Borders Music Festival

Borders Music Festival Borders Music Festival
2026 dates: 11th - 20th September. The best of Choral, Folk, Jazz and Orchestral. Music for everyone.

29/04/2026

Isn’t that amazing?!

This was our primary schools singing workshop in last year’s Festival with 70 local children led by the wonderful Marian Consort and their Director Rory McCleery.

The kids made up the words “We’re great at singing - here in the Borders!”. Which of course is true. Apparently they were singing it on the top deck of the bus back to school afterwards!!

Opening access to this kind of event for children led by professional singers is what the Festival’s education strand is all about: to change lives and support children to express themselves, love music and one day even become a singer themselves. That is exactly what happened to the conductor Rory!!

We’re planning another event this year for more children. And run by another amazing choir who are headlining this year (but you’ll have to wait for that big reveal!).

Show the kids your support in the comments.

Something exciting is taking shape 🎵 Behind the scenes, we’ve been busy shaping this year’s festival programme; bringing...
29/04/2026

Something exciting is taking shape 🎵

Behind the scenes, we’ve been busy shaping this year’s festival programme; bringing together artists, ideas, and moments that we hope will inspire you.

From internationally renowned performers to brilliant local musicians, and from powerful concerts to opportunities for young people to get involved, every part of the programme is being carefully crafted to reflect what the Festival is all about: creativity, community, and exceptional music making.

Watch this space 👀

🎶 Meet the driving force behind the festival… Robert Marshall 🎶We’re delighted to introduce Robert Marshall, our CEO & A...
27/04/2026

🎶 Meet the driving force behind the festival… Robert Marshall 🎶

We’re delighted to introduce Robert Marshall, our CEO & Artistic Director — the energy, vision, and musical heartbeat behind everything we do.

From shaping an ambitious programme to building partnerships and championing artists, Robert’s role goes far beyond the stage. He’s constantly working behind the scenes (and often late into the night!) to bring world-class music to the Borders and create opportunities for local performers and young people alike.

But what really sets Robert apart is his belief in what this festival can be.
✨ A place where international artists and local talent stand side by side
✨ A space where young people are inspired to create and perform
✨ A festival rooted in community, creativity and collaboration

This vision isn’t just words — it’s something he’s actively building every single day through careful planning, partnerships, and a huge personal commitment to the festival’s future.

So if you’ve ever wondered what goes into making the magic happen… it’s a lot of hard work, a clear artistic vision, and a deep love of music.

We’re incredibly excited for what’s ahead — and we’re just getting started.

👀 New name! We are changing, spring is springing, and the programme for the 2026 festival is getting everyone in a tizz....
24/04/2026

👀 New name!

We are changing, spring is springing, and the programme for the 2026 festival is getting everyone in a tizz. We can’t wait to start sharing a few details soon.

It’s probably going to take a while for the technology team to update all our sites with the new name. That’s because we don’t have a technology team! But we are working hard to update our website, ticketing and socials.

Let us know what you’d like to see from us ☺️

Exciting news 🗞️ We have a new Chair at the festival (and a new name - but more on that later). Please say hello to Vinc...
23/04/2026

Exciting news 🗞️ We have a new Chair at the festival (and a new name - but more on that later). Please say hello to Vince Mason who joins us as we work to deepen our impact and reimagine what is possible for the festival.

Vince has chaired several high profile organisations and has extensive experience in charity governance and strategy. He works closely with The Royal Company of Merchants, is an enthusiastic art collector and art historian, working with the RSA in Edinburgh.

He’s already got his first board meeting in the bag and is excited to work alongside Artistic Director Robert Marshall. We can’t wait to see how he will help us steer this festival into a must-see event for the Borders and beyond!

Happy New Year from the Festival. This is going to be such an exciting year! As we expand we’re revamping our Board and ...
11/01/2026

Happy New Year from the Festival. This is going to be such an exciting year!
As we expand we’re revamping our Board and are initially looking for a new Chair - see link in Stories.
And thank you to Sir James MacMillan for his amazing endorsement.

❤️ Fantastic coverage of this year’s Melrose Music Festival in the Border Telegraph, complete with photos that really ca...
23/09/2025

❤️ Fantastic coverage of this year’s Melrose Music Festival in the Border Telegraph, complete with photos that really capture the spirit of the events. A wonderful reflection of the music, the audiences, and the atmosphere that made it so special.

21/09/2025

🎺 🎹 Here's a few highlights from a night to remember. A full house turned out for The Brian Kellock Memorial Celebration at Melrose Music Festival last week.

🥁 🎸 Tom Gordon (drums), Ali Watson (bass) and Harris Playfair (piano) were joined by special guests Ross Milligan (guitar) and Colin Steele (trumpet) to pay tribute to Brian.

🌟 It was an evening that captured Brian's love of jazz, his spirit as a musician, and his lasting influence on Scotland’s music scene.


Our 'In Conversation' event on the draft Scottish Borders Culture Strategy brought together attendees from across the re...
15/09/2025

Our 'In Conversation' event on the draft Scottish Borders Culture Strategy brought together attendees from across the region, representing a wide range of organisations and cultural interests. Valuable contributions and questions from the floor were warmly received, with Scottish Borders Council colleagues appreciating the chance to listen and exchange ideas.

The panel, chaired by Philip Blackledge (Chair, Melrose Music Festival), included Jenni Craig (Director of Resilient Communities, SBC), Sam Smith (Chief Officer for Economic Development, SBC), Naomi Sweeney (involved in the draft Culture Strategy, SBC), Robert Marshall (Artistic Director, Melrose Music Festival), and Emma Aviet (Projects and Engagement Officer, Hugo Burge Foundation).

This event was supported by the The Hugo Burge Foundation

🎹 🎺 Last night was all about the jazz as a full house gathered at Melrose Music Festival for a moving tribute to the lat...
14/09/2025

🎹 🎺 Last night was all about the jazz as a full house gathered at Melrose Music Festival for a moving tribute to the late Brian Kellock, one of the most extraordinary figures in Scottish jazz.

🎶 An outstanding line-up of musicians — Tom Gordon, Ali Watson, Harris Playfair, Ross Milligan and Colin Steele — came together to honour Brian’s life and legacy with music that was heartfelt, joyful and unforgettable. What a night!

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