THE curtain will come down on year-long celebrations in Haddington with an award-winning musician performing in St Mary’s Parish Church.

Events have taken place throughout 2018 to mark Haddington 700 – a year-long celebration to mark seven centuries since the town’s Bruce Charter, the oldest document in East Lothian Archives.

Now Siobhan Miller, the only artist to win the Scots Singer of the Year award at the Scots Trad Awards on three occasions, will perform in the final Haddington 700 event of the year.

The concert takes place on December 6 – the exact date in 1318 when Robert the Bruce presented the royal charter to Haddington.

Alan Blackie, chairman of Haddington 700, was looking forward to welcoming the talented musician, who was nominated for Folk Singer of the Year and won the award for the Best Traditional Track at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

He said: “We are really delighted to be closing the Haddington 700 festival with a concert of such quality.

“Siobhan is rightly recognised for her beautiful and soulful interpretation of Scottish and other songs and has complemented this by composing a number of her own works.

“We believe that this is a great way to conclude the festival and to round it off in such style.”

Mr Blackie also thanked housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel for sponsoring the concert, which gets under way at 7.30pm.

The musician is about to start a nationwide tour but was looking forward to returning to Haddington, where she performed previously.

She said: “To be marking the exact day on which Robert the Bruce presented a charter to the town 700 years ago is clearly very special – what a great honour and what a wonderful opportunity to mark this historic anniversary in song and music in the amazing setting of St Mary’s Kirk.

“I know Haddington well and have great memories of performing at the Trad on the Tyne festival in the town a few years ago.

“So, I’m aware of the spirit and energy in the town which is generating such a strong cultural profile across different artforms – as highlighted by the Haddington 700 festival and many other events – and it’s a real pleasure for me to be asked to return for this prestigious occasion.

“I am really looking forward to renewing friendships back in this beautiful and historic royal burgh.”

Tickets for the concert are now on sale at siobhanmiller.brownpapertickets.com and in Haddington at the John Gray Centre and the Deli Box on Court Street.