Category: Events & Performances

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Radiophrenia Lost in Transmission Performance

I’m delighted to be performing at Radiophrenia Lost in Transmission #3 – a special event with Radio Atlas. I’ll be performing a solo set with new film material.

Details

Wednesday 25th February 2026 at 7pm (doors 6.45pm)
GMAC Cinema – 5th Floor, Trongate 103, Glasgow
Free but ticketed – available through Eventbrite

From Radiophrenia – An evening of subtitled radio works drawn from the Radio Atlas archives. Veteran radio producer and the brains (and ears) behind the organisation, Eleanor McDowall will be there in person to introduce the programme. For this edition we also have a special live performance from Glasgow based composer and sound artist, Nichola Scrutton

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Test-pitting Live-to-Air on Radiophrenia

Zoë Strachan and I are delighted to be performing Test-pitting live-to-air from the Radiophrenia Glasgow studio on Friday 18th April 2025 at 3pm.

Tune in at 87.9fm or online at https://radiophrenia.scot/listen/ 

Test-pitting is an evolving practice that gestures towards an archaeological process – delving into a site of enquiry to reveal layers of activity, fragmented artefacts, traces of presence. The emerging palimpsest of sound re-imagines lines of connection across time and place, between inner and outer ecologies.

For this Radiophrenia performance, we would like to thank the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency for the live river flow data used in the performance.

We first developed Test-pitting during a collaborative residency at Glasgow Project Room in 2022, which concluded with a public performance of work-in-progress (pictured above).

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Memory Dream Encounter 2 on Radiophrenia

I’m delighted to share that Memory Dream Encounter 2 programme will have it’s premiere broadcast on Radiophrenia on Thursday 10th April 2025 at 9.45 am. Listen at radiophrenia.scot

The composers/artists and works in programme order are:
Clara de Asis – Compass
Go Sing – Casual Friday
Liew Niyomkarn – Third Place
Nichola Scrutton – Hues
Ryoko Akama – Sounding

Memory Dream Encounter 2 is a second series of micro-commissions that I curated in 2023 following the success of the first series in 2021. The invite was to produce a short sound work – up to 3 mins – as a free response to this image I took during a residency I had a Tramway Glasgow in 2023. Many thanks to everyone for being involved. Enjoy!

Micro-commissions supported by Creative Scotland

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International Symposium – Arts in Palliative Care

I was delighted to co-present at the 5th Annual International Symposium for the Arts in Palliative Care at St Columba’s Hospice, Edinburgh in November 2024. Caroline Hussey and I shared some reflections on our sound and performance project working with young adults at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, which took place earlier in 2024. The project was a new collaboration between Sonic Bothy inclusive music/arts charity and The Art Room at the Hospice.

The theme of the Symposium was “Creative health care and dying” and our presentation title was:

Exploring sound and performance in sensory-based work with young people transitioning from paediatric to adult palliative care services: Some reflections.

More details on the Symposium and the presenters and guests is archived at:

https://stcolumbashospice.org.uk/support-for-you/patient-care-services/wellbeing-service/arts-service/arts-symposium-2024

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Radio Art Zone Book Launch Party London Iklectik

Delighted to be performing at the Radio Art Zone book party at Iklectik in London, which is also broadcasting live on Resonance Extra / Resonance FM.

“an evening of ten-minute performances by 20 prominent radio artists and experimental musicians featuring performances by: Batophone, Caroline Kraabel, Sofia Vaisman Maturana & Itinerant Sounds, Ed Baxter with Steffan Cennydd, Catherine Kontz, Post Electronics, Shortwave Collective – Hannah Kemp-Welch and Georgia Meunster, C John Weaver & Adam Bohman, Tricia & Sebastian, Nichola Scrutton, Xentos Fray Bentos & John Glyn, King Alfaman & Needle Boy.”

The Radio Art Zone book, curated and edited by Sarah Washington, explores the central themes, concepts and techniques of artist-made radio, emerging from over 20 years practice in the field.

