On Monday 6th October 2025, the Scottish Music Centre in Glasgow hosted the Distil Rehearsal Room, a unique professional development opportunity for early career traditional musicians to hear their new compositions performed by acclaimed ensemble Mr McFall’s Chamber.
Five talented composers – Laura Penman, Bede Paterson, Rhona Smith, Sophie Rocks and Miguel Girão – presented their original scores for string quartet in an innovative format inspired by theatre script development workshops. Each composer experienced the transformational moment of hearing their work brought to life by professional classical musicians.
Mr McFall’s Chamber, comprising Su-a Lee (cello), Donald Grant and Amira Bedrush-McDonald (violins), and Jessica Beeston (viola), delivered exceptional performances in a supportive and collaborative environment. The quartet’s generosity and expertise created the ideal conditions, exploring different interpretations and answering questions from the composers about technical and performance aspects of their pieces.
The Distil Rehearsal Room represents a crucial stepping stone for traditional musicians, developing their compositional confidence and technical skills while creating pathways for continued artistic development. The event resulted in five new compositions that bridge traditional and classical music, contributing to Scotland’s evolving musical landscape.
Hands Up for Trad would like to thank Scops Arts Trust, Cockaigne Fund and Creative Scotland for their support in making this project possible.