Category: music

Singing out loud at the Mela

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Warming up: Zawadi with choir leader Rachel Milne at their first public performance in April

Great to hear the Zawadi Women’s Choir is going from strength to strength. Since their first appearance in April this year they have been collecting a growing list of requests (and some new members).  If you didn’t hear them in the Festival preview on Leith FM you can see and hear them in person at the Mela on Saturday 8 August in the Garden Stage from 5-5.30pm. Continue reading “Singing out loud at the Mela”

Music without frontiers

It is not easy for world musicians to enter Britain. So Scotland is lucky to be hearing the remarkable music of the Sufi band that survived the Taliban – and overcame obstacles to getting a visa. And we are luckier still to get the chance to hear them on our own doorstep.  Thanks to Swietlica, the Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawali Group will take a detour to play at Fort Community Centre on Monday 25 May at 6.30 pm.  It’s free but money raised from home-baking and books will go to help victims of war in Afghanistan. Continue reading “Music without frontiers”

Women in harmony

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Zawadi Women’s Choir rehearsing for their first public appearance  – membership of the choir is open to women from different ethnic backgrounds.

At one end of the hall they are preparing a banquet.  At the other end the choir is warming up for their first public performance.  Rachel Milne quickly gets rid of any nerves by making them laugh, “That sounds very nice,” says the musical director  firmly asking them to start again with a bit more oomph, “You sound like nice Scottish ladies. Now try again.”    Continue reading “Women in harmony”