
Organist celebrates 56 years of music with recital for Glasgow's 850th birthday
An organist will celebrate more than 56 years of performing in Glasgow at a special recital to honour his contribution to the city's cultural life on Wednesday.
Bill Hutcheson first performed a recital at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum on October 22 1969 and he has played the attraction regularly ever since.
Fifty years ago, Mr Hutcheson performed as part of celebrations marking Glasgow's 800th anniversary and since the gallery reopened after a refurbishment in 2006 he has often played during daily recitals.
On Wednesday, he will play once more to mark the city's 850th anniversary and will later be presented with a commemorative plate in recognition of his service.
The recital will feature A Glasgow Flourish, arranged by Mr Hutcheson and woven with familiar melodies linked to the city; Kelvingrove, a piece specially commissioned for Mr Hutcheson by his family and composed by John Barber; and the finale from Sonata No 4 by Alexandre Guilmant, among other pieces.
He said: 'It's been a privilege to play this magnificent instrument for over five decades and to be part of Glasgow's 850 celebrations.
'The organ is like an old friend, capable of anything from a whisper to a roar. What makes these recitals so special is the audience. They're open to everything, from Bach to swing to the unexpected.
'In a city renowned for music, it's a pleasure to bring joy to so many people, in one of our finest museums.'
Lord Provost of Glasgow Jacqueline McLaren said: 'Bill's dedication to the world-famous organ recitals in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has enriched our city's cultural heritage and brought joy to countless visitors.
'His performances have become a favourite tradition and, for some, a happy introduction to the world of organ music, usually more associated with places of worship.
'This milestone is even more momentous as Bill took part in the Glasgow 800 celebrations.
'Today, fifty years on, we honour his commitment, exceptional service and his place as an integral part of Glasgow's vibrant cultural life.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Addison Rae reveals shock name change after six years of fame
Addison Rae was a guest on Quen Blackwell's YouTube series Feeding Starving Celebrities on Sunday. While on the show, the 24-year-old burgeoning pop star — who catapulted to fame in 2019 as Addison Rae — discussed her unexpected name change. Six years into the spotlight, the TikTok sensation, born Addison Rae Easterling, is dropping the second half of her famous moniker. It comes days after she dropped her mononymous debut album, Addison, on June 6. She explained to Blackwell that she mulled over the LP title 'for a really long time,' explaining, 'When you do hear all of the music straight-through, there's not really a title that encompasses all of it.' Addison continued, 'Everybody that I played it to as well, they were just like, "Oh, it just sounds just like you. It just sounds like music you would make." 'I [didn't] really know what else to call it and so I was like, "Maybe, then, the album is just my name."' Quen offered: 'I like the fact that you are changing your stage name and taking off the Rae. Is that something you've talked about?' The Louisiana-bred music artist noted she hasn't spoken at length about her name switch, adding, 'But I said it in an interview, I was just like, "Oh, I think I've grown past just being called Addison Rae." And then the album being named Addison kind of was a tie-in for that.' She elaborated, 'Whoever knows me as Addison Rae and knew me as Addison Rae will always know me as that anyways.' And she admitted, 'I just am tired of also signing Addison Rae. It's really long.' 'I just would rather sign Addison,' she confessed with a laugh. 'And then I was like, "Yeah, it just makes more sense because it's going back to the roots, really."' The songstress then pointed out, 'But I know you're going to put Addison Rae on the title [of the YouTube video],' prompting Blackwell to mischievously side-eye the camera. @zanelowe The reason behind the name change @Addison #addison #addisonrae #identity #namechange #popmusic #zaneloweshow #applemusic ♬ original sound - Zane Lowe The star also chatted about dropping the latter half of her stage name during an interview with Zane Lowe. 'If you got introduced to me as Addison Rae, as most people did, I think you will always know me as that. 'But I think for me and what making music is doing, for just my own soul and heart, is bringing me back to the core of everything. 'Addison Rae, yes, is a part of me and that will always be a part of who I am. There are element of me that are obviously Addison Rae and encapsulate what people have created as who Addison Rae is,' the blonde beauty stated. She reiterated, 'But I think for me it was all about coming back to the center of it all, which is just Addison.'


