Three stellar solo artists appear at Aboyne and Deeside Festival

The Aboyne and Deeside Festival will welcome three stellar solo artists as the programme of events is finalised.

First up on Friday, July 29 is Song of the Ice by Steve Garrett at Aboyne-Dinnet Church; 7.30pm.

Stunning new music, leading-edge science, animation and imagery from Steve’s Antarctic field seasons blended in collaboration with leading Antarctic scientists to tell the story of the Antartic ice sheet in three parts:

The last 180 million years with other continents move away and the continent becoming isolated and the ice sheet forming.

Steve Garrett, Jenna Watt and Polly Pullar will be performing at the Festival.

The last 30 million years - the ice sheet forms and moves, accompanied by the haunting sounds of icequakes.

The last 0.8 million years - the rise and fall of C02 in ice cores converted to sound and music, with a change at the end reflecting recent conditions.

This solo performance includes material inspired by exploration, an introductory talk and Q&A session helping you to engage in the performance and deepen your understanding of the ice sheet and related perspectives on climate change.

Aboyne-Dinnet Church is also the venue for Hindsight - In Search of Lost Wilderness, Jenna Watt on August 1 at 7.30pm.

Jenna gives a unique take on the question of rewilding, focusing on the people who drive this conservation agenda.

She meets the ‘Wolf Man’ of the Highlands, who wants to introduce the first wild wolves back into Scotland for over 300 years; a Danish billionaire who owns huge swathes of the Scottish landscape; landowners who are reintroducing species like beaver, ospreys and sea-eagles onto their estates; and a woman deer stalker, who is trying to introduce more women into the male-dominated world of stalking and game-keeping.

On Friday, August 5 is The Horizontal Oak - A Life in Nature By Polly Pullar at Tornaveen Hall; 7.30pm

The intensely moving and uplifting autobiography of one of Scotland’s best-known naturalists and admired writer, wildlife rehabilitator and photographer. Growing up in a remote corner of the Scottish West Highlands,

Polly roamed freely through the spectacular countryside and met her first otters, seals, eagles and wildcats. But an otherwise idyllic childhood was marred by family secrets which ultimately turned to tragedy, personal pain and loss. Writing with compassion, humour and optimism, Polly reflects on how her love of the natural world helped her find the strength to forgive and understand, and to find equilibrium out of the storms of her personal life.

Polly Pullar lives on a small farm in Highland Perthshire, surrounded by an extensive menagerie.She contributes to numerous publications including The Scots Magazine, Scottish Field, Scottish Wildlife, BBC Wildlife & The People’s Friend.

Tickets for all three shows are priced at £10 for adults and £5 age 16 and under. Visit www.aboyneanddeesidefestival.org.uk or TicketSource on 03336 663366.

The Aboyne Cello Festival runs is tandem with the Aboyne and Deeside Festival.