Music On The Mezzanine: The Edinburgh University Early Music Ensemble

The Edinburgh University Early Music Ensemble take the stage at Edinburgh Central Library on Saturday 10 October, as part of the Music On The Mezzanine series. They'll be playing in the Music Library on the mezzanine floor, so you'll want to head up there rather than staying on the ground floor.

If you're not familiar with it, Music On The Mezzanine is a regular series of lunchtime concerts held in the library's Music Library. It's a broad church of a programme, pulling from across the city and the region: community bands, student ensembles, solo recitalists and folk groups all get their turn. Past line-ups have run from classical guitar ensembles and flute quartets to big bands, traditional Scottish folk groups and community concert bands, so it's less a specific genre and more a showcase for whatever's happening in the local scene.

The Early Music Ensemble fits right into that mix. They're an up-and-coming group of current and former University of Edinburgh students, and their focus is on music from the European Medieval and Renaissance periods. They work with both authentic reconstructions — playing the music as it would have sounded at the time — and experimental re-imaginings, so you'll hear the old stuff played straight alongside versions that take a few liberties with the original. It's a good way to hear how music from those centuries can still hold its own.

The concert runs from 1pm to 2pm on Saturday 10 October, and it's free, though you do need to book your place in advance. The series continues until Saturday 21 November, with further dates on 5 and 12 December, so if you can't make this one, there are plenty more to choose from. You'll find the Music Library on the mezzanine at Edinburgh Central Library, 7-9 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1EG.