CLiC launches with a song

THE Festival of Spirituality and Peace has a new neighbour at St John's Church in Edinburgh, where it has been based for twelve years.

The Centre for Living Christianity (CLic for short) was launched on 7 October 2012 at Henderson's Cafe to provide fresh ways of exploring belief and hope for a diverse world. As well as hearing about the new venture and enjoying some good food and wine at a 'First Supper', the 50+ guests also had a good sing, as you can see (and hear - just about!) in this clip!

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Levity and gravity at play

LIGHT and dark, passion and humour - all four met, sang and danced together in Soweto Entsha's final, stirring performance at the Festival of Spirituality and Peace last night.

"It's not all over until the  five guys sing", people were saying. And they were right. A rousing, standing ovation saw off the acclaimed South African a capella ensemble after a show that spanned everything from township, to Gospel, to jive and beyond... even taking in a sassy version of 'Amazing Grace' (if you can imagine that!) and a complicatedly synpocated, joyously tongue-in-cheek take on the Spice Girls' 'Wannabe' as part of the encore.

The backdrop to this all-singing, all-dancing treat was the glorious symmetry of St John's Church, Edinburgh, where much of the Festival has been based for the past month. Tradition and innovation embraced in a sumptuous, gleeful African swansong.

It looked and sounded for all the world as if they were made for one another.

Grand finale from Africa

PREDICTABLY, it was a stellar performance from Soweto Entsha (now Africa Entsha) to warp up the Festival of Spirituality 2012 in style. Here's a little taster...

Last call for the amazing Soweto Entsha

TONIGHT at 8pm is the last chance to see the amazing Soweto Entsha (now Africa Entsha) at the Festival of Spirituality and Peace.

The gig will take place, as usual, at St John's Church (Venue 127) on the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road. The guys have also set up their own twitter account, which you can follow @AfricaEntsha.

The five-man ensemble first came to global attention for their grandstanding role in opening the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. They also made acclaimed appearances on the Edinburgh Fringe in 2011. This year they have accompanied us every step of the way with the Festival of Spirituality and Peace.

The boys also gave a fine workshop with volunteers and FoSP staff last Wednesday. You might see some of the fruits of that tonight...

Tickets on the door. Don't miss out!

Duo Hyperborea at the Persian Tent

ACTIVITIES continue right through to the end of the Festival at the Persian Tent Village at St John's Church (Venue 127).

Highlights have included music, poetry, performance and discussion - alongside culture and fabulous food.

The Persian Tent has also been an important place for people to meet across boundaries, a space for relaxation and reconciliation.

Make sure you catch Duo Hyperborea at the Tent before the end of the Festival of Spirituality and Peace. They perform today, Friday (12-1pm and 5-6pm), and then again from 12-1pm and 7-8pm on our last day, Monday 27 August 2012.

African Traditional Songs with grassroots Zimbabwe

GRASSROOTS Theatre gives you enchanting harmonies and glorious melodies to lift the heart and soul.

Grassroots Theatre Company is based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and specialises in Theatre for Development (TfD), using dance, drama and music to inform and empower local communities in Zimbabwe and overseas. They are very excited to be returning to the 'energy and beauty' of the Edinburgh Festival.

At this special performance, they will be bringing songs from the Ndebele and Shona cultures of Zimbabwe.

Thursday 23 August, 2pm-3pm, in the Church at St John's (Venue 127). Get tickets here or at the venue box office.

John Sampson tunes in

IN between some fine readings from a variety of performers, including makar Liz Lochhead, at Poetry in the Persian Tent this morning, musician John Sampson has been offering some well-received melodic interludes.

Performing on the flute, recorder and crumhorn, he mixed Scottish and other traditional tunes with improvisation - not least on 'Pastime in Good Company', which is supposed to have been written by Henry VIII ("a serial killer also known for being an English king.")

John Glenday, an internationally-known poet, rounded off a thoughtful and uplifting first Poetry at the Persian Tent session at St John's (Venue 127), as part of the Festival of Spirituality and Peace.

The others are each morning at 11am, 22-26 August inclusive. Just £10, with the money going to support development in Africa.

Cantarina with Alan Forrester

ENCHANTING voices, music ranging from show tunes to sacred music to Latin-American, and the colours black and orange; all of these things make up Cantarina.

