Ailsa Aitkenhead

St Giles' at Six
2025-03-23 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | St Giles Cathedral, High St, Edinburgh, EH1 1RE, United Kingdom
A programme of partsongs and traditional songs with anthems by Mozart, Lauridsen and Whitacre, as well as music for piano solo by Mozart, Chopin and Debussy.
Ailsa Aitkenhead – Piano
Kirstin Anderson – Director
Tickets are free and available on Eventbrite

An Afternoon with Esther Inglis (c. 1570-1624)
2025-04-26 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | St Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room & Music Museum, The University of Edinburgh, 50 Niddry Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LG, United Kingdom
Join us for an engaging afternoon celebrating the life and work of Esther Inglis, a remarkable calligrapher of the early modern period. Acclaimed author Sara Sheridan of the Mirabelle Bevan mysteries and “Where are the Women?: A Guide to an Imagined Scotland”, and leading experts will discuss her artistry, legacy, and historical significance. Enjoy live Renaissance music and spoken word poetry inspired by her exquisite manuscripts. This unique event brings Esther Inglis’s world to life, offering a rare opportunity to explore her influence and craftsmanship.
This event also marks the launch of the University of Edinburgh’s online exhibition, Rewriting the Script, which showcases Inglis’s remarkable contributions to the art of the book

20th July 2025, 3-4pm Catstrand Castle Douglas:From Operetta to Musical: Claudia Wood and Ailsa Aitkenhead
2025-07-20 15:00 - 16:00 UTC | Catstrand, High Street, New Galloway, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, DG7 3RN, United Kingdom
Claudia Wood & Ailsa Aitkenhead: From Operetta to Musical: CatStrand, United Kingdom, DG7 3RN Sun 20th July 2025 3pm
Opera, operetta or musical theatre?
Join Soprano Claudia Wood and Pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead for a little bit of everything, including music by Lehár, Gershwin, Puccini, and more! This hour-long concert will include a variety of arias from show-stopping operettas, operas and musicals, such as The Merry Widow, La bohème, and Phantom of the Opera.

Claudia Wood, Soprano – www.claudiawood.co.uk

Claudia Wood studied at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Wales International Academy of Voice, and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She is currently studying with Professor Susan McCulloch, having previously worked with Dennis O’Neill CBE and Gail Pearson.
​Claudia is the founding Artistic Director of Blackbird Opera, a small opera company based in the South-West of Scotland, with the core aim of ensuring that high quality music is accessible to everyone.​
​Claudia is Chair & Trustee of Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival

Ailsa Aitkenhead, Pianist – www.ailsaaitkenhead.com
Renowned pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead studied music at Edinburgh University and at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where she graduated with Distinction and won the Alex Menzies award for excellence in piano accompaniment. She is in high demand as a pianist for solo performances as well as for accompanying a wide variety of musicians, many of whom are also prize-winning and have international careers. She is also increasingly known for her compositional works.

Coffee Cadenzas in Concert: Ailsa joins Megan McGuire and Ross Cumming.
2025-08-03 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
An enjoyable afternoon for voice and piano. Award-winning pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead accompanies two talented singers: Megan McGuire and Ross Cumming for a variety of music. Doors open 1.30.

Ailsa plays Music from the Movies, 5th Aug 8.30pm, Venue 125
2025-08-05 08:30 - 21:30 UTC
Join renowned award-winning pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead for a spellbinding concert that will transport you through the magic of cinematic soundscapes and heartfelt melodies.
Immerse yourself in a captivating playlist featuring the works of Studio Ghibli’s Joe Hisaishi, the evocative beauty of Ludovico Einaudi, the soulful artistry of Yiruma, the poignant pieces of Michael Nyman, and the ethereal sounds of Yann Tiersen and Ennio Morricone.
Let Ailsa’a masterful touch bring these timeless pieces to life, evoking the emotions and wonder of beloved films and iconic moments.

Ailsa joins piano troupe Cirque du Piano -I piano, 3 pianists, 6 hands, 30 fingers. Aug 6,7,9,13,15,19,20,23. Venue 197
2025-08-06 20:30 - 2025-08-23 20:30 UTC
Experimental piano troupe performs finger gymnastics and rarely heard music for three pianists playing one piano together.
Tickets from £9.97

Life in Scots Song: Voice and Piano. Venue 589.
2025-08-07 14:30 - 15:30 UTC
Ailsa accompanies mezzo-soprano Barbara Jones in an inspiring selection of Scots songs. Come and enjoy this free concert (donations welcome).

