Immerse in Nordic soundscapes across Glasgow
Next week, one of the world's oldest celebrations of new classical music and sound works, Nordic Music Days is set to take place in Scotland for the first time in its 136-year history.
Article Source: Nordic Music Days
Last Updated: 25 October 2024 9:43
Image: Northern Connections, credit Julias Töyrylä and Music Finland
Infusing Glasgow with stunning music and sound from 30 October until 3 November, the festival features over 200 musicians and composers from Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland – and, for the first time this year, Scotland.
From sound routes across some of Glasgow’s most iconic locations to a multi-country simultaneous musical performance - Nordic Music Days offers something for classical music aficionados and the curious newcomer alike, here's some of the festival highlights:
Apolonia, Apoloni | 30 Oct | 19:00 | Glasgow Film Theatre
Thirteen years in the making, Danish director Lea Glob’s award-winning documentary film Apolonia, Apolonia charts the personal and professional development of Parisian artist Apolonia Sokol. The film explores Apolonia’s career as she tries to establish herself in the art world at the same time as dealing with the pressures - and pleasures - of womanhood in a world dominated by the patriarchy, capitalism and war. Shortlisted in the 2024 Academy Awards – the film is a must-see!
The film’s soundtrack composer Jonas Struck will be joined by Glasgow Film Festival’s Paul Gallagher and Signý Leifsdóttir of Nordic Film Music Days for a short Q & A following the screening.
Festival Club | 30 Oct - 2 Nov | 22:00 | CCA
The CCA has long been a hub for adventurous, innovative, and experimental music making in Glasgow and for four nights across the Festival, CCA will become home to the Nordic Music Days’ Official Festival Club from 10pm. From emerging artists alongside established names to thought-provoking stillness following disco infused social commentary, each night promises new musical experiences behind every door! The programme includes performances from Catriona McKay, Chris Stout, Red Note Ensemble and Norwegian improvising group Lemur.
Word of Mouth: Phōnḗ | 2 Nov | 15:00 | Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery
Experience an international musical moment as Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum play host to phōnḗ, a new work for massed choirs by Finnish composer Tytti Arola. The performance in Kelvingrove will be the hub performance, with choirs throughout Scotland and the Nordic countries (and further afield) putting on their own performances concurrently. Phōnḗ is a playful work which uses old-school technology in the form of homemade tin can telephones to underline the importance and value of communication between people and cultures in the modern world.
Nordic Music Days are inviting all children, amateur, school and professional choirs in Scotland and beyond to join and add their voices. Visit nordicmusicdays.org/phone to find out more!
An Extraordinary Voyage! | 31 Oct | 19:30 | City Halls
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s programme An Extraordinary Voyage! at City Halls takes the audience on a fantastical musical journey with Maja S K Ratkje’s trombone concerto Considering Icarus (with Stephen Menotti as soloist), and through orchestral transformations in Britta Byström’s Voyages Extraordinaires, inspired by the enchanting (and impossible) journeys depicted in Jules Verne’s famous novel series.
Sound Route 1: Directly to Directly From | 30 Oct – 3 Nov | Glasgow Necropolis and Cathedral area via SonicMaps
New beginnings require space for something to form, whether the ‘something’ is physical, emotional, intellectual, or conceptual. Made up of words, whispers, vocal lines, and atmospheric electronics, Olga Szymula’s work directly to directly reflects on a litany of things that composers say goodbye to. It’s a personal and unfiltered sharing of a loss, letting go of the past, filled with illusions, abuse and pain.
Take an atmospheric autumnal walk through one of Glasgow’s most iconic locations in this geo-located sound route which will be available from 30 October to experience via headphones at any time through a smartphone via SonicMaps. There will also be a group soundwalk led by one of the Nordic Music Days Curator Team on Sunday 3 November at 11am (meeting point - outside the front of the Cathedral).
Wonder of the Night Sky | 3 Nov | 16:00 | Planetarium, Glasgow Science Centre
Experience a special edition of Wonders of the Night Sky presented as part of the Festival, featuring a 10-minute audio piece, Trioxia, by Swedish artist Girilal Baars. Audiences will be immersed in the audio-clutter of near-Earth-orbit, following which you can take in the seasonal highlights of the sky above your head in a presenter-led tour of the stars before being whisked away on a trip to the solar system and the galaxy beyond.
