local legend: heavenly music drifting through Rathen Church near Peterhead; the distant thunder of war drums on Bennachie, recalling the Battle of Mons Graupius; the mysterious tale of a piper searching for treasure beneath Gight Castle near Ellon; even playful evocations of fairytale figures from Storybook Glen.
A prelude introduces the sound of migratory birds - particularly the haunting calls of pink-footed geese - whose return between episodes creates the sense of a journey linking each place. The result is a work that blends myth, memory, and humour, offering a sonic portrait of a region where the natural and the supernatural are inseparably entwined.
The new work will be part of a programme conducted by Joe’s father, composer and former Head of Music at the University of Aberdeen, Pete Stollery and also includes an arrangement of Astor Piazzolla’s Concierto para Quinteto, arranged by him, as well as Sibelius’ 5th Symphony.
The concert will begin at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from: https://ti.to/aberdeen-city-orchestra/sibelius-five
For further information, contact petestollery@gmail.com