Chopin and Schubert - Music of Sorrow and Hope. Solo Piano Recital. Venue 111
2025-08-18 19:30 - 20:30 UTC
Award-winning pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead performs a dazzling selection of works by Chopin and Schubert. Her sensitive virtuosic playing beautifully expresses a range of emotions in these magnificent pieces. The programme includes the wonderful Ballade in G Minor by Chopin, as well as the majestic B flat major Sonata D960 by Schubert. Performing in the historic atmosphere of Edinburgh New Town Church on George Street, Ailsa offers a moving and engaging night to remember.

Shades of Night
2025-09-27 19:30 - 21:00 UTC
Ailsa accompanies incredible young American soprano Kira Kaplan to present a programme of song exploring themes of dusk,night and dawn in an Opera Caledonia concert at the Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Rd, EH4 3BL.

The Music of The Lord of The Rings: A Tribute to Howard Shore
2026-02-06 19:30 UTC | The Queen’s Hall Edinburgh, 85-89 Clerk St, Edinburgh, EH8 9JG
Ailsa joins modern chamber orchestra the Mystery Ensemble for an evening of the majestic and timeless music of the legendary Lord of the Rings film in a breath-taking concert that will transport you straight into the heart of Tolkein’s universe. Howard Shore’s iconic soundtrack has captivated millions across the world. An immersive evening where the Mystery Ensemble is accompanied by elves singing, hobbits dancing and the voices of Tolkein’s world. Presented by Red Events.

Mostly Baroque: Blood and the Moon
2026-08-06 19:30 - 20:30 (Europe/Paris) | Französische Friedrichstadtkirche, Französischer Dom, Gendarmenmarkt 5, 10117 Berlin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
Bass-baritone Johan Hartman presents an extraordinary evening at the iconic Französischer Dom, shining both as a singer and composer. The concert, ‘Blood and the Moon’, explores themes of Romanticism, moonlight, and solitude through the poetry of W.B. Yeats and Robert Browning.
Accompanied by pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead, the duo brings their acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe Festival performance to Berlin. The repertoire features Hartman’s own atmospheric compositions alongside selections from Schubert’s ‘Die schöne Müllerin’, Jacques Ibert’s ‘Chansons de Don Quichotte’, and various opera highlights. Hartman is noted for his powerful storytelling, stage presence, and dark bass-baritone voice.

The Music of Lord of the Rings: Tribute to Howard Shore
2026-08-08 19:30 - 20:30 UTC | Carlisle Cathedral, The Abbey Carlisle, Cumbria, Calisle, United Kingdom, CA3 8TZ
Join us on August 8th at the breathtaking Carlisle Cathedral, for ’Our precious concert’ — one of our most beloved and best-selling programmes!
Experience the majestic and timeless music of the legendary Lord of the Rings films in a breathtaking concert that will transport audiences straight into the heart of Tolkien’s universe. Howard Shore’s iconic soundtrack has captivated millions worldwide, and now, we bring it to the heart of Carlisle!
Performed by the modern Mystery Ensemble, this magical evening will transport you instantly into the heart of Tolkien’s universe, where elves, hobbits, and dwarves roam. The virtuoso playing of the musicians will bring to life the stirring, powerful, and deeply emotional compositions of Howard Shore, the three-time Academy Award winner, whose work shaped the very essence of Peter Jackson’s cinematic masterpiece.

Chopin & Schubert: Sorrow and Hope
2026-08-10 20:30 - 21:30 UTC | St Marks Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace,, Edinburgh, EH1 2DP, United Kingdom
A solo piano recital featuring Chopin’s Ballade in G minor and Schubert’s sonata in Bb.

Beethoven & Rachmaninoff: Fire & Passion
2026-08-18 19:30 - 20:30 UTC | New Town Church, 13 George St, Edinburgh, EH2 2PA, United Kingdom
A solo recital featuring Beethoven’s Appassionata

The Moon is Distant from the Sea: Songs of Emily Dickinson
2026-08-20 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate,, Edinburgh, EH8 8BN
An afternoon of music and poetry readings inspired by Emily Dickinson. This recital features music by Copland and original compositions by Ailsa Aitkenhead. Performed by outstanding classical soprano Kirstin Anderson, with Ailsa Aitkenhead on piano and poetry readings by Thoko Kamwendo.

Fireflies, Green Seas and Burning Cities: Original Compositions of Ailsa Aitkenhead
2026-08-25 20:30 - 21:30 UTC | St Marks Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace,, Edinburgh, EH1 2DP, United Kingdom
A series of original compositions by Ailsa Aitkenhead: a premier performance of a collection created to be reflective, moving and provoking.