Afterlife (Fringe Event) | 29 Oct | 20:00 | CCA
Developed and performed by the interdisciplinary duo ONLY SLIME (Tobi Pfeil and Claudia Cox), AFTERLIFE follows two 3D-characters through an operatic fantasy computer game underworld on their desperate quest for existential meaning. Using real-time motion tracking, and hyperpop-inspired autotune vocals with electronics, the two performers on stage control two avatars in a game engine, traversing both Dantean and Final Fantasy-inspired landscapes on their existential search for purpose and understanding of their world.
Installation: Sound and Sculpture at Waterstones | 30 Oct – 3 Nov | Wed – Fri - 9:00 – 19:00, Sun – 10:00 – 18:00 | Free and Unticketed | Basement Level, Waterstones Books, Sauchiehall Street
Bringing musical moments into your everyday, Scotland’s largest bookstore, Waterstones on Sauchiehall Street is set to host Sound+Art. This set of three sonic posters allows the user to select and manipulate drum, bass and melody lines to create their own pieces. This new project is the latest in a set of works allowing users to interact with technology, art and music.
Echoes from the Edges | 3 Nov | 17:00 | Glasgow St Mungo’s Cathedral
Sound echoes off the rock, changing and fragmenting as it rolls around the space.
The final concert of the festival takes its inspiration from the series of concerts hosted in the legendary Klæmintsgjógv sea cave in the Faroe Islands each summer.
The RSNO’s Faroese Principal Trombone, Dávur Juul Magnussen, curates a programme which brings the atmosphere - though hopefully slightly less damp - of the cave to Glasgow Cathedral, for a promenade concert featuring music from the Faroes, Outer Hebrides, and Glasgow, exploring the echoes and resonances of the building itself.
Find out more about the whole programme and book your tickets now at: nordicmusicdays.org
Sponsored Links
Latest Glasgow News
Festive fun on the farm at the National Museum of Rural Life
Celebrate the season with festive fun for the whole family at the National Museum of Rural Life.
READ MORE
Braehead celebrates bright young business stars this Christmas
Scotland's premier retail destination, Braehead Shopping Centre, today announce that this Christmas they will again welcome the Young Enterprise Christmas Trade Fayre.
READ MORE
Breakout Scots star urges young people to discover new artists IRL at Celtic Connections coffee pop ups
Katie Gregson-MacLeod is urging young Glaswegians to discover new music IRL as Celtic Connections brings free pop-up gigs to Patricia's x SLB, Through The House and Black Pine this Saturday.
READ MORE
Loch Lomond Shores Christmas Festival is a Christmas cracker this year!
A family rollercoaster, giant snow globe, rides, stalls, street food and live entertainment makes Loch Lomond Shores FREE Christmas festival the perfect Christmas day out for all the family!
READ MORE
Calum Bowie gives Barrowland call up to 2 rising stars for landmark 5th December show
Calum Bowie has invited two fresh local talents to support him at his upcoming landmark show in December at The Barrowlands!
READ MORE
Partick Film Festival returns in January with special anniversary screening of Rob Roy
Partick Film Festival returns in January with a range of events including a special 30th anniversary screening of Rob Roy, followed by a Q&A with the director Michael Caton-Jones.
READ MORE
Somewhere by Nico Launches Festive Cocktail Experience
This festive season, Glasgow and Edinburgh relevellers can relive the magic of Christmas past as Somewhere by Nico unveil a brand-new immersive experience!
READ MORE
Beatson Cancer Charity Ambassadog Baxter leads the way at Santa Dash 2025
Beatson Cancer Charity is thrilled to announce that our Ambassadog, Baxter, will be taking part in this year's Santa Dash on Sunday 7th December!
READ MORE
Zizzi celebrates a fresh era with a new menu and app, by giving 132 people free pasta for one year
Zizzi has introduced a new food & drink menu across all its restaurants, launched a brand-new Zizzi app, and is giving 132 people free pasta for one year.
READ MORE
Festive Season at Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts Collection
Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts Collection have launched some new offerings designed for memorable Christmas stays, spectacular Hogmanay celebrations, and cozy winter escapes.
READ MORE
From The Gannet to Eleven Fifty Five: Peter McKenna announces new Argyle Street restaurant
Peter McKenna, chef-owner of The Gannet in Glasgow, along with Kevin Dow, are set to open a new restaurant, Eleven Fifty Five, in its place in Finnieston early next year.
