Press release -
Ure First
Scottish music legend, Midge Ure is set to perform his signature hit Vienna with a live orchestral backing for the first time at the Ryder Cup Gala Concert it was announced today (Friday 29 August).
The singer will join a host of music stars including Texas, Amy MacDonald and Nile Rodgers (Chic) to perform with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) at the special one-off event at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on Wednesday 24 September 2014.
The full music line-up for the evening was announced by Glasgow rock band Twin Atlantic, who will also perform at the Concert alongside Eddi Reader, Nina Nesbitt, Jake Bugg and Danny Wilson.
American musician, producer and composer, Nile Rodgers will swap Daft Punk for dramatic percussion with a classical version of his chart-topper Get Lucky alongside Chic favourites such as Good Times and Le Freak.
And Amy MacDonald, one of the musical stars of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, will be accompanied on Mr Rock & Roll by the RSNO’s full string ensemble.
Glasgow band Texas will also perform their hit Inner Smile for the first time in their home city this year with the RSNO in a one-off unique performance.
Developed by renowned Creative Director, Kim Gavin (Take That Artistic Director), the Gala Concert is the curtain-raiser for one of the biggest sporting events in the world – The Ryder Cup, due to take place at Gleneagles from 23-28 September.
The Concert will unite contemporary music talent including Nina Nesbitt, Jake Bugg, Twin Atlantic, Amy MacDonald, Danny Wilson, Texas and Nile Rodgers on the same stage with Scotland’s leading arts agencies – the Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera, National Theatre of Scotland and RSNO.
A strong feature of the evening will be the presentation of the 2014 Ryder Cup Teams, with the USA and Europe players appearing on stage together for the first time with their captains Paul McGinley and Tom Watson ahead of the epic golf showdown at Gleneagles.
The RSNO will feature 50 musicians on the evening and will rehearse with the music acts in the weeks leading up to the event. Further choreography and filming for the event will also take place in London with Kim Gavin in the coming month.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said:
“The Ryder Cup Gala Concert is the definitive curtain raiser for one of the biggest sporting events in the world, so it was important to create a show that represents the very best of the beautiful host country – our Scotland. The concert will unite celebrated music stars, alongside the European and US golfing stars of The Ryder Cup. We are very excited to welcome everyone to enjoy this impressive evening of music, theatre and dance.”
Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chief Executive Michael Elliott said:
“It is an honour to be invited to perform a central role in the Ryder Cup Gala Concert, alongside our fellow national performing companies Scottish Ballet and the National Theatre of Scotland, but also with a star-studded collection of contemporary music legends.
“In recent years the RSNO has collaborated with a number of pop, rock and folk musicians, but the line-up for this celebration promises to raise the bar and kick off one of the world’s great sporting tournaments in style.”
Geoff Ellis of DF Concerts & Events said:
“We’ve revealed a taste of what’s to come but it really doesn’t do it justice – this concert needs to be seen to be believed – it will be like nothing you have ever seen before. Glasgow has had such a wonderful summer of sport and celebration, The 2014 Ryder Cup Gala will keep this momentum going.
“We have another of the biggest sporting events in the world coming to Scotland, four of our national agencies performing on the same stage for the very first time, performances and unique collaborations with some of the best names in music and the first chance to see the teams together live on stage – what could be better than that?”
The Concert is a signature event within the Homecoming Scotland 2014 programme delivered by DF Concerts & events on behalf of VisitScotland. It will celebrate the start of The 2014 Ryder Cup which returns to Scotland for the first time in more than 40 years and only the second time in its history. The sporting event will take place on 23-28 September at Gleneagles and is supported by EventScotland, the national events agency and a directorate of VisitScotland, and Ryder Cup Europe.
Tickets are on sale now and available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.ticketsoup.com or by calling 08444 999 990 or 0844 395 4000. Visit www.rydercupgalaconcert.com for more information
For further information, images and interviews, contact:
Kate Turnbull
Corporate Press Manager
Tel: 0131 472 2324
kate.turnbull@visitscotland.com
Out of hours media enquiries: 07699 766986
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Notes to Editors
RYDER CUP CONCERT
• World renowned talent from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera and the National Theatre of Scotland will collaborate for the first time with contemporary artists including Nile Rodgers, Amy Macdonald, Twin Atlantic, Texas, Nina Nesbitt, Jake Bugg, Eddi Reader, Midge Ure , Danny Wilson .
