The best fun you can have! - Lammermuir Festival

Running a festival is pure (almost!) pleasure.  But in order to do this you need the right people.  With this in mind I will start my pre-Lammermuir bloggery with a dramatis personae of people you will hear more and more about as time passes and the festival rolls over us like Hurricane Irene over New York

Hugh Macdonald: Director Born in Haddington, for many years Head of Music for BBC Scotland and largely responsible for the transformation of the BBCSSO into the wonderful orchestra it is today.   The whole idea for a music festival in East Lothian came from Hugh when he pointed out quite how many fantastic and unusual venues there are out here.  He tries to keep this quiet – but he also an organist.

James Waters: Director Lives in Aberlady, East Lothian (since 1988). Former Associate Director of Edinburgh International and before that with the SCO where he set up the relationship with Charles Mackerras.  Currently in addition to Lammermuir Festival is Creative Director of Classical Music at Perth Concert Hall.  Actually would far rather be sailing his boat out of North Berwick or watching cricket than planning festivals, but into every life a little rain must fall

Lesley Gardner: Festival Administrator. Vastly experienced TV production manager with credits including Two Fat Ladies, Gordon Ramsey: Kitchen Nightmares and Mary Queen of Shops.  It should be child’s play for her to control Hugh and James and get the festival on.

Jane Nicolson: Largs-based PR Operative! Nothing like locating yourself in the right place for a festival in East Lothian.  Jane works for Hebrides Ensemble, Lammermuir Festival, Mendelssohn in Mull and Manchester Camerata among others and uses relentless charm to ensnare recalcitrant newshounds into giving her clients the maximum coverage.  Her colleague Vicky Pitchers has particular expertise in tourism-based publications and broadcast media

Jim Stretton: Chair Formerly Chief Executive UK Operations at Standard Life, Depute Chair of the Edinburgh International Festival Jim has put a huge amount of energy into getting the Lammermuir Festival off the ground.  He is an accomplished musician – able to play Bach’s ‘St Anne’ on the organ and mean it – and a real enthusiast.  Another long term East Lothian dweller the festival would not have come into being without him

Willie Wood:Lamp of Lothian Trust Willie runs the Lamp of Lothian Trust which has been wonderfully supportive of the Lammermuir Festival.  As a man who has commanded a battalion in Northern Ireland a festival should be child’s play for him.  A real challenge for Hugh and James

More tomorrow!!

James Waters: Director