READ MORE
Glasgow Fort to welcome new Mexican restaurant this week
Mezcal, the lively Mexican street-food restaurant, is set to open its doors at Glasgow Fort on Wednesday 26th November, bringing even more choice for visitors ahead of the festive period.
READ MORE
Second year of Urban Forestry Programme opens across Scotland
Community groups, organisations and schools across Scotland are being invited to apply for grants of up to £100,000.
READ MORE
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time returns to Glasgow in March 2027
A brand-new staging of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time based on the internationally celebrated novel comes to Glasgow's Theatre Royal in March 2027!
READ MORE
MINISO is coming to Buchanan Street... get ready to explore!
Global lifestyle sensation MINISO is set to bring its signature blend of joy, creativity, and affordable design to Buchanan Street, with a brand-new store opening on 26th November!
READ MORE
Black Friday Savings at Buchanan Galleries
Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow is abuzz with Black Friday deals, offering shoppers incredible discounts across a wide range of products – from fashion and footwear to jewellery, beauty, and homeware.
READ MORE
The Maclean Brothers row onto Celtic Connections bill as new wave of shows announced
The Maclean Brothers are among a wave of exciting new names to join the world-renowned Celtic Connections bill, it has been announced.
READ MORE
BBC CBeebies starts the panto season at Glasgow cinemas
The CBeebies panto Cinderella is coming to the big screen in Glasgow from Friday 21st November.
READ MORE
The Pavilion Theatre is taking part in the largest Black Friday Theatre Sale in the UK
As part of Trafalgar Entertainment, customers can now access some of the best theatre ticket deals for shows at the Pavilion Theatre as well as unmissable productions in the West End.
READ MORE
BBC ALBA Hogmanay Ceilidh to broadcast live from Glasgow
BBC ALBA will bring together some of Gaelic music's biggest names as Cèilidh na Bliadhn' Ùire returns to Glasgow to celebrate Hogmanay and usher in 2026.
READ MORE
Cast Announced for Flora, a new musical coming to The Pavilion Theatre Glasgow
The full cast has been revealed for Flora which sees one of Scotland's most famous daughters, Flora MacDonald, take centre stage to tell her own tale!
READ MORE
Christmas in Edinburgh and Glasgow: Celebrate the festive season with Candlelight Concerts
Featuring classic Christmas carols, this live, multi-sensory musical experience will light up St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral and Merchants House and The Trades Hall for an unforgettable evening.
READ MORE
Innis & Gunn to open the biggest festive beer hall in Glasgow at Winter Wonderland on The Green
Glasgow is getting its largest-ever Christmas beer hall, and it’s all down to award-winning brewer Innis & Gunn.
READ MORE
Find a festive backdrop in Glasgow and the West
From frosty gardens to cosy tearooms, National Trust for Scotland places in Glasgow and the West are offering a host of winter experiences and special events this festive season.
READ MORE
Glaswegians invited to Panto Town as Glasgow 850 finishes with festive flourish
Glaswegians are being urged to embrace the unique spirit of the city's pantomimes with the launch of Get You in Panto Town!
READ MORE
Buchanan Galleries celebrates the season of giving with festive family fun
The magic of Christmas has arrived at Buchanan Galleries, with a heartwarming line-up of festive activities taking place throughout November and December.
READ MORE
Scottish Ballet creates a brand new wee version of the big ballet
Scottish Ballet's Wee Nutcracker is coming to Glasgow's Tramway this December. The beloved festive ballet, The Nutcracker, has been specially adapted for wee ones aged 5+ and their families!
READ MORE
The Wizard Wae The Big Bawz: New adult panto brings comedy to Scotland in January
January needn't be a drag as Scotland's brand-new adult panto, The Wizard Wae The Big Bawz, hits the road, arriving just when the country needs a burst of joy!
READ MORE
Matthew Kelly and George Costigan lead new production of Waiting for Godot at the Citz
Matthew Kelly and George Costigan star as Estragon and Vladimir in a new production of Waiting for Godot, co-produced with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and Octagon Theatre Bolton.
READ MORE
Hoolie in the Hydro opens doors to young Gaels for Glasgow 850
More than 1,300 Glasgow schoolchildren are being given the opportunity to access live music as part of a special tie-up between Hoolie in the Hydro and Glasgow 850.
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links