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Night Vision at SOUND Festival

Details

Date and Time: Thursday 26th October 2023 at 8.30 PM
Venue: The Lemon Tree, 5 West North St, Aberdeen AB24, Scotland

Delighted to be performing Night Vision in the 2023 SOUND Festival. More information and book tickets at:
https://sound-scotland.co.uk/event/night-vision


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Duo Robertson/Scrutton at Old Hairdresser’s

Ali Robertson and I will be performing a duo in a stellar line-up as part of Rob Churm’s event at:

The Old Hairdresser’s, Glasgow
On Friday 6th October 2023

More information and tickets at:

http://www.theoldhairdressers.com/?events=sloth-racket-l-ali-roberts-nichola-scrutton-duo-dome-riders

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Lying Over Under Another Performances

Doors Open Day University of Glasgow Archives and Special Collections

11th September 2023 – Zoë and I perform Lying Over Under Another in the Archives and Special Collections at University of Glasgow. Some scrapbooks will be displayed after the performance during a Q&A exploring how they inform the palimpsest that we create in our sound art collaborations. More info and book tickets at: https://glasgowdoorsopendays.org.uk/in_person_event/lying-over-under-another-performance-followed-by-qa/

Radiophrenia

2nd September 2023 – We are delighted that Lying Over Under Another had its premiere on Saturday 2nd September as a live-to-air broadcast on Radiiophrenia direct from the Creative Lab in the CCA Glasgow. Big thanks to the Radiophrenia team for making it a smooth and special sail on the airwaves as always!

Lying Over Under Another is supported by the Edwin Morgan Trust through The Second Life Award.

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Guest Artist at GLE4M Festival


Delighted to be a guest artist at GLE4M Festival at Queen Margaret Union, University of Glasgow – Ali Robertson joined me for a duo improvisation in the evening event on 25th May 2023.

“GLE4M 2023 returns with two days of concerts and specially-curated listening spaces in and around the Queen Margaret Union, University of Glasgow. The festival is a collaboration between the 4M netlabel and The Dear Green Bothy, which focusses on environmentally-conscious arts practices working at the intersection of technology and sustainability.”

Read more at: https://deargreenbothy.gla.ac.uk/event/gle4m-sustainability-resilience-stability/

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Night Vision at GOMA Glasgow

A second performance of Night Vision at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) Glasgow on Sat 20th May at 3 pm.

Read more at the GoMA Blog

Vocal Performers: Alison Peebles, Louise Montgomery, Ian Spink, Nerea Bello, Belle Jones.
Director/conductor: Nichola Scrutton
Live Sound: Stevie Jones
Outside Eye: Nicholas Bone
Producer: Nichola Scrutton

Many thanks to Curator/Producer Katie Bruce, and GOMA
Night Vision is supported by Creative Scotland and Glasgow Life-Glasgow Museums
MAIN IMAGE: pre-performance of Night Vision at GoMA, 20th May 2023 Photo. © Julie Broadfoot

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Night Vision at CCA Glasgow

The world premiere of Night Vision was at the CCA Glasgow in the main theatre on Friday 28th April 2023.

Details of the event are listed at:
https://www.cca-glasgow.com/programme/night-vision

Night Vision is a contemplative, dynamic, ensemble performance – a vocal sound work that crosses territory between concert, theatre, live art, visual art.

Night Vision live is one of various iterations of the work being produced in 2023. This CCA performance was filmed live, with cinematographer Kirstin McMahon and a roving camera part of the performance.

Vocal Performers: Alison Peebles, Louise Montgomery, Ian Spink, Nerea Bello, Belle Jones.
Director/conductor: Nichola Scrutton
Cinematographer: Kirstin McMahon
Outside Eye: Nicholas Bone
Producer: Nichola Scrutton

Many thanks to all at the CCA.
Many thanks to Creative Scotland, and to everyone who has supported Night Vision.

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Test-Pitting with Zoë Strachan

Test-Pitting – a collaborative residency

Zoë Strachan and I had a two-week residency at Glasgow Project Room in April/May 2022.

In our residency we were engaging in a process of ‘test-pitting’ to develop new work around themes of excavation as a means of opening an aperture onto fragile lines of connection between inner and outer landscapes. We shared some work-in-progress at the end of the residency in a public event that included a performance and a Q+A chat.

In archaeology a test-pit is a trial, a delving in to reveal layers, fragments of artefacts, the potential of a site of enquiry. It enables a snapshot of composition and decomposition, of life cycle and decay in the earth. Grids and tracing map the process.

Zoë and I have an ongoing collaboration making sound art works and experimental radio combining newly written and found text, composed sound, field recordings, found sound, voice and improvisation.

@zoestrachan
@NicholaScrutton

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Giant Tank Pot Luck at Tusk TV

I was delighted to be invited into a duo with Manuel Padding for Giant Tank’s Pot Luck, which was aired on TUSK TV on 6th August 2021. Big thanks to Manuel, and to Ali and Collette for hosting – connect to Giant Tank on their FB page – Giant Tank Facebook

Our duo track is available as part of TUSK Editions #5 – download the album at TUSK Festival’s TUSK Editions Bandcamp.

