Making sweet music @RSNO

I was at the Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow today, HQ of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), for a recording session

The RSNO were recording an original film score for a short film made in the north east of Scotland called Whistle My Lad.

A tale of doomed love set in the isolated fishing village of Pennan in 1911, music plays an important role in the film. Thiis is a real coup for its makers to have an orchestra of the calibre of the RSNO recording the soundtrack.

The film's name comes from the Burns song, Whistle, And. I'll Come To You, My Lad.

The writer and executive producer is my friend, Richard Burke (seen here on the left), and the score was composed by John Logan, head of brass at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (centre on the accordion).

Making a guest appearance was Scots traditional music legend, Phil Cunningham, who is on the piano is in this shot. He plays the accordion and the penny whistle on the soundtrack.

I was there to do interviews with John, Phil and Phil Hobbs, recording engineer with Linn Records, the master behind the sound deck, for a short 'making of' film.

I haven't been involved in the production process, although I did read early versions of the script and feed back to Richard.

I know that to get to this point has involved a lot of emotional and physical hard work for Richard and his family (his wife, Dorothy, is one of my oldest friends) and for the team behind the film.

Music has always been in the background for Richard as his parents were both music teachers and all his family are very musical.

His mum, Pat (or Richard's mum/Mrs Burke to me!) was watching the recording with her very finely tuned ear to the ground. Lovely to see.

The music is utterly beautiful. I had goosebumps all over when I heard the violins swell and Phil Cunningham on his penny whistle. Or flageolet, as Mrs. Burke called it. It's proper name.

A memorable day. Looking out my party dress as I write for the premier in Aberdeen early next year...

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