Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | Friday 29 November 2024 at 7.00pm
Tickets £20.00 +booking fee (available from TicketWeb)
Hailing from the Scottish Highlands, Rachel Sermanni is an enchanting singer-songwriter, whose performance and lyrics draw from a deep well of mysticism, dreams, nature and the simple-complex experience of being human. A contemporary folk musician influenced by a wealth of genres including jazz, rock, old-time and traditional, her latest release, Dreamer Awake, is …’spare, spectral, intimate music that highlights the powers of Sermanni’s vocals’. Arts Desk
Rightly described by critics as a “Folk noir gem” (MOJO), “Stately, poetic” (CLASH) and “Folk of the Highest Order” (Time Out), Rachel Sermanni has been making music for over a decade and has developed her artistic voice over her many releases, each time pushing boundaries and experimenting with different musical textures.
Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | Sunday 1 December 2024 from 12 till 4.00pm
Come join us at our very special Christmas Shopping Day. Avoid the hustle and bustle of the High Street this Christmas Day and enjoy the tranquil surroundings of Mackintosh Queen’s Cross. This is a wonderful opportunity for friends and members to meet up and pick up some Christmas presents for your loved ones.
Find gifts inspired by our collection. From art books, cards, prints, jewellery, and scarves etc.,
Every purchase supports the work of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society.
The premiere winter festival and international celebration of Celtic music will illuminate stages across Glasgow from Thursday 16 January to Sunday 2 February 2025, eclipsing dark winter nights with a kaleidoscope of internationally-renowned music, exciting new performances and unique showcases.
Creative Director Donald Shaw programmes more than 300 events across multiple genres of music. The festival is renowned for its ability to bring together one-off line-ups for special collaborative shows. The camaraderie between musicians continues late into the night at the Festival Club – home to legendary musical collaborations and spontaneous sessions.
“If there’s one thing that makes wintertime in Glasgow great then it’s Celtic Connections”. The Guardian
This year we are delighted to host 14 concerts at Mackintosh Queen’s Cross.
Hailed as one of the most prodigious guitarists of his generation and “highest category of improvising musicians” (New Yorker), Julian Lage has spent more than a decade searching through the myriad strains of American musical history via impeccable technique, free association and a spirit of infinite possibility. The California-born NewYork-based musician boasts a prolific resume on his own accord in addition to collaborating with Gary Burton and John Zorn, as well as duo projects with Nels Cline,Chris Eldridge and Fred Hersch, among others.
Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | Sunday 10 November 2024 at 7.30pm
Tickets £25.50 +booking fee (available from SeeTickets)
From the opening seconds of “Life Is,” it’s clear that *Here in the Pitch* is a very different kind of album from Jessica Pratt. The revered Los Angeles artist has become one of the most singular and distinctive songwriters of her generation, largely through the bewitching sound of her acoustic guitar and vocals: a mystical, elusive blend that conjures deep emotional responses from her devoted (and patient) audience. To introduce her first release in half-a-decade, however, she greets us with neither her breathtaking vocals nor the delicate, sophisticated strum of her guitar. Instead, Pratt’s fourth album begins with a percussion roll that nods instantly to the grand, orchestral style of ’60s pop hits like the Walker Brothers’ “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore.”
The Spooky Men’s Chorale is a vast, rumbling, steam powered and black clad behemoth, seemingly accidentally capable of rendering audiences moist eyed with mute appreciation or haplessly gurgling with merriment. Based on the twin pillars of grand foolishness and the quest for the perfect subwoofer-rattling boofchord, the Spooky Men seek to commentate on the absurdity and grandeur of the modern male armed only with their voices, a sly collection of hats and facial hair, and a twinkle in the eye.
Formed in the Blue Mountains of NSW in 2001 by Christchurch born spookmeister Stephen Taberner, the Spooky Men soon attracted attention with a judicious combination of Georgian table songs, pindrop beautiful ballads, highly inappropriate covers, and immaculate man anthems like “Don’t stand between a a man and his tool”, all of which amounted to a manifesto for the new breed of man: happily suspended between thug and wimp.
The Spooky Men first attracted wider attention at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, 2004, which led to appearances at Woodford Festival and the first of six tours to the UK in 2006. Standout appearances amongst their 500+ gigs since have included (in Australia) WOMAD, The Great Escape Festival, Woodford, Cobargo, Port Fairy, Blue Mountains and Bellingen festivals. ABC TV appearances include The Mix, Spicks and Specks, and the New Inventors Grand Final.
In the UK/Europe they have appeared at major festivals including Tonder (Denmark), Cambridge, Broadstairs, Wickham, Camp Bestival, Towersey, Shrewsbury, and Edinburgh Fringe. Theatrical venues have included Union Chapel (London), St David’s Hall (Cardiff), The Philharmonic (Liverpool), Colston Hall (Bristol), the Sheldonian (Oxford) and Sage Gateshead.
