PROGRAMME

After the success of our first Summer Picnic Prom and sell-out Christmas Opera & Cocktails, we are delighted to welcome back Blackbird Opera as part of our 2025 Garden Open Day.

Soprano – Claudia Wood

Baritone – Ross Cummings

Pianist – Ailsa Aitkenhead

Claudia Wood, Soprano

Claudia Wood is a Soprano from Dumfries & Galloway. She completed her operatic training at Wales International Academy of Voice, where she studied with Dennis O’Neill CBE. She is also a graduate of Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where she studied under Gail Pearson.

Prior to Claudia’s vocal training, she was a Police Constable in Dumfries & Galloway and holds a First Class Honours Degree in Policing & Criminology. She left the Police to pursue vocal training, with a partial scholarship, at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

As a mature student, Claudia’s Emerging Artist year should have been during 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic this did not happen. Otherwise, she would have performed roles with Opera de Baugé, France; Chorus with The Grange Festival, UK; and participated in the Gerda Lissner International Opera Prize, New York.

Following relocating back to Scotland and starting a family, Claudia continues to study with Professor Susan McCulloch, and looks forward to joining the Chorus of Scottish Opera later this year.

Claudia is a recipient of the Gil Rodriguez Scholarship for her contribution to the 2019 Opera de Baugé festival. In 2018, Claudia was awarded The Wagner Society of Scotland’s Bayreuth Scholarship and a finalist in the Janet Price Opera Prize. Claudia’s studies at Wales International Academy of Voice, were supported by The Kathleen Trust and The Mario Lanza Education Foundation.

Ross Cumming, Baritone

Ross Cumming is a baritone originally from the north east of Scotland. He completed his M.Mus. in Opera Studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under Scott Johnson at the Alexander Gibson Opera Studio.

A music graduate of the University of Aberdeen, Ross also studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, achieving a Distinction in his Vocal Studies Masters. In 2023 he was awarded the Basil Turner Prize awarded by the Toni V. Fell Trust, having previously won the Bessie Crenshaw/Frost Brownson Song Cycle Competition.

Ross was a Young Artist at Buxton Opera Festival. He has performed Bach St John Passion (Cumbria Opera Festival) and has also sung with The Sixteen, Dunedin Consort and Voces8.

Ross is currently an Emerging Artist at Scottish Opera for their 2024/25 season.

Recent performances with Scottish Opera include Dr Malatesta Don Pasquale, Sid Albert Herring, Marchese d’Obigny La Traviata, Opera Highlights Spring 2024, Father Hansel & Gretel, Fiorello/Officer and Figaro (Access performance and cover for full performance) The Barber of Seville, First Shepherd Daphne.

Ailsa Aitkenhead, Pianist

Ailsa Aitkenhead is a professional pianist, accompanist and piano teacher. She studied piano accompaniment at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She graduated with distinction, achieved the Alex Menzies award for an outstanding accompanist and was highly commended in the Governor’s Recital Prize. Since then she has worked as a staff accompanist at Edinburgh University and is now the staff accompanist for St Andrews University. She is a regular performer with Fever Candlelight Concert Series; Principal Pianist at St Mark’s Unitarian Church, Official Accompanist for the Edinburgh Competition Festival, and the Head Accompanist for Three Bridges Opera Company.

Ailsa is a frequent performer across Scotland, she has performed concerts at St Giles’ Cathedral, St Mary’s Cathedral, Oran Mor, Greyfriars Kirk, St Stephen’s Chapel, Balerno Music Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and many more. She has a wide range of duos and collaborations in performance.

 

Access to the Gardens is taken entirely at your own risk. On agreeing to these terms and conditions you accept:

• There are uneven surfaces and therefore need to take care at all times.
• There are numerous water hazards. No swimming is allowed and children will be kept a safe distance from any water hazard.
• No dogs are allowed except guide dogs.
• No bicycles etc. are allowed around the garden; please do, however, cycle here if you can!
• Care will be taken around any road.
• No trees, statues or other structures can be climbed.
• You will respect the serenity of the gardens; no football games etc. and keep quiet around any yoga class or talk.
• No littering.
• Please respect the privacy of those that live here and keep clear of houses.
• Please respect others using the gardens.
• Please let us know if you suffer from any allergies. If you are allergic to wasps or bees please be sure to have an EpiPen with you.
• If you are pregnant or suffer from any relevant medical conditions that we should be aware of, please let us know.
• In the event of an emergency, please contact any of the Estate Team; we will be in green Barwhillanty tops and will be scattered around the garden.

By booking your ticket, you are automatically accepting the above terms and conditions.