Monday October 20th 2025
Kate Young and Hannah Lavery performing at last year's festival (Photo by Douglas Robertson)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Due to support from The National Lottery and Creative Scotland, Soundhouse Winter Festival returns to Edinburgh for its second annual year, welcoming top musicians from Scotland.
The festival showcases musicians either from, or based in Scotland, and runs over St Andrews Day and the Fair Saturday weekend. The programme includes some of Scotland’s finest jazz, and trad musicians, a showcase of emerging new musicians, music workshops for adults and young people, and a silent film accompanied by live music.
Returning from Thursday 27 November until Monday 1 December, the festival will be hosted at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.
Headliners include experimental folk band Constant Follower led by songwriter Stephen McAll playing tracks from their latest album The Smile You Send Out Returns To You which has recently been added to the long list for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) award, 2024’s Scottish Jazz Vocalist of the Year Niki King. and genre blending spoken word artist, rapper, and rising star Bee Asha.
Co-producers of the festival, Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, said:
“After last year’s multi-genre celebration of the Scottish music scene, we are delighted to be back for our second annual Soundhouse Winter Festival. We’ll be presenting jazz, pop, rap, classical, soul, funk, folk, trad, and many points where those categories intersect.
“It will be heartwarming, life affirming and a great antidote to the November blues. We extend a warm welcome to all: come and be part of Edinburgh’s great music-loving community.”
Over the weekend, audiences will also be treated to an afternoon concert from Scottish/Egyptian instrumentalists and composers The Ayoub Sisters who rose to stardom after their debut album premiered at No.1 in the Official Classical Charts. Plus, three emerging artists playing in this year’s Spotlight concert, showcasing the very best up and coming jazz musicians in Scotland.
In addition, cellist and improvisor Simone Seales will be giving an Improvisation Workshop for beginners on how to make sound without musical notation, open to amateur or experienced instrumentalists, vocalists or musicians from any other discipline.
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said:
“The closes and wynds of the capital are about to come alive as the Soundhouse Winter Festival returns to Edinburgh with another excellent array of rising stars and familiar faces.
“This compact and perfectly curated programme offers plenty of opportunities to discover new talent across an extended weekend in November, with must-see gigs each and every day. Organised by the same people as Edinburgh’s rejuvenated Tradfest, the quality of music is guaranteed to be top-level, with something to suit all tastes.”
For tickets and the full festival programme visit Soundhouse Winter Festival’s website.
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