Music at Paxton: Amy Laurenson and Miguel Girão
29/07/23
Summer is a time of Festivals, and Music at Paxton is one of the loveliest. Established in 2006, this festival of chamber music in the delightful setting of Paxton House by the River Tweed, close to the border between Scotland and England, has consistently punched above its weight in terms of performance. This neo-Palladian Adam-designed mansion, built in 1758, with a glorious picture gallery added in 1814, is the ideal venue for a week of concerts devoted to small-scale but high quality music making.
Combining performances by well-known stars with a canny knack for finding stars of the future, Paxton has become a welcome addition to Scotland's classical music scene
Having thoroughly enjoyed the Lieder recital by William Thomas and Malcolm Martineau on Friday 28th July (see my review here), I went to two more delightful concerts on Saturday 29th.
The first, at 5pm, in the marquee next to the house, was a bonus gig by the Trad duo, Amy Laurenson and Miguel Girão. Paxton always slots in a few non-classical concerts to add diversity and contrast to its programme and I am all in favour of this attempt to broaden the horizons of its audience while giving a welcome boost to the burgeoning renaissance of the Scottish Traditional scene.
Amy, from Shetland, and Miguel, initially from Portugal but now based in Glasgow, gave us a fascinating insight into the world of Shetland fiddle music, from the point of view of the rhythm section. With not a fiddle to be seen, this combo of acoustic guitar and keyboard entertained an appreciative audience with a mixture of jigs and reels interspersed with more contemplative slower numbers.
Having met up at the Royal Conservatoire of Music in Glasgow, the duo has quickly established a reputation as one of the most interesting and talented folk units in Scotland. Straight from a gig the night before at the Cambridge Folk Festival, Amy and Miguel displayed astounding virtuosity and brilliant musicianship in an hour long concert of music exploring many facets of, primarily, Shetland music, with its rich traditions combining the best of Scottish and Scandinavian folk music. I have always enjoyed traditional Scottish music but my knowledge of the Shetland scene is minimal and this programme was a delightful revelation.
Both performers are originally classically trained, and their dexterity and technical skills were clear from the beginning of this concert which kicked off with three lively reels from Shetland. We are so used to hearing the wonderful fiddle music that comes from the traditions of both Shetland and Orkney that we sometimes forget how important the contribution of the rhythm section of keyboard and guitar can be. When these instruments take centre stage, as at Paxton, it can be a revelation. Amy Laurenson is a fantastic pianist, and even on an electronic keyboard like the one we heard in this concert, her virtuosity and sheer panache are mind-blowing. Her sense of rhythm and the obvious joie-de-vivre in her playing are absolutely infectious and completely captivated the enthralled audience. With his easy charm and fluent playing, as well as his delightful introductions in clear English with a marvellous Shetland inflection, Miguel Girão was a great partner for Amy.
The hour passed in a flash, with jigs and reels, bridal songs and hornpipes, jazz- inflected pieces and slower, more reflective tunes. They offered us some music from different traditions too, with nods to Sweden, Estonia and Brittany, but it was the Shetland sound which dominated, although without the normal fiddle sound.
Music at Paxton must be congratulated for introducing us to these terrific young musicians. Amy was recently named as BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year for 2023, and I must say that doesn't surprise me for a moment. Her partnership with Miguel Girão was fantastic and we are certain to hear much more about them in the future! Their concert was in association with Live Music Now Scotland.