• For the first time live on stage at the SSE Hydro, Scottish Ballet will perform a passionate duet sequence from Jealousy. Choreographed by James Cousins, winner of the inaugural New Adventures Choreographer Award set up by director and choreographer Matthew Bourne OBE, Jealousy is a powerful duet, set to the haunting melody ‘O God protect me’ from experimental composer Ben Frost and will be performed by Scottish Ballet principal dancer Sophie Martin and soloist Victor Zarallo.
• National Theatre of Scotland will bring an excerpt of critically acclaimed show, ‘Glasgow Girls’ to this special evening. Based on a true story, Glasgow Girls follows a group of seven teenage girls whose lives are changed forever when they arrive at school one day to be told that one of their friends - and her asylum seeking family - have been forcibly taken from their home to be deported.
• Scottish Opera will welcome emerging Artist Andrew McTaggart to the Ryder Cup Gala Concert stage to perform Dark Island, a traditional Scottish song, arranged and accompanied by Scottish Opera’s Head of Music Derek Clark.
• The RSNO will also play a selection of the works of award- winning renowned ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ composer Craig Armstrong, providing the soundtrack to a bespoke short film created by Kim Gavin, especially for the audience on the night.
ABOUT RSNO
• The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) is Scotland's award-winning national symphony orchestra. Based in Glasgow, the 89-member professional orchestra also regularly performs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee, and abroad.
ABOUT KIM GAVIN
• Kim Gavin is a British choreographer and former ballet dancer. He was the creative director of the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.
• Kim trained at the Royal Ballet School.
• In 1997, directed and choreographed the musical Oh! What A Night.
• In 2002 he choreographed the West End musical 125th Street.
• He is currently artistic Director for Take That – responsible for devising the concepts for their incredible, record-breaking tours including The Circus.
• He choreographed the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium in 2007 and the Help for Heroes concert at Twickenham Stadium in 2010.
ABOUT DF CONCERTS & EVENTS
• Scotland’s leading promoter and event management company.
• Headed up by CEO Geoff Ellis
• The company runs Scotland’s biggest festival, T in the Park, as well as the country’s biggest outdoor concerts.
• DF Concerts & Events also delivers successful non-music events including the Papal visit to Glasgow in 2010.
VISITSCOTLAND/EVENTSCOTLAND
• Since 2003 VisitScotland and EventScotland has been the lead agency in delivering Scotland’s 2014 Ryder Cup commitments.
• Working in partnership with Ryder Cup Europe as the event owner and The Gleneagles Hotel as the host venue, VisitScotland and EventScotland are looking to meet Scotland’s ambition of hosting the best-ever Ryder Cup.
• Scotland’s key objectives in hosting The 2014 Ryder Cup are
o To deliver economic benefit for the country
o Leave a lasting legacy
o To ensure a great spectator experience.
• VisitScotland and EventScotland also work alongside other key partners within “Team Scotland” such as The Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International, Perth & Kinross Council, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and SportScotland.
• The Concert is a signature event within the Homecoming Scotland 2014 programme and celebrates the start of The 2014 Ryder Cup which takes place 23-28 September and is supported by EventScotland, the national events agency and a directorate of VisitScotland, and Ryder Cup Europe.
THE 2014 RYDER CUP
• The illustrious history of the Ryder Cup dates back to the 1920s and, from the very beginning, Scots have had a telling influence on the ultimate team golf tournament.
• There are the talented team captains who are chosen to lead their men to victory, and the brave players who picked up crucial points in the heat of battle. Then there are the course architects whose classic layouts - on both sides of the pond - have been used as Ryder Cup venues.
• The first official Ryder Cup took place in 1927, with a couple of unofficial meetings preceding that inaugural tournament. In 2014, the 40th Ryder Cup will be contested at Gleneagles and, once again, Scotland will play a major part in the Ryder Cup story.
• Ryder Cup media enquiries: For all information, images, interview opportunities and requests regarding The 2014 Ryder Cup, please email: rydercup@grayling.com or call 0131 226 2363