The Spooky Men have recorded seven CDs: Tooled Up (2004), Stop Scratching It (2007), Deep (2009), Big (2011), The Spooky Man in History (2013), Warm (2015) and Welcome to the Second Half (2019).
In live performance, the Spooky Men draw on a combination of musical and theatrical values which are elusive and multifarious. Notable themes and antecedents include Georgian male polyphony, a running joke on man as a vast, oblivious useless object, whispers of clown, bouffon and Monty Python, and forays into massively pleasurable grunting tribalism. The audience are invited to first joyously endure a wall of mansound, then laugh stupidly, then venture into areas of great tenderness. It is ideally not so much comedic as hilarious, not so much shimmeringly perfect as human in a very deeply resonant way.
Please note that this show has a mix of floor and standard unreserved seating.
“JAZZ-BẢN ĐỊA” (Indigenous Jazz) is a concept about a music genre, a style seemingly shaped by the serendipitous encounter between the Jazz saxophonist Quyền Thiện Đắc and the creative group of musicians Đàn Đó. The journey with jazz music of Jazz saxophonist Quyen Thien Dac influenced by his family’s traditional musical background. His musical path involved persistent study and research abroad. After graduating from the Hanoi Conservatory of Music, he earned a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in the United States, followed by a master’s degree at Malmo University in Sweden. His return to Vietnam brought a foundation of Western knowledge along with ambitious thoughts about paving the way for a jazz style with the spirit of Vietnamese soul.
Đàn Đó will be collaborating with 3 Scottish musicians for this unique concert:
Sue McKenzie – saxophone Tom Bancroft – drums Ali Levack – whistle/pipes
In the dynamic landscape of contemporary jazz, Scottish pianist and composer Fergus McCreadie has carved a remarkable niche. Since 2021, his career has skyrocketed, marked by two acclaimed album releases that propelled him into the limelight – shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and clinching the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) for “Forest Floor.” His debut with Edition Records, “Cairn” (2021), set the stage for a journey deeply rooted in natural themes.
McCreadie’s latest venture, “Stream,” continues this intriguing exploration, this time delving into the essence of water. Accompanied by his long-standing comrades, David Bowden and Stephen Henderson, the album flows with the fluidity of its namesake. It’s a musical stream that flows through the rich landscapes of Scottish folklore and the sophisticated avenues of contemporary jazz, blending them seamlessly.
‘A giddying fusion of Scottish culture and jazz history’ – The Times
‘One of my favourite jazz piano trio albums of the last few years’ – Jamie Cullum
7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm start time
Over 14s, under 16s accompanied by an adult over 18
Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | Saturday 29 June 2024 at 6.30pm (Doors open 6.00pm)
Tickets £10.00 (Conc. £8.00) +booking fee (available from Eventbrite and on the door)
Maciej Granat presents a thrilling programme of film music arranged for piano in the stunning surroundings of Mackintosh Queen’s Cross. Beautiful, epic, fun and majestic themes from movies such as E.T., Jurassic Park, Dune, The Piano, Jaws, My Neighbour Totoro and much more.
The Mackintosh Society has done much in its 50 years of existence to champion, preserve and safeguard the work and heritage of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Sadly, since the last symposium in 2012 we have seen an apparently growing disregard for our built heritage, through neglect, bad planning and lack of action and investment by councils and government. It is therefore crucial not to repeat the destructive mistakes of the past and take bold action to reverse this decline.
Glasgow’s heritage is a unique selling point for the city and the importance cannot be overstated; it plays a powerful role in shaping distinctive, vibrant, prosperous places and contributes substantially to health, education and civic pride. It also sustains neighbourhoods as attractive places in which people wish to live, work and play.
Although Glasgow’s architectural landscape may be unique in Scotland, its challenges are not. Across the UK, policy makers are attempting to strike a balance between preservation of historic buildings and the housing crisis that has engulfed major cities. It is a tension that is unavoidable, and we must ensure that it does not lead to unchecked erosion of our past.
The Lighthouse (Glasgow Herald Building)
DAY ONE: Registration opens at 9:15 with coffee and pastries
Day One will cover the current restoration work at Scotland Street School and The Hill House, the uncertain future of the Lighthouse and Martyrs’ School, plus the ongoing work to rebuild the Mackintosh Building at the GSA. We will also cover major issues and challenges facing the wider heritage of the city.
Chair: Peter Ranson
Speakers on Day One include:
Restoring, Managing and Repurposing Queen’s Cross Church Stuart Robertson Director, CRM Society
A historic overview of restoring, managing and reinventing a repurposed church of significant architectural merit.
