The New St Andrews Music Centre

Wed, Aug 15th 2018 at 12:50 pm - 2:00 pm

Jill Craig told us about this exciting development.
Katie McGhie also played her new trumpet purchased with funds from the late Bob Murray


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The Rotary Club of St Andrews enjoyed a visit from Katie McGhie. Second year Madras College pupil, Katie, is already a fine trumpeter and a member of the St Andrews Youth Orchestra.

Bob Murray, a past president of the club, had made a bequest to be used for the benefit of music and the community. A portion of this bequest was used to help Katie upgrade her trumpet. In her thanks to the club she explained that with an improved instrument it was possible to improve the quality of the music. In particular, the lovely rich tone of her new instrument was plain for all to hear. The choice of instrument had been thorough and Katie acknowledged the help of her trumpet teacher in the final selection. Katie’s musical education continues and there is no doubt that her enormous potential will be fulfilled.

The club was entertained - and in no small measure impressed - when Katie demonstrated the instrument and her ability with works including Jeremiah Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary.

Senior Vice President, Bill Sutherland, thanked Katie for her visit and fine music whilst wishing her every success in her future career.

The Laidlaw Music Centre will house one of the finest chamber recital rooms in Scotland. Funding for the £12.5m project was initiated by a major legacy from the late Jean McPherson, who did so much to support music in St Andrews during her lifetime.  A second lead gift, from the Irvine Laidlaw Foundation, and investment by the University, of which the Centre will be a part, enabled construction to begin on 1 August.

Gillian Craig, a key member of the University’s existing, Younger Hall, Music Centre, where she performs regularly and conducts both the Heisenberg Ensemble and the St Andrews and Fife Community Orchestra, was ideally placed to tell fellow Rotarians about the new Centre and why it is needed. The Younger Hall is 90 years old and lacks some of the basic amenities required, not only for music-making, such as proper internal sound-proofing, but for its deployment as a lecture hall and conference centre. By contrast, the new Music Centre, designed by the renowned architectural practice of Flanagan Lawrence together with specialist acousticians, will feature a motorised, automated modular floor that can accommodate a wide range of different rehearsal and performance demands. It is anticipated that the new space will attract world-class performers to St Andrews, not only for intimate chamber recitals but also for festivals and public masterclasses.

Throughout her talk Gillian emphasised that the Music centre will be an asset for St Andrews as a whole, and not just the University, because of the exciting opportunities that will be available to everyone who loves to make, and to listen, to music. The point was perfectly illustrated by Madras pupil Katie McGhie, who delighted the audience by playing two contrasting pieces on the trumpet she bought with money raised in memory of a Past President of the Rotary Club, Bob Murray, who died earlier this year.

In his vote of thanks, Junior Vice-President, John Christie, remarked that investment in the arts is a mark of a civilised society.




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