Founded in 1986, Cantarina is an all-women choir from Prague that has performed all around Europe.

Tomorrow and Saturday, they will be lighting up St John's Church with their music and spreading a message of positivity in the face of hardship.

With special guest Alan Forrester for an international collaboration, this promises to be an evening of delight, culture and beauty.

Friday 17 and Saturday 18 August, 6pm-7pm, in the Church at St John's (Venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.

The larks ascending

COME and enjoy a performance which blends music from traditional Scottish to Indian and Western classical. Poems, quotes and images come together to grant you a bird's eye view of the spiritual ascent.

The Larks Ascending invites you on a soul journey into the present moment, unfolding its beautiful gifts.

With an international group of artists and musicians, including the co-director of the BAFTA award winning short film 'Self Realisation', this is a workshop and a musical performance rolled into one.

 Dedicated to Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

Friday 17, Sunday 19 and Tuesday 21 August, 4pm-5pm, in the Hall at St John's (Venue 127). By donation. Reserve tickets here or at the venue box office.

Where science resonates with the spirit

UNLOCK 'the score of creation' with renowned composer Stuart Mitchell and discover the musical possibilities of human DNA.

In this lecture, Mitchell discusses the elemental patterns he's discovering in music after assimilating data from the human genome.

Ever ground-breaking, Mitchell's previous works have been inspired by subjects as diverse as architecture, geometry and nature; now he explores the influence of resonance on the physical and metaphysical world around us.

 This promises to be a fascinating talk unlike anything you've experienced before - if you're interested in music or genetics, be sure to attend.

Tuesday 14 August, 6pm-8pm, Persian Tent at St John's (venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office. (Also performed on 7 August).

Springtime in Korea

TODAY, you are invited to a unique opportunity to discover the beauty of Korean culture and the hidden charm of Koran music.

Let acclaimed classical flute player Euna Park let her guide you through a musical journey and discover the hidden story of each song.

Euna Park has worked with international orchestras in South Korea, the States and here in Scotland, which has become a second home to her.

Accompanied by commentary from Jiwoo Kim, she will be playing children's songs unknown outside Korea and enchanting traditional Korean folk music.

Monday 13 August, 6pm-6:50pm, in the Hall at St John's (Venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.

The piano in the hands of Chopin

INVENTION - melody - brilliance - clam - confidence - inner peace. The Polish composer Frederick Chopin had them all.

Tomorrow evening, eminent Edinburgh pianist Colin Kingsley will give a recital displaying Chopin's style, quality and atmosphere, together with a few items from his contemporaries and background influences, Bach and Mozart.

Chopin (181-1849) is considered one of the masters of Romantic music. His piano pieces are often technically demanding and emphasise nuance and expressive depth.

Colin Kingsley is president of the Chopin Circle of Scotland and former president of the Edinburgh Society of Musicians. He has performed as a concerto and recital soloist all around the world from New York and Tokyo to Cheltenham and Edinburgh.

Come along for an evening of great piano music played by a great pianist in the beautiful setting of the Edinburgh Society of Musicians.

Monday 13 August, 7:30pm-8:30pm, at The Edinburgh Society of Musicians. Free ticketed, reserve tickets here.

A Scottish journey and beyond

SINGER Coreen Scott, together with Laverock, will be performing songs from her album A Scottish Journey.

Coreen's love of traditional Scottish music lies at the core of her work; her moving voice captures the essence of all that is Scotland.

A mixture of musical arrangements of Celtic ballads, favourite Scottish folk songs, and the haunting French melodies of Edith Piaf, this promises to be a diverse and beautiful selection of music.

 Beautiful renditions of traditional and modern songs – Scotsman.

Sunday 12 and Saturday 18 August, 4pm-5pm, in the church at St John's (Venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.

Khantara colour and sound

KHANTARA blends British and South American performers to create a powerfully visual performance filled with colour and sound.

Led by Colombian multi-instrumentalist Anthar Kharana, whose majestic vocals range from mellow femininity tp growled mongolian throat-song, Khantara weaves together the stunning richness of traditional gaitas - Colombian flutes - and driving tambores percussion with bouzouki, cajon and traverse flute.

