In January 2026, Live Music Now Scotland will present the World Premiere of The Gemstone Arias — a newly commissioned work by composer Jay Capperauld, with text by writer Niall Campbell. The performance takes place on Tuesday 13 January at 6.30pm at the Institut français d’Écosse, Edinburgh, and is free to attend.
Performed by Rosie Lavery (soprano) and Anna Michels (piano), The Gemstone Arias is a five-movement work inspired by five distinct precious stones. Each movement explores the unique colours, textures, symbolism and characteristics associated with a different gemstone, inviting audiences into a vivid sensory experience where music and language intertwine.
Gemstones are organic products of the earth, formed through crystallisation and geological processes involving pressure, temperature, time and space. Drawing on these elemental origins, The Gemstone Arias reflects on how natural materials are transformed into objects of beauty, meaning and symbolism. From a synaesthetic perspective, the work aims to evoke a perceptual understanding of each stone — as though sound and text together offer a way of “feeling” colour, texture and form.
The performance forms part of Live Music Now Scotland’s PAC-T (Performer, Audience, Composer – Together), which places connection at the heart of the concert experience. By bringing performers, audiences and composers into closer dialogue, PAC-T events celebrate the shared act of listening and discovery that lies at the centre of live music.
The Gemstone Arias was commissioned by Live Music Now Scotland with generous support from Gavin McEwan, continuing LMNS’s commitment to supporting composers and creating new work that connects artists and audiences in meaningful ways.
Following the performance, audiences are warmly invited to stay for wine and nibbles — an opportunity to reflect on the music together and continue the conversation.
Event details
Tuesday 13 January 2026
6.30pm – 7.30pm, followed by wine and nibbles
Institut français d’Écosse
West Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1
Admission free of charge but booking in advance advised via the Institut français d’Écosse’s website.
We look forward to welcoming you to this special evening and to sharing the world premiere of The Gemstone Arias.