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Radio Play | Ian Spink

Radio Play, Unfix Festival

Delighted to be working with Ian Spink, Aya Kobayashi, Skye Reynolds, Selina Boyack and Stella Boyack to develop Radio Play. The immediate focus was a scratch performance for UNFIX Festival 2019. Here’s more info about the event on Sunday 31st March at CCA Glasgow Scratch Night. We re-visited the work for Batch2 Festival In August 2019.

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Radio Play at Batch 2 Festival

 

Radio Play A and new work-in-progress Radio Play B performances at Batch Festival in the Borders on Sunday 18th August 2019.

With Ian Spink, Skye Reynolds, Selina Boyack, Rebecca Moore and Stella. Huge thanks to Claire Pencak for hosting. Visit Batch Festival on Facebook for more information.

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Lateral on BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4, 14th Feb at 11.30am.

A clip of my composition Lateral will be included in BBC Radio 4 prog Shaped by the River Clyde.  The programme is about artist and humanitarian George Parsonage, and features artist Minty Donald. Many thanks to Minty for including my work. Minty originally commissioned Lateral as part of High-Slack-Low-Slack-High for Glasgow International Festival in 2012. Following those performances, I created a studio version, which has been broadcast internationally.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002hlk

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Rough Breathing at Sharmanka

Sharmanka Scrutton:South

Many thanks to John Cavanagh for inviting us to perform on 1st July 2018 at Sharmanka Gallery amongst the wonderful, atmospheric kinetic sculptures.

Alex South and I further explored our Rough Breathing collaboration for voice and clarinets.

Here’s a link to the Sharmanka event. https://www.facebook.com/events/181727232538481/

 

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Beton 7 Festival in Athens

Demosthenes

Q+A

Gallery Screening

Festival Opening

We were delighted to be invited to share work for the opening night of  Beton 7 Festival in Athens on 4th June 2018. The event included an introduction by curator Demosthenes Agrafiotis, my solo performance When Night Comes, screening of Wendy Kirkup’s two films Touches Bloquees and film from a score, and a Q + A session in conversation with Simon Murray.

Festival dates: 5th – 17th June 2018. Festival theme: “Visions-V_Ideas, Performances”…

“Visions-V_ideas, Performances” celebrates 5 years since its launch at BETON7. In April 2014, it was stated that the set of actions of the festival aimed at exploring the interface between performance and video in the specific frame of the Votanikos neighbourhood – the site of BETON7, Center for the Arts.

When Night Comes 4

A review may be necessary, not in the sense of a conclusion but an assessment for future adjustments. According to a terminology, performance is at the crossroad of the living arts (arts vivants), which rely on the human body as the main tool, in order to found its artistic idiosyncrasy or specificity (dance for example) and the visual arts, where physical elements allow to shape primarily spatial structures (e.g. sculpture). At this crossroad, the video is entering, which is the field, the opportunity to create a new version of what is happening at the aforementioned crossroad from aesthetic and social point of view.”

Many thanks indeed to Rania and Demosthenes for their invitation, welcome and warm hospitality.

 

 

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Static Flux at Hidden Door Festival

Zoë Strachan and I performed Static Flux at the Hidden Door Festival in Edinburgh on 29th May 2018.

Programme Note

Static Flux is a sonic seance! In this spoken word/sound piece Zoë and I are exploring narrative and time through chance encounters with remnants, fragments and the ephemera of past lives. The performance was originally created for a live studio broadcast for Radiophrenia in 2017.

@zoestrachan
@NicholaScrutton

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Sura Medura Exhibition

Sura Medura Exhibition

A Sura Medura exhibition is running from 21st April to 19th May 2017 at The Briggait in Glasgow. The exhibition includes a range of work by artists who have been artist-in-residence at Sura Medura in Sri Lanka.

Wave Shift, a new work made in collaboration with artist and illustrator Natasha Russell, is premiered as part of the Sura Medura exhibition. Read more about Wave Shift

 

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Wave Shift | Natasha Russell

Wave ShiftWave Shift was originally an experimental audiovisual collaboration with artist and illustrator Natasha Russell in response to the ideas and situations we encountered on the UZ Arts Sura Medura Residency in Sri Lanka. Natasha and I were in residence from October – December 2016, along with Sumit Sarkar and other visiting artists. Following the installation I re-worked Wave Shift into a stand alone composition.

During our post-residency collaboration, Natasha and I were interested in the way an understanding of the experience of a place shifts over time, between people, even at the drop of a hat. We decided to weave decaying memories, slippery facts and shifting folklores through sound and print to form a portable set that melts place and atmosphere into an imaginary landscape.

