THE BUBBLYJOCK COLLECTIVE - QUINES

The Bubblyjock Collective are an innovative ensemble dedicated to championing the works of neglected Scottish composers – particularly from the 19th century to the present day. Since their launch in 2024 they have performed across Scotland introducing audiences to the richness of classical and contemporary music written in Scotland, with a particular focus on art-song setting Scots and Gaelic texts, and music relating to Scottish place, history and culture.

‘QUINES’ is a brand-new project celebrating the chamber music and art-songs of Scottish female composers. It features works by Helen Hopekirk (1856-1945), Isobel Dunlop (1901-1975), Marie Dare (1902-1976) and Claire Liddell (b. 1937), four extraordinary women whose music has not previously received the attention it deserves. At the heart of the programme is a newly commissioned song-cycle by Lisa Robertson, which sets texts from Gerda Stevenson’s QUINES poetry collection, written in the voices of neglected women from Scottish history.

The QUINES commission grew out of Gerda Stevenson’s celebrated poetry collection, written in the voices of women from Scottish history. We wanted to honour these women by setting Gerda’s poetry to music, to create a new song-cycle that placed them at the fore in art-song and chamber music. The texts have been set to music by composer Lisa Robertson.

“QUINES is a vivid explosion of thought, description and bold opinion, clothing Scots history at last with the myriad contribution of its women. Gerda Stevenson personifies figures often left as dry as dust and reinstates the dignity and complexity of female characters who have helped shape society and reach across the centuries to modern women today. Her use of Scots language and Gaelic phrasing adds authenticity and smeddum. This is a wonderful, life- affirming book.” – Lesley Riddoch