Fergus McCreadie 'Flight Pass'

Two sets

Flight Pass, a bold new piano-trio commission from Fergus McCreadie, commissioned by Chamber Music Scotland and Kings Place, London. Known for his electrifying mix of jazz and Scottish folk, McCreadie now brings that sound into a fresh chamber setting for a performance bursting with colour and storytelling

Mercury-shortlisted and widely acclaimed artist, Fergus McCreadie introduces a new work for classical piano trio, Flight Pass, co-commissioned by Chamber Music Scotland where he is Artist in Residence, and Kings Place. Inspired by the landscapes and narratives at the heart of his musical world, it marks an exciting evolution in his writing, extending his musical language into a new chamber setting while retaining the melodic clarity, rhythmic lift and storytelling that define his music.

Fergus writes: 

The title of this work comes from one of my favourite photographs, which features a black winged kite and two of his offspring fighting over some recently caught prey in the middle of the sky. I’ve always loved to watch birds in the sky, and I loved the contrast of conflict and kinship in this photograph. That pull gave me the right feeling for giving a title to this work, which pulls and pushes in different directions over its 4 movements. Each movement flows at a different pace, and I leave it to the listener to imagine how the birds and sky might match the music as it grows over the duration. 

–About Chamber Music Scotland

Chamber Music Scotland: Celebrating chamber music’s tradition and exploring its future. CMS works with chamber music performers and creators; promoters and audiences; and communities to share and experience music that represents Scotland, its people, places, and culture. Our organisation has a truly national reach and offers space for artist expression and development alongside substantial opportunities for members of the public to engage with our work.

Our work encompasses artist residency programmes, community partnerships, creation of new works, EDI sector development, concert series and touring funding, developmental support, as well as UK and international collaborations. We aim to cultivate an identity for chamber music in Scotland which draws on our places, peoples, and culture and is unique on the world stage.