Music at the Arran Art Gallery

The cheers for Elijah had hardly died away before an intriguing event took place on the Saturday afternoon of September 14th in the Art Gallery in Whiting Bay. Sharon Dowsett and Adele Neilson, both from Edinburgh, perform as the Duo Concertante on flute and guitar, and they came as part of a Creative Scotland celebration of National Chamber Music Day – with no charge to anyone. The idea was to offer music in a casual setting, very unlike a formal concert, to be heard by people unexpectedly, as a pleasant surprise. It worked wonderfully well. During the two hours when the girls were playing, about 45 people wandered in to listen and look at pictures and sculpture, then wandered out again when they chose. Some stayed longer. Several people said what an extraordinary pleasure it was to combine lovely things for both sight and hearing – a very rich, special experience. Everyone enjoyed it immensely – rincluding Sharon and Adele – and plans are afoot to do it again next year.