Edinburgh International Festival: Nicola Benedetti says she has been inundated with motherhood advice over pregnancy

Violinist is in her second year as festival director

Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) director Nicola Benedetti says she has been inundated with advice about motherhood after revealing she is due to give birth months before this year’s event.

The violinist, who is the first woman to lead the 77-year-old festival, she said was planning to oversee this year’s EIF with the support of her colleagues. Ms Benedetti, who is due to give birth in May, is expected to make several on-stage appearances at the festival, to introduce events and play the violin.

However, she insisted she did not want to be seen as any kind of role model due to her decision to take a short period of time off before returning to work on this year’s festival.

Nicola Benedetti has revealed she is expecting her first child. Picture: Jess Shurte

Ms Benedetti, who was appointed as director just over two years ago, has just launched her second EIF programme.

She said: “There is an unbelievably supportive team here and we will all just work together to make it work. There is always a sense of unknown with a new person coming into the world. But if everything is fine and everyone is OK, then of course my heart is completely dedicated to being present at the festival. Provided everyone is healthy, that is the plan.

"Terms like role model do not really enter my conscience. I think you just try to focus on progress and achievement, and what you’re actually trying to do. The minute you start looking left, right and centre, and thinking ‘how am I perceived?’, then you’re far less focused on the actual matter at hand.

Nicola Benedetti is in her second year as director of the Edinburgh International Festival. Picture: Mihaela Bodlovic

"It's like all the chat around me at the beginning around ‘how do you feel being about a female director in relation to this lineage of men who have run the festival?’ The minute you start having an out-of-body experience like that you just think ‘what am I in relation to this or that?’

“I have got my head down and I am just trying to learn as much as I can every single day. What has been really lovely is to see the opening up of the advice world of motherhood. Some people mind that, but I don’t.

“I have had thousands of messages from people saying ‘think of this’ or ‘remember that’. It’s all been very supportive and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Ms Benedetti's pregnancy was announced shortly after Scottish Government minister Mairi McAllan said she was expecting her first child in July and was planning to return to her role as economy secretary by next March.

Ms Benedetti said: "Surely what anyone can afford to do or chooses to do is a healthy thing, whether that is having a two-year sabbatical, a prolonged maternity or a short maternity leave, which you manage with your support system. They are all viable options.

"People have to do what is personally right and comfortable for them. There are consequences to all decisions that you make, but you just have to feel your own way.

"I’m a frustratingly reactive person. I’ll be the same about this. I haven’t met the child yet.

"I think the extent of my international travel will definitely be looked at. But I’m dedicated to the festival no matter what.”