Posts for April, 2026

Join acclaimed musician and composer Hamish Napier for a series of engaging folk music evening classes, designed for players who want to deepen their skills and explore traditional Scottish tunes in a welcoming group setting.

🎵 Expand your trad tune repertoire
🎻 Explore ornaments and variations to bring melodies to life
🎼 Learn how to arrange music for small folk ensembles

Open to people age 16+ who play a folk instrument at intermediate to advanced level.

A rare chance to catch local musician Hamish Napier performing solo – for the first time in his hometown.

Join us for this extra special music event at the Spey Bank Studio, an intimate arts venue.

Hamish will play for an hour, with music inspired by Strathspey and the Cairngorms. Doors open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start.

Hamish is a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist and composer from Grantown-on-Spey. He is inspired by the heritage and nature of his native landscape of Strathspey. His album The Woods explores the flora and fauna of Scotland’s native forests. It won Album of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards and is the third album in his Strathspey Pentalogy, a ambitions project to produce 5-albums in celebration of his homeland,

Humorous, engaging and heart-warming, Hamish’s performances often incorporate poems and stories about nature, folklore and communities.

This will be a collaborative triple-headline show with the mesmerising velvety sounds of Tommy Ashby, Jodie Marie and Lydia Clowes , with no single artist topping the bill. Instead, you can expect a shared, songwriter-led performance where all three artists appear on stage together, playing on each other’s songs in an intimate, songwriters’ circle style format.

Doors will be open from 6.30pm with the gig starting around 7.30pm. The Dell will be running a bar and parking is available in the large timber layby on the right before reaching The Dell

Scottish singer-songwriter Tommy Ashby blends classic folk and blues influences with modern, textured production. With over 40 million streams, his music has featured in major TV series including Grey’s Anatomy, Love Island and Netflix’s The Innocents.
Lydia Clowes is a vocalist and songwriter from England whose career spans film, television and live performance. As a highly sought-after session singer, she has contributed vocals to films such as The Little Mermaid, Dune: Part Two and Hamlet, and performed backing vocals for artists including U2, Ellie Goulding, Tom Odell and Dermot Kennedy. Her voice has also been sampled by Fred Again.. and Brian Eno.
Welsh artist, Jodie Marie completes the trio, bringing a depth of experience and cinematic songwriting to the shared stage. Signed to Decca Records early in her career, she has collaborated with artists including Bernard Butler, Ed Harcourt and Green Gartside (Scritti Politti). Her albums Mountain Echo, Trouble in Mind and The Answer received critical acclaim and extensive BBC radio support.

We’d love to see you here!

This adults-only dance workshop will have you dancing classic and funky disco routines inspired by the much-loved classic songs that you just can’t help but dance to!

No experience needed – this workshop is for anyone who loves to move and have fun. Whether you’ve danced a little, a lot, or never at all, you’ll be guided step by step in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

This adults-only dance workshop invites you to explore sultry, theatrical routines inspired by the movie, bringing out confidence, flair, and show-stopping moves.

After the workshop, settle in for a special screening of Burlesque on the big screen, experiencing the dazzling performances of Cher and Christina Aguilera, unforgettable music, toe tapping dance and the full drama of the iconic cabaret story.

An adults-only line dancing workshop, full of fun, movement, and great music! Whether you’ve danced before or are completely new to line dancing, this session is designed so everyone can enjoy learning at their own pace.

Move to classic and modern line dance routines, enjoy the social atmosphere, and experience the joy of dancing together – no partner required! Yeeee hawwww!

This adults-only dance workshop continues the fun from our first Mamma Mia! event.Join u s to learn fun and uplifting routines inspired by Mamma Mia. Here We Go Again the hilarious sequel movie, celebrating the music, joy, and iconic ABBA hits that make everyone want to dance.

After the workshop, sit back and enjoy a screening of Mamma Mia. Here We Go Again on the big screen, soaking in the story, the music, and the nostalgia of the beloved sequel and keeping the sunny, Summer holiday energy going for us right here in tropical Grantown on Spey.

7.15pm to 8.15pm: Mentored session with Paul Anderson, renowned fiddler and master of the “Strathspey” genre. Players invited to participate, learn and enjoy (£10 per player); 8.30pm to 10.00pm: Open session in The Ben Mhor bar – all welcome and bring your traditional instrument. Event organised by The Grantown Society.

Join us in the ballroom of Blair Castle for a live performance from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

This summer, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra brings a sparkling programme of classical favourites and virtuosic flair to Blair Castle.

Under the dynamic direction of Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev, the concert opens with Mozart’s Symphony No.20, brimming with elegance and youthful energy. Flute soloists André Cebrián and Marta Gómez take centre stage in Doppler’s Double Flute Concerto, a dazzling display of lyricism and agility that showcases the expressive range of the instrument.

Then, after the interval, the drama unfolds with Mozart’s Overture to Don Giovanni, a thrilling curtain-raiser to one of opera’s darkest masterpieces. The evening concludes with Haydn’s Symphony No.94, the beloved ‘Surprise’, full of wit, invention, and, of course, a famous jolt that never fails to delight.

From playful charm to operatic intensity, the SCO’s Highland Classics concert offers a joyful celebration of the classical tradition, performed with the Orchestra’s trademark vitality and finesse.

Pre-concert dining is available to book and there will be an interval with refreshments available.

Programme
MOZART Symphony No.20 in D major DOPPLER Double Flute Concerto MOZART Overture Don Giovanni HAYDN Symphony No.94 ‘Surprise’
Maxim Emelyanychev conductor
André Cebrián flute
Marta Gómez flute

Tickets available from the SCO website.


Pre-concert dining at Blair Castle –

Enjoy a delicious 2-course meal, showcasing local ingredients in the Tullibardine Restaurant at Blair Castle.

Dinner will include a main course and dessert. View the menu on our event page. Pre-concert dining guests will be contacted prior to the performance to confirm their choice of meal.

Drinks will be sold separately.

Book via the SCO website and select the ‘Two course dinner upgrade’ option.

The annual Atholl Highlanders Parade will return to Blair Castle on Saturday the 23rd May 2026.

The Atholl Highlanders are the only remaining private regiment in Europe and act as the personal bodyguard to the Duke of Atholl, who is Chief of Clan Murray. Whilst they don’t have any military role, they are armed with Lee-Metford rifles, and include a pipe band.

Join us from 11am in the Ballroom for an Atholl Highlanders talk with Archivist, Keren Guthrie and CSM, Garry Brailsford. Before heading to the forecourt of Blair Castle from 2.30pm for the annual parade, including a live pipe band and the firing of the cannon.