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Pitbull makes epic return to London's O2 with two more energetic shows alongside his scantily-clad dancers - as fans continue tradition of dressing up as him for the concerts
Pitbull made an epic return to London's O2 Arena with two more energetic shows alongside his scantily-clad dancers on Monday and Tuesday night this week. The star, 44, real name Armando Christian Pérez, finally returned to the UK this February with a London show and after huge demand for the concert was back on British soil this week for more gigs. And as is tradition at Pitbull concerts - those attending showed their dedication to the star by dressing up as him - in white shirts, black suits, bald caps and dark shades. The Florida-born star is known for the suave look and many recreated it as they headed to the O2, with the party beginning outside the venue as groups congregated to dance and sing to his hits. Pitbull - also known as Mr 305 and Mr Worldwide - played a series of iconic hits during the show - opening with an energetic performance of Don't Stop the Party before moving on to play Fireball, Timber and Gasolina. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The star, 44, real name Armando Christian Pérez, finally returned to the UK this February with a London show and after huge demand for the concert was back on British soil this week for more gigs He also performed a rendition of his newest collaboration with Bon Jovi - Now Or Never. The hour and a half show was packed full of his catchy hits as his racy dancers took to the stage with him. Videos taken at the concert and shared on TikTok showed the hundreds of fans who showed up to the gig in Pitbull attire and commuting to the North Greenwich in the outfits. After Monday's show he posted on his Instagram saying: 'Thank you London very much for an unforgettable first show… now get ready for show #2 bc the party ain't stopping dallleeee!' Pitbull has sold over 25 million studio albums and over 100 million singles worldwide. He was also ranked by Billboard as the 45th Top Artist of the 2010s and the 24th Top Latin Artist of the 2010s. He is also known for his activism and philanthropy. He helped start a Tuition-Free Public charter for middle and high school called Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM!), which opened in 2013 in Miami's Little Havana, the neighbourhood where he grew up. The hour and a half show was packed full of his catchy hits as his racy dancers took to the stage with him And as is tradition at Pitbull concerts - those attending showed their dedication to the star by dressing up as him - in white shirts, black suits, bald caps and dark shades SLAM! now operates nationwide, including in Miami, Las Vegas and Atlanta, with a 96 percent graduation rate. Pitbull spoke about the project at his London show in February sharing his pride at the impact it has had after having a tough time in early education himself. At the February show Radio 1 DJ Greg James was among the audience. He joined in on the fun, wearing a bald cap and shared a hilarious video dancing at the show. He penned in the caption: 'I actually can't believe how great this show was and I'm still absolutely buzzing. 'Proudly in the 60% of the crowd wearing bald caps having the best night of our lives. Long live Mr Worldwide! ¡DALE!' Speaking to the fans who were busy enjoying his catchy tunes, Pitbull said: 'Now I wanna say a special thank you to everybody who came out with bald caps here tonight. 'It's amazing to see, and it's amazing to feel. And I hope when you put on those bald caps you feel just like I do. 'Having a good motherf***ing time every day of my life!!!'


BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Pitbull: Star says seeing fans dressed in bald caps is priceless
Pitbull is fascinated by his popularity in the UK - telling the BBC it makes him "very, very happy" to look out into the crowd and see thousands of people dressed like him, singing along to every word of his to social media, it's become custom in recent months to attend a Pitbull show dressed as the star - in sunglasses, suit and a bald cap."Every time I'm at a show, I let them know that when you put on a bald cap, I hope you're ready to have the time of your lives - it feels deeper than just music," he rapper and singer has recently returned to the UK for a second run of tour dates after a big reception from fans earlier in the year. The 44-year-old, real name Armando Christian Perez, has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and 100 million only during his most recent tours that people have been dressing as him en masse - something he says is "an honour"."It's the ultimate trophy to be able to go on stage and see all the hard work that you put into the music. I've been in the game for 25 years and to see every demographic, everybody [dressing up] at the shows is priceless," he whose parents are from Cuba, began his career in the Latin hip hop scene, taking inspiration from the musical influences of his hometown of transition to pop began in the early 2010s, bringing with it chart success and collaborations with global artists such as Christina Aguilera, Usher and to the emergence of streaming over radio plays, Spanish music has been able to thrive in countries where it's not a native language, something Pitbull has been able to use to his advantage."There's an irony as I'm kind of an anomaly in the music business," he says."In the Latin world they said I was too English, and in the English world I was too Latin, so to bring it together now, when it all really started around 2010, feels really good."A section of Pitbull's setlist is dedicated to his favourite Spanish language songs and those from his own back catalogue."I now get the chance to merge the worlds together and to be able to hit the stage and see the power of music, no matter the language," he says it's a "really powerful thing" to have "people coming up to me and say 'I learned Spanish due to your words'". 'My music is escapism' Speaking to fans ahead of his O2 Arena show in London on Monday night, many said the nostalgia factor had inspired them to buy tickets, with Pitbull providing the soundtrack to important parts of their lives - like school trips and university nights out."My music gives that outlet, that escapism. It's like therapy," Pitbull setlist for the tour was designed to get the party going, with tracks like Timber and Fireball causing a huge roar from the sea of bald was barely a moment to breathe - with Pitbull's several outfit changes punctuated by DJ sets that kept the momentum the show was a fun and light-hearted affair, with the music transporting the crowd back to happier times in the early says he doesn't "worry about what the trends are" or "what's cool" when putting his sets together and just wants people to have fun. He didn't disappoint with his famous one-liners. There were plenty to enjoy during his set, including, "This is for everyone going through tough times, been there done that, but everyday above ground is a great day" and, "Life is not a waste a time and time is not a waste of life. So let's stop wasting time and have the time of our life". Pitbull says: "You don't know what a person is going through in their life, so I try to create phrases, which we grew up doing as Cubans. One-liners to help you out in any situation you're in," he star says he's applied the same philosophy to the English language - creating the celebrated pop song lyrics that fans sang back to him all night long.