In 2024, Folk becomes a piece of classical music, for soprano and full orchestra.

I was approached several years ago by the soprano Claire Booth to write a libretto based on some of the chapters from Folk, for her to sing. She had loved the book and passed it to the composer Helen Grime.

After some pandemic disruption, and the funding challenges facing the arts during and after that time, we secured a commission from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and Helen wrote the music for my words.

Folk the song cycle receives its world premiere at Glasgow City Halls on 26th September 2024, and a further performance in Aberdeen on 27th September. Audio and visual recordings of the performance will become available – watch this space for updates.

Claire, Helen and I appear live on BBC Radio 4’s arts show, Front Row, on 25th September, to talk about the project.

You can read a short article about how Claire made this all happen here.

Intrigued by the process of turning prose fiction into libretto, I have written more words that have been set to music. I will share details of future performances of those, and of Folk the song cycle, here.