Fridays at One are exciting concerts from International guest artists, chamber ensembles, soloists and orchestras, performances will last around 60 minutes. Friday 25th September: Daniel Herskedal Kicking off this year’s first Fridays at One is a truly distinctive voice: Norwegian composer and tuba virtuoso Daniel Herskedal. Renowned for pushing the boundaries of his instrument, Herskedal creates a rich, cinematic sound world where jazz, classical, folk and global influences meet. His music is celebrated for its lyrical beauty, atmospheric textures and “spellbinding” expressive power, transforming the tuba into something unexpectedly intimate and profound. Friday 2nd October: RCS Wind Orchestra The RCS Wind Orchestra returns to RCS with a varied programme including works by Holst, Whitacre, Bedford and Thomas. Friday 9th October: Junyan Chen Pianist Junyan Chen is an award-winning performer recognised for her work across both core repertoire and contemporary music. A prizewinner at the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition, she has performed widely as a soloist and chamber musician, and collaborates closely with leading composers and ensembles. This afternoon’s programme includes Chick Corea’s Children’s Songs, Bartók’s Three Studies and Unsuk Chin’s Études, alongside Brahms’s Piano Sonata No. 2. Friday 16th October: Ruby Hughes & Jonas Nordberg Acclaimed soprano Ruby Hughes and lutenist Jonas Nordberg perform an intimate programme exploring the expressive world of voice and lute, marking 400 years since the death of John Dowland. Centred on Dowland’s haunting songs, the programme also features music by Robert Johnson and John Danyel, alongside works by Henry Purcell and the anonymous Corpus Christi Carol. Contemporary settings of William Shakespeare by Errollyn Wallen, Deborah Pritchard and Cheryl Frances-Hoad bring a fresh perspective to this timeless repertoire. Friday 23rd October: Laura MacDonald Laura Macdonald, newly appointed Head of Jazz at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, brings together an exceptional line-up from the Jazz Faculty for this Fridays at One lunchtime concert, performing jazz classics alongside original compositions. Joined by Paul Harrison, Alyn Cosker, Mario Caribe and Kevin MacKenzie, this afternoon performance showcases the brilliance of some of Scotland’s leading jazz musicians and educators teaching at the RCS. Friday 30th October: Allan Neave & Friends To celebrate 20 years of Big Guitar Weekend, RCS Head of Guitar Allan Neave has invited back RCS alumni to perform alongside him in this Fridays at One concert. The performance also features a new guitar duo work commission for the festival from Scottish composer Jay Capperauld which Allan will perform with Samrat Majumder. Friday 13th November: Jenn Butterworth - Her By Design Jenn Butterworth is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading exponents of traditional folk guitar. Renowned for her exceptional skills in collaboration, accompaniment and arrangement, she seamlessly adapts to any stage, whether performing in an intimate venue or commanding a large festival audience. In this afternoon’s Fridays at One, Jenn performs music from her acclaimed self-produced debut album Her By Design - a powerful collection of songs and stories with women at the centre. Friday 20th November: Scottish Chamber Orchestra Winds Side-by-Side Wind players from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra perform side by side with the RCS Woodwind department students. Friday 27th November: Scottish Opera Emerging Artists Scottish Opera Emerging Artists return for an afternoon recital showcasing outstanding young operatic talent. Featuring singers from Scottish Opera’s renowned Emerging Artists programme, this lunchtime offering includes a selection of opera, song, and ensemble repertoire performed alongside collaborative pianists in Stevenson Hall. Friday 4th December: Connaught Brass Connaught Brass are a London-based quintet known for their fresh, collaborative approach to brass chamber music. This afternoon they present a suitably festive programme featuring Vivaldi’s Concerto in F Major, a suite from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, and Humperdinck’s Evening Prayer from Hänsel & Gretel, alongside a specially written opening work by Sam Gale and a selection of seasonal favourites.

Description supplied by the event organiser.