City gets ready for Festival finale
This week the Edinburgh International Festival is building up to its annual spectacular finale, on Sunday 31 August at 9.00pm the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert is performed live by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Pyrovision.
Preparations are underway as the city gets ready for one of the world's greatest fireworks concerts. Choreographed to a live orchestral performance, this immensely popular event last year attracted an audience of over 250,000 people viewing from vantage points across the capital and is the biggest annual event of its kind in Europe.
Acclaimed conductor Nicolae Moldoveanu is rehearsing with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for their performance of the exuberant Slavonic Dances by Dvořák and Hungarian Dances by Brahms.
Meanwhile, international fireworks artists Wilf Scott and Keith Webb of Pyrovision are hard at work up at the Castle with their expert team of 15 technicians laying out all the fireworks.
Over 100,000 fireworks, four tonnes of explosives, and hundreds of firing sequences, including the famous waterfall cascading from Edinburgh Castle, will be used during an unforgettable 45 minutes.
Adding to the experience for the audience in Princes Street Gardens, two large screens will carry a live close up video of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performing in the Ross Bandstand.
The live video of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra is also relayed to a screen in the Bank of Scotland Family Viewing Area in Inverleith Park, a free and unticketed viewing area particularly suited to families with younger children.
Those without tickets can enjoy the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert from Princes Street, which is closed to traffic for the evening and has an enhanced sound system carrying the Scottish Chamber Orchestra's performance from the Ross Bandstand for 2008.
Forth 1 and 2 broadcast the concert live, enabling people to tune in and experience the full atmosphere of the event from wherever they choose to watch it.
The event streams live on stv's website, www.stv.tv/fireworks, and is broadcast on stv later in the evening at 10.20pm. The programme, Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert from the Edinburgh International Festival, will be hosted by one of stv's most well-known faces, Scotland Today presenter Louise White.
Jonathan Mills, Festival Director, Edinburgh International Festival said: "The Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert is a spectacular way to celebrate the end of the Festival season. I would like to thank the Bank of Scotland for their continued support of this wonderful, popular event. There is a fantastic atmosphere in Princes Street Gardens, and across the city, where crowds gather to watch the display. Remember to tune in to Radio Forth to hear the concert broadcast live. Or if you can't be with us then watch it live online or on stv at 10.20pm the same night."
Karen Tighe, Deputy Head of Sponsorship, Bank of Scotland said, "We're looking forward to what promises to be another spectacular display next weekend and are delighted that stv will be broadcasting the performance on the night."
Roy McEwan, Managing Director, Scottish Chamber Orchestra said, "This year's finale promises to be as breathtaking as ever with the Orchestra performing an exuberant programme of central European folk dance music by Dvořák and Brahms, led by acclaimed Romanian conductor, Nicolae Moldoveanu. Our established partnership with the Bank of Scotland and the Edinburgh International Festival is once again set to provide a suitably climatic end to the festivals season."
Cllr Steve Cardownie, Festival and Events Champion at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: "With the summer festivals in full swing, August is a fantastic month to be in Edinburgh and the Bank of Scotland Fireworks display ensures that we end the season with a big bang.
"I would encourage visitors and residents alike to either come into town, visit Inverleith Park or find a suitable point across the city to view the spectacular display and listen to an outstanding performance from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra."
Fiona Taylor, Temporary Assistant Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police, said: "The fireworks display is hugely popular with local people and visitors to Edinburgh.
"Public safety is our main consideration and while we want people to enjoy themselves, we want them to be safe too. There will be police and stewards on duty on the night who are there to help. Please follow their advice.
"We would ask that people do not bring glass or bottles to the event and stress that anyone under the age of 18 found in possession of alcohol will be firmly dealt with."
Radio Forth's Station Director, Cathy Kirk, said: "We're absolutely delighted to be the long term radio partner for one of the best events in the world. Forth One and Forth 2 are proud to be the sound of the event and bring it to people of Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. "
Bobby Hain, Managing Director of Broadcasting, stv said: "The Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert is a fantastic way to end the festival, and I'm delighted that stv can help bring the event to a global audience."