Khantara aims not only to provide entertainment but to spread a message of change and help to those in need, with a focus on Indigenous children and communities in Colombia. This weekend, they will be bringing the exhilaratingly brilliant soundscape of Colombia to St John's church.

Saturday 11 August, 9pm-10pm, and Sunday 12th August, 8pm-9pm, in the Persian Tent at St John's (Venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.

Calling the muse

INVOKING the muse to guide her harp music, Mio Shapley performs in the enchanting atmosphere of St John's Church.

Mio grew up in the Alps of central Japan, where she discovered her passion for music at the age of three. After moving to the British Isles, she discovered the harp in Ireland after hearing 'the wind dancing through the strings'.

She will be playing a selection of music from Classical through Celtic to her own compositions and jazz songs on the Scottish Clarsach and Salvi concert harp. Her music blends the beauty, tranquillity and splendour of the East with local Scottish culture and flare.

Saturday 11 August, 6pm-7pm, in the Church at St John's (Venue 127). Tickets available here or at the venue box office.

The voice from the Czech Republic

SIT back, listen and relish the beautiful songs of Czech singer Kateřina Koulakova.

Kateřina has been writing and composing her own songs for piano and guitar for over a year. Now she's bringing her brand of Czech pop-rock to FoSP.

She says her goal is to give people positive energy and to create music with a universal spirit. Every one of her songs tells a story from life.

Charming, peppy and folksy, Kateřina's catchy melodies are well worth checking out this weekend.

Saturday 11 August, 2pm-3pm, in the Hall at St John's (Venue 127) and Sunday 12 August, 12pm-1pm, in the Church at St John's (Venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.

An introduction to classical music for beginners

NEW to classical music and want to know what all the fuss is about? Or looking to be reacquainted and experience old tunes in a new environment?

Tomorrow afternoon, Patricia Thomas will be providing an introduction to classical music.

This workshop will use a mixture of recordings and interactive conversations, giving the listener a chance to share with others their impressions of and feelings about the music played.

Peaceful, dynamic and interactive, this workshop is ideal for those who want a chance to experience and explore classical music outside of the concert hall.

Wednesday 8 August, 4pm-5pm, in the Persian Tent at St John's (Venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.

Sacred gifts recital

LISA Buringrud, the principal flautist for the Kings Symphony Orchestra in Hanford, California, will be performing a selection of songs from her album Sacred Gifts.

Sacred Gifts takes its inspiration from familiar hymns that cross denominational boundaries and that have endured the test of time. Buringrad describes the album as 'a gift to all who find solace in sacred music'.

This will be Lisa Buringrad's first time performing in Edinburgh. She will also be conducting the Strathmore High Chamber Wind Ensemble.

Intended to uplift, to bring people together, and to inspire, this is sacred instrumental music with a new twist!

Tuesday 7 August, 4pm-5pm, in the Church at St John's (venue 127). Buy your tickets at the venue box office.

Mindfulmess through music

WITH beautiful, meditative solo panic music and inspiring songs, Rich Batsford is bringing a new collection of music to St John's.

Mindfulmess reflects a midway point in a lifetime's attempt to make sense of reality (with frequently mixed results!) and explores how to live a spiritually fulfilling life in a modern, rational world.

Spiritual, musical and ethereal; described as 'intimate', 'passionate' and 'exquisite', this is not the typical stuffy formal piano concert you might expect!

With lyrics ranging from the intensely personal to the openly inspirational, enchanting melodies recalling Einaudi, Debussy and Glass, warm, engaging vocals and his delicate trademark piano patterns, Rich Batsford's first visit to Edinburgh is not to be missed.

Tuesday 7 and Friday 10 August, 6pm-7pm, in the Hall at St John's (venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.

Strathmore High School Chamber Wind Ensemble

CALLED 'The Best Little Band of the West', Strathmore High School's Chamber Winds Ensemble is a mix of students from Strathmore High School and Harmony Magnet Academy in Strathmore, California all aged thirteen to eighteen.

This variety of talented students will be performing a variety of delicate and powerful musical pieces. They have received numerous performance invitations within the past few years and accolades from nationally known music conductors throughout the country.

All proceeds will go to FoSP and its charities.

Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 August, 4pm-5pm, in the Church at St John's (venue 127). Buy tickets here or at the venue box office.