By the 1970s as the population declined Queen’s Cross could not continue as a viable church and in 1976 the congregation merged with that of nearby Ruchill Church. The following year the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society stepped in to save the building and negotiated a 21-year lease from the Church of Scotland. In 1999 the Society was able to purchase Queen’s Cross as a result of a generous donation from Dr Thomas Howarth.
‘Mackintosh Architecture: Context, Making and Meaning’ – the project and its legacy Joseph Sharples Curator of Mackintosh Collections & Applied Art: The Hunterian
The University of Glasgow’s Mackintosh Architecture project was completed in July 2014 with the launch of the website www.mackintosh-architecture.gla.ac.uk.
The research project, which ran from 2010 to 2014, was led by The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow and was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. It aimed to provide the first authoritative survey of the architectural work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
11:00-11:20 Coffee Break
Mackintosh Buildings Survey – Update Brian Park: Retired Conservation Architect John Sanders: Partner at Simpson & Brown Architects
In 2016 the Society completed a major survey of the surviving Mackintosh built heritage. This was a landmark achievement and the first comprehensive condition survey of the Mackintosh built heritage and an important milestone in our understanding and preservation of Mackintosh’s legacy.
The central aim of the Survey was to determine the current condition of a range of prioritised Mackintosh buildings and related works, including interiors and gravestones, within public and private ownership. The survey work was undertaken by Simpson & Brown Architects and Page\Park Architects and was led by the Society’s director Stuart Robertson and board member Pamela Robertson, former Professor of Mackintosh Studies at the University of Glasgow.
Rescuing Mackintosh at the Willow Stewart Brown: Founding Partner of Simpson & Brown, Architects, now retired and Trustee of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust for 8 years.
Key steps in rescuing a building under threat and redeveloping it through restoration to become a commercial (and social and educational) enterprise.
Followed by Discussion Panel
12:45-13:45 Lunch in the Hall
Scotland Street School: Reuse and Repair Mandy Fallens BSc(Hons), BArch, RIBA Senior Architect at Glasgow City Council
The Scotland Street School project is currently on site with a first phase of external fabric repair works, including roof repairs and lead work. The building was in use solely a museum since 1990, but has been closed to the public since 2020. Part of the project brief is the reintroduction of an education function in the form of an early years facility for 3-5 year olds on the ground floor. We will discuss the challenges of incorporating an early years facility into the 1906 Category A Listed Building to meet the current curriculum standards, and provide an overview of the ongoing fabric repair works, building investigations and surveys.
The Hill House: Not judging a Book by just its Cover Liz Davidson: Project Director: The Hill House
At the Hill House – Mackintosh and Macdonald fused architecture and artistry to create a happy family home for the Blackie family. With little alteration that home now welcomes thousands of visitors each year. But the technical and fabric problems of the construction emerged relatively shortly after its completion in 1904. In 2019 the Box was erected to cover and allow time for its considered repair. This presentation will assess this strategy and the timeline for a major conservation project to start – and complete – in time for the anniversary year in 2028.
Bringing Back the “Mack” Eleanor Magennis: Director of Estates and Infrastructure at The Glasgow School of Art overseeing new Digital and Estates Strategies including the faithful reinstatement of the Mackintosh building.
15:40-16:00 Tea Break
Thomson’s lost Buildings and those at Risk Scott Abercrombie & Fiona Sinclair: The Alexander Thomson Society
In 1890 Charles Rennie Mackintosh became the second recipient of the Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship, a triennial award made by the Glasgow Institute of Architects as a memorial to “Greek” Thomson, whose death in 1875 had deeply affected his friends and colleagues. The award continues to be made in his honour, and in 1991 the importance of Thomson was further underlined by the formation of the Alexander Thomson Society, which exists to promote and safeguard his works. Fiona Sinclair and Scott Abercrombie, both Director Trustees of the society, will talk about the loss of many major buildings by this exceptional architect (including one close to Mackintosh’s Queen’s Cross Church); the successful rescue of others; and the ongoing threat to some of those that still exist.
The civic museum collection as a repository of rescued heritage Alison Brown: Curator, European Decorative Art and Design from 1800 to present, Glasgow Museums and Collections, Glasgow Life
Over the last 53 years Glasgow Museums has amassed a significant holding of Mackintosh and Glasgow Style interiors and interior parts. Each is an instance of the city stepping in to save important heritage in danger of being lost. This paper presents an overview of the acquisitions, research and display undertaken to date, and asks: when there are no such things as elastic walls – for display, for storage – what are the most important considerations for our 21st Century civic museum collections when called to rescue Glasgow’s material heritage?
Followed by Questions and Discussion Panel
………………………………………………
DAY TWO: Registration opens at 9:15 with coffee and pastries
On Day Two as well as looking at the broader scene of Glasgow we will cover cities like Brussels & Manchester and organisations that have managed to buck the trend and have enjoyed success in their heritage led regeneration.
