A luxury Perthshire hotel has paid tribute to its jazz roots by giving five students the chance to become its in-house band.
The Gleneagles Ensemble will perform at the hotel over the next few months, playing American and European jazz classics.
Peter Johnstone (piano), Tom Stephenson (guitar), Matt Carmichael (saxophone), Mark Hendry (bass) and Dominykas Snarskis (drums) are all currently students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in Glasgow.
Conor O’Leary, Gleneagles’ general manager, said the hotel was keen to play a role in shaping “the next generation of world-class performing artists in Scotland”.
He said: “Gleneagles has a vibrant heritage of cultural engagement and musical performance — from Henry Hall, the great 1920s band leader who performed in our ballroom for live BBC radio broadcasts every weekend, to Oasis, who did their first ever recorded gig at the hotel in 1994.
“Peter and the members of our newly formed Gleneagles Ensemble are walking in those hallowed footsteps and helping us to build on that rich cultural tradition, while enabling us to fulfil our ambition to support and enrich the educational journey of the next generation of world-class performing artists in Scotland.
“We congratulate all five on their success and look forward to watching them make continued progress in their studies and careers.”
Pianist Mr Johnstone is the recipient of the Gleneagles Scholarship, created to support an exceptional student at the RCS.
He said the chance to perform in Perthshire with the Gleneagles Ensemble would move his career forward.
He said: “I’m looking forward to performing at such a unique place like Gleneagles, which attracts visitors from all over the world, and allowing the special nature of its performance spaces to shape my improvisations in new and exciting directions.
“I feel enormously excited, and humbled, to be the new Gleneagles scholar. I’m incredibly grateful for the financial support which will enable me to continue my studies at the Royal Conservatoire, focusing all of my attention on pursuing my musical goals.”
Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said the partnership with Gleneagles was designed to nurture student performers.
“Gleneagles believes in the importance of investing in young people and the arts, and it is a pleasure to work together to create meaningful opportunities for next generation of performing artists,” he said.
