Helen Hopekirk was born in Portobello, Edinburgh in 1856. She went on to compose over a hundred works drawing on Scottish folk melody and build an international career as pianist, performing twelve times as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But she is almost completely unknown in Scotland today. In May 2026 - 170 years after her birth - you can help us change that.

THE PROJECT

The Helen Hopekirk Festival will run across Edinburgh and Glasgow from 18–24 May 2026, with four main strands:

A festival. Concerts and a lecture-recital will celebrate Hopekirk's music and other neglected female Scottish composers, featuring the world's leading performers of her work, including Dana Muller, Gary Steigerwalt, Hannah Roberts and the Bubblyjock Collective.

A competition. A free, developmental piano and organ competition will take place at St Cuthbert's Church on 22–23 May, with Scottish repertoire, and Hopekirk's music in particular, at its heart. It will be open to all levels, and performances will be free and open to the public.

Educational events. A lecture-recital and masterclass will be delivered on 20 May by Dr Hannah Roberts, one of the world's leading specialists in Hopekirk's piano music. It will be open to any young pianist in Scotland.

A map of Scottish repertoire. A free, permanent teaching resource for piano and organ teachers across Scotland will be created and published online under an open licence.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Helen Hopekirk spent her career championing Scottish music from thousands of miles away. In Scotland, her work is almost never taught, performed, or even recognised. The same is true of many Scottish composers - and women composers in particular.

The festival brings world-class performers and scholars to Scotland, creating a moment of public attention around music that is beautiful and unjustly neglected. The masterclass brings expertise to young Scottish musicians that is simply not available here otherwise.

Repertoire choices made during early musical training shape a musician's identity for life. Right now, most young Scottish pianists move through their formative years without ever encountering Scottish music, because it isn't taught, isn't examined, and isn't performed. The competition changes that by placing Scottish repertoire at the centre of a real, structured event — giving teachers and students a concrete reason to engage with it.

The repertoire map makes that change last. By publishing a free, structured guide to Scottish piano and organ music, we give teachers across Scotland the tools to keep programming this repertoire long after the festival is over.

Schools have already committed. Teachers have already started preparing students. The jury, the venue, and the masterclass are all confirmed. We just need the funding to make it happen.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

Every pound raised goes directly to the cost of delivering the live events and educational resources.

£1,500 — Core costs covered. Entries open, communications go out, and the competition is real.

£2,500 — Festival venues secured in Glasgow and Edinburgh, bringing Helen's music to new audiences.

£3,500 — Educational events funded, inspiring young musicians to engage with Helen's work and Scottish heritage.

£4,500 — Jury and recital fees covered, bringing world class musicians to Scotland.

£6,000 — Stretch Goal - Prizes and memorabilia for competition participants. A free map of Scottish repertoire created for students and teachers, embedding traditional music in music education.

WHO IS BEHIND THIS

My name is Veronika Strelbitskaia and I am a pianist, organist and music educator based in Edinburgh. My work focuses on bringing the joy of music to young people and discovering and celebrating forgotten figures from music history, and particularly the women who have contributed so much to our culture. I am thrilled to be bringing the legacy and work of Helen Hopekirk to new audiences on the 170th anniversary of her birth.

I have been working on this project since August 2025, building relationships and working on the logistics. This project, and a community of supporters, are ready to go. Your support can make it happen.

OUR PARTNERS

The Scottish Music Centre is supporting the festival as an institutional partner, hosting events and helping to promote Scottish repertoire to new audiences.

The Portobello Heritage Trust is backing the project as a community partner, connecting the festival to the Edinburgh neighbourhood where Helen Hopekirk was born.

The festival is partly funded by the Cockaigne Fund, administered by Foundation Scotland.

A NOTE ON HELEN

In 1905, Hopekirk published Seventy Scottish Songs, a collection that preserved traditional Scottish melodies she feared would otherwise be lost. She spent her career championing the music of her homeland from thousands of miles away.

170 years after her birth, it's time Scotland returned the favour.

Thank you for helping us bring her home.

Every contribution, however small, makes a difference.