As Kingfishers Catch Fire

Inspired by the poem of Gerard Manley Hopkins, this program glows with the colours of light, reflection, and renewal.

The music of Ireland, France, and Scotland unfolds like the flicker of a kingfishers wings radiant, fleeting, yet deeply luminous.

Through the breath of the flute, the resonance of the organ, and the intimacy of the piano, two old friends trace a path through waters of memory and melody.

Each piece catches the light in its own way, revealing a shared spirit of wonder in which sound becomes fire, and friendship becomes song.Colin Stuart was born and educated in Aberdeen.

On graduating from university, he moved south for post graduate studies as a performer at Birmingham Royal Conservatoire.

He was Organist at St Johns Wood Church in London for 34 years.

During that time, he worked as a freelance accompanist, held the positions of Director of Music at the junior branches of Mill Hill and University College Schools and was, for a time, Manager of the BBC Sheet Music Library.

He retired to the North East in 2024, was appointed Director of Music at St Andrews Cathedral in 2025 and, over the last 18 months, has been delighted to work with an extraordinary array of choirs, musicians and teachers across Aberdeenshire.Flautist Margaret Preston could be considered B list, having played Buckie, The Barbican, Blue Peter, New Brunswick and Brussels! Her career has spanned the decades during which time she has played in Baroque, Medieval, and Renaissance bands as well as being a busy chamber musician with a variety of duo partners.

On one memorable occasion, Margaret played a duet with herself, daring to play the bravura flute obligato as well as simultaneously singing the part of Mad Margaret in Ruddigore - a feat probably not attempted by anyone else! She enjoys playing with Aberdeen Sinfonietta and The Corten Quintet and is currently looking forward to re-establishing associations with The Kincorth Waits.

As a young musician she performed Early Music in the United Kingdom, Norway and Russia and counts this as one of her most formative experiences.