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Edinburgh Guide
"Matthew Shiel has ‘composed’ a most enchanting concert, relating amusing, enlightening stories to introduce each piece; his eloquent performance expresses a dramatic, emotional mood from sad and sorrowful to light-hearted and lyrical, oozing a joyful sense of romantic love."
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Binge Fringe
"The absolute highlight of the night was when Sim declaimed Burns’ epic poem “Tam o’ Shanter”: all about witches, demons, and a haunted, hectic horse ride. Sim would read several stanzas and then pause while Shiel punctuated the performance from selections from a “Tam o’ Shanter” musical arrangement, making for a ripping good yarn.
Sim and Shiel both are masters of their crafts. Sim declaimed the poetry beautifully, injecting the words with a rich Scottish accent fitting for the great Scottish wordsmith. Shiel is a gifted musician, showing especial regard for dynamics and musical structure. He lead the audience through the three-part Sonata form of the piano pieces with great clarity, showcasing the fascinating structure of the classical selections.
The atmosphere the performers curated was what really made Burns Night Hootenanny! so special. The welcome at the door, the cakes, the candles, the group song at the end, all helped take the music and poetry off the stage and integrate it into a more living-room like environment, similar to how the art would have been performed back in its day."
REVIEW: Burns Night Hootenanny!, Candle Concerts, EdFringe 2024 ★★★★★ – Binge Fringe Magazine
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Corr Blimey
"profound…”
"Truly, Shiel and Sim can pride themselves on creating an atmosphere which is all too often missed in our digital world.”
“Moonlight can pride itself on designing an evening of authentic stories and skilful narration.”
Review: ‘A Burns Night Hootenanny – Tam O’ Shanter’- St Vincent’s Chapel, Edinburgh – Corr Blimey
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Three Weeks
"Musically, it was calm and resonant with an outstanding woodwind section; such soaring tones. Leader Raymond Cheuk Ting Hon was an outstanding violin soloist, interpreting Massenet’s ‘Meditation from Thais’ touchingly, and Artistic Director Matthew Shiel shone in Mozart’s ‘Adagio from Piano Concerto number 23 in A major’. Punctuated by Eastern bells and smells to continue the mood between items this was indeed a meditative evening."
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Fringe Review
Pure Fringe mischief, exactly what AI Mozart promised, and delivered. The brainchild of pianist‑storyteller Matthew Shiel, this is no droll lecture on algorithms, but a full‑blooded, ear‑worming plunge into AI’s compositional whims.”
“Shiel’s evident joy, paired with a direct, approachable delivery, made it feel intimate”.
“a spirited theatrical event: modest in scale but audacious in concept. The tension between programmatic novelty and emotional resonance is what gives the performance its heart. In the chapel’s hush, Shiel teases the audience with possibility, inviting us to imagine a future where artistry isn’t lost in cogs and code, but reborn in curious, collaborative invention.”
“Downright Fringe, infinitely playful, surprisingly soulful—AI Mozart turns out to be far more alive than I thought any algorithm could have generated”
AI Mozart: ChatGPT Composed This Concert – FringeReview
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Edinburgh Guide
"Matthew Shiel has once again curated a truly enlightening selection of music sharing a languid, lyrical style and emotional mood, each piece complemented by Emma’s illuminated painterly patterns for moments of quiet meditation. The audience was indeed 'spirited away' in a meditative, theatrical ambience of calm reflective light, art, poetry and music.”
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Three Weeks
“This lively evening of crowd-pleasing tunes and showmanship was performed by three Royal Conservatoire of Scotland alumni. We were assured the high standard we therefore expected would not be compromised by cramming three people onto one piano stool! It wasn’t all ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ and ‘Funeral March of a Marionette’ (rousingly enjoyable as those instantly recognisable pieces were). Bach, Mozart and Rachmaninoff were also included and the performers had also found repertoire composed specifically for three pianists. A poignant highlight was the pretty toy grand piano that delicately played a carillon part. The stories were interesting too; if ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ is played at a circus, flee for your lives; it’s a coded alarm!”
Cirque Du Piano – 1 Piano, 3 Pianists, 6 Hands, 30 Fingers! (Moonlight) – ThreeWeeks Edinburgh
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The Age (Australia)
“For cinephiles with a sharp ear for film scores, Matthew Shiel’s classical renditions of themes from blockbuster films will keep you guessing. The intimate church setting and candlelit stage build the mood as the audience settles into the pews. Dressed in a kilt, the Edinburgh musician breathes life into iconic songs through a passionate piano performance as clips from silent films Le Voyage dans la Lune, Georges Méliès’ Joan of Arc, Fantasmagorie by Émile Cohl, and Police starring Charlie Chaplin are projected onto a modest screen.
Between each film, Shiel provides an explanation on the movie choice and accompanying score, which will delight curious film buffs. He explains that he’s transporting you to a time when music was performed live as the film played, capturing audiences with everything from Hans Zimmer’s compositions for Interstellar and Pirates of the Caribbean to John Williams’ scores from the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises.”
“Chaplin would mime an applause.”
https://www.theage.com.au/culture/live-reviews/melbourne-fringe-2025-wrap-1-20251001-p5mzdd.html