Wave Shift At The BriggaitIntegrating with the structure and printed visual landscape with the set, my Wave Shift audio was projected into the space as an immersive, abstract, evocative soundscape. Source materials for the work included a selection of field recordings captured during the residency and vocal sound recordings. Both the main thread of sound that underpinned the work, composed with a series of hydrophonerecordings, and the form, which unfolds as a series of wave-like emergences, draw on myriad notions of water as a bridge between real and fictional landscapes.

The installation was exhibited in 2017 at Sura Medura Exhibition, The Briggait, Glasgow and then Summerhall, Edinburgh

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Sura Medura Moving Out

Moving Out Sura Medura 2016

The final stage of our residency was focused on preparing for our Moving Out event. The other artists involved were Natasha Russell, Sumit Surkar, Samson Ogiamien, and Rose Staff. On the day, we were thrilled to have a big local crowd join us, and delighted that many people came down from the Colombo Biennale and the University Faculty of Visual and Performing Arts to join us for some or all of the time.

Overall, the day at Sunbeach was a wonderful combination of visual art, sound, sculpture, video, performance, people, food, beer, Arrack sour, sea, sand, laughing, chatting, sharing…and cake (what a fabulous day for a birthday!). In our exhibition, which combined some finished elements and work-in-progress, my sound work Sabda saha Pintura was available as a headphone installation.

Listening Post Sabda Saha Pintura

The title Sabda saha Pintura means sound and picture in Sinhalese – through much discussion this seemed to be the most apt translation for the collage idea I was working with in the piece. Exploring  differences in the English/Sinhalese languages was very intriguing – how or in what way  metaphors or concepts translate, for example, sound, soundscape, landscape,  environment.

 

 

Sudu - Tuk Tuk Tour Driver

Tuk Tuk TourDuring the afternoon an audiovisual tuk tuk tour was running – a collaboration between Natasha (Russell) and me. Three people at a time could hop into Sudu’s tuk tukand take a short round trip to visit Natasha’s work in local shops accompanied by my soundtrack.

The soundtrack combined recordings I gathered from those shopkeepers  introducing themselves and their businesses, shop sounds, etc – the general store, jewellers, barbers, a fruit and veg stall. I also recorded an introduction to the tour in Sinhalese, with pronunciation help from folk at Sunbeach. Big thanks to Sudu and Chinthaka for running the tours.

Samson and Nichola Moving Out 1Samson and Nichola Moving Out 2

Early evening, I accompanied Samson Omiagien with some live vocals for his performance piece with sculpture, which we had rehearsed  in the lead up to the event.  The evening finished with a fantastic Sri Lankan curry banquet.

Big thanks to Neil and all at UZ Arts, Chaminda, Chathura, Hasantha, Kari and all at Sunbeach, Maria and Jack, my fellow artists-in-residence, everyone I met.

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Video Jam at Colombo Art Biennale

BANNERColombo Art Biennale - 2

VideoJam

In the final week of the Sura Medura residency we headed up the road for the opening of Colombo Art Biennale in Sri Lanka. I was excited to also have been invited by Shereen Perera to create a live score for the Video Jam event on the opening night. I responded with a solo vocal performance to a beautiful, strange and thoughtful clip of Sri Lankan film-maker Vimukthi Jayasundara’s Light in the Yellow Breathing Space. 

The event took place on 2nd December 2016 at the ZMax Fairway Hotel roof terrace and was part of the Colombo Biennale Performing Arts Programme.

Here’s the Facebook event  and a link to a film clip here Video Jam clip

 

 

 

 

 

 

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BBC Radio 3 Exposure

Exposure GigI was delighted to be performing solo on the first programme of a new BBC Radio 3 series – Exposure. The programme ‘explores the local alternative and underground music scenes’.

The live event is on 23rd September 2016 in Glasgow at the Glad Cafe. The programme will be broadcast on 29th September at 11 pm and available online for a month.

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Sonnets/Radiophrenia

RAdiophrenia logo

 



Sonnets was a series of live, interactive, largely improvised sound poems, and was created for a Radiophrenia live-to-air commission in 2015. The work drew on the root meanings of the title word – from  ‘son’ (song) and ‘sonus’ (sound) – rather than the traditional poetic form. I used minimal processing, and focused instead on weaving together a palette of breathy sounds, phonemic fragments and vocal gestures into a series of self-contained but interlinked sound worlds, sometimes with field recordings, to invoke or reference a fictional place or state.

(Please note the sound clips are currently off-air)