The Maison Hannon, Brussels
Chair: Peter Trowles
Speakers on Day Two include:
Glasgow’s at Risk Heritage – the Broader Scene Niall Murphy: Director, Glasgow City Heritage Trust
The talk will focus on important Glasgow buildings (not by Charles Rennie Mackintosh) under threat including potential reuse and redevelopment. This will include updates on the work Glasgow City Heritage Trust funds to provide sustainable pathways off Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register for various Glasgow Buildings along with projects the Trust has helped fund repairs to, and our concerns for the ageing heritage building stock within the Glasgow Central Conservation Area.
Conserving C20 Architecture: Hearts and Minds vs Bricks/Concrete and Mortar Catherine Croft: Director, 20th Century Society
Conserving C20 architecture needs more than just vigorous campaigning for individual buildings. Changing the over-arching narrative, and debunking negative myths and preconceptions is just as vital. How can we best support a positive climate for preserving the recent past and what are the primary challenges for ensuring a successful future for C20 heritage?
The Transformation of 78 Derngate, Northampton Rob Kendall: Chair of Friends of 78 Derngate
In January 1998, 78 Derngate Trust was formed with the main aim of restoring the terraced house, which was designed and remodelled by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1916. The Trust setup a Friends organisation with the main aim of meticulously restoring the property and opening it to the public. 78 Derngate along with 80 & 82 has undergone an amazing transformation, ensuring that visitors can easily navigate through the three houses and their gardens.
11:25-11:45 Coffee Break
Art Schools and their cities: Engines of transformation and innovation Penny Macbeth: Director, The Glasgow School of Art
Many of the UK’s Art schools were founded as Government Schools of Design at the height of the Industrial revolution by a House of Commons Select Committee. Their purpose was to develop the nation’s art, support the burgeoning manufacturing industry and to boost economic success. Art schools have always been places of production, value and meaning, they craft, imagine, are curious and collaborative, they were developed to support and drive the economic transformation of their city and some continue to do so. At this moment of exponential growth and pace for machine learning, making and production how does the Art school embrace this challenge, innovate and lead in this new industrial age and how do we continue to be relevant for our cities. This presentation will focus on examples from my previous role as Dean of Manchester School of Art and the role I played in developing the School of Digital Arts SODA, in order to support Manchester’s ambitious growth plans in the creative and tech sectors. It will also draw on the work of the Glasgow School of Art and our reimagining of the school’s role within our city.
Discussion Panel and Questions for Speakers on issues relating to the current economic climate.
12:30-13:30 Lunch in the Hall
How Greater Manchester can build the future without destroying its past! Elizabeth Hopkirk: Save Britain’s Heritage
SAVE Britain’s Heritage is an independent charity that has been campaigning against the destruction and neglect of historic buildings of all types and ages for nearly 50 years.
Its most recent report, Boom Not Bust: How Greater Manchester can build the future without destroying its past, is a celebration of the region’s fine historic buildings – and an urgent call to arms. Elizabeth will highlight recent losses and examples of re-use as a catalyst for sustainable regeneration and civic pride.
Brussels, capital of Art Nouveau? Simon Thielen: Urbanism and Heritage Advisor Office of Ans Persoons Secretary of State for the Brussels Government, responsible for Urban Planning and Heritage, European and International Relations
In 2023, Brussels celebrated Art Nouveau, 130 years after the construction of the Hotel Tassel by Victor Horta, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The event was a huge success, with over a million visitors. The presentation will take stock of the making of this Art Nouveau year, based on a range of expertise and experiences developed in Brussels: the BANAD Festival (which showcases Art Nouveau and Art Deco), collaboration between the various public bodies including the Horta Museum, the Art and History museum, the organisation of Heritage Days, links with other Art Nouveau cities in Europe (and the RANN), links with contemporary creation, links with colonisation and an update on the Stoclet Palace, an emblematic World Heritage building marking the transition between Art Nouveau and Art Deco, which remains closed to the public today. The ambition of this Art Nouveau year was not an end in itself, but rather the first stage of affirming Brussels as capital of Art Nouveau.
Questions for speakers
15:00-15:20 Tea Break
The Engineers View Graeme DeBrincat: Arup Associate | Façades UK Materials | Reuse & Reclaim
The consulting engineers Ove Arup and Partners are one of the major contributors to the look of modern cities, with projects such as Sydney Opera House, The Pompidou Centre and the Lloyd’s Building to their credit.
Through a series of 20th Century building refurbishment projects across the UK, Graeme will explore the new and developing technologies of the time applied to these buildings and consider how they have performed over time, how these important buildings have been upgraded and refurbished and what the future holds for these buildings.
Conclude with an open debate from the various discussions over the two days.
Followed by after event drinks
Please note that the symposiumprogramme issubject to change.
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