An immersive musical experience inspired by Studio Ghibli’s anime Spirited Away, Einaudi’s meditative piano pieces, and Japanese Zen stories
Following their 5***** and sold-out show in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe,
“Matthew Shiel has ‘composed’ a most enchanting concert” (5***** Edinburgh Guide)
“A ripping good yarn. Sim and Shiel both are masters of their crafts.” (5***** Binge Fringe Magazine)
Moonlight Concerts return to Brighton with a musical show inspired by Studio Ghibli’s anime Spirited Away, Ludovico Einaudi’s TOP10 most streamed piano pieces, and Philip Glass’ hypnotic soundtrack to the Academy award-winning film The Hours.
Tonight’s musical programme is accompanied by thought-provoking Japanese Zen Stories and a digital art exhibition and light installation designed by acclaimed Chinese artist and Disney illustrator Emma Yitong Shen – to create an immersive musical experience designed to relax and wind down, bring you into a heightened state of consciousness and find musical enlightenment.
PROGRAMME
One Summer’s Day (from the motion picture Spirited Away) – Joe Hisaishi
Le Onde – Ludovico Einaudi
Gymnopédie No.1 – Erik Satie
The Poet Acts (from the motion picture The Hours) – Philip Glass
I’m going to make a cake (from the motion picture The Hours) – Philip Glass
I Giorni – Ludovico Einaudi
Nightbook – Ludovico Einaudi
Les Barricades Mystérieuses – François Couperin
The Merry-go-round of Life – Joe Hisaishi
4’33’’ – John Cage
Matthew Shiel
Matthew Shiel is a British pianist who performs 200+ performances every year across UK, USA and Australia in partnership with the Edinburgh, Brighton, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hollywood Fringe Festivals.
In 2025, Matthew Shiel made history by performing the world’s first piano recital of music composed by artificial intelligence at the Edinburgh Festival; his performance was subsequently commissioned by Dame Wendy Hall’s Web Science Institute (University of Southampton) and broadcast on Al Jazeera.
He has notably performed at Usher Hall and The National Portrait Gallery of Scotland (Edinburgh), The Glasshouse International Centre for Music (Newcastle), Glasgow City Halls and has performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (broadcast on BBC Radio 3) and The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marine Band Scotland.
Matthew has received multiple 5-star reviews in the press:
“a most enchanting concert” 5***** Edinburgh Guide
“masters of their crafts” 5***** Binge Fringe
“profound” 5***** Corr Blimey
Matthew is an Usher Hall and Live Music Now Scotland artist, artistic director of Fringe Classics and a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Fringe Classics
fringeclassics.com
Fringe Classics is an international performing arts company that exports classical music to fringe festivals around the world. We organise 200+ performances every year across UK, USA and Australia in partnership with the Edinburgh, Brighton (UK), Adelaide, Melbourne (Australia) and Hollywood (USA) Fringe Festivals. We also creatively adapt classical concerts for festive occasions including Burns Night, Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas.
Our performances have been broadcast on Al Jazeera; have been commissioned by Dame Wendy Hall’s Web Science Institute (in association with the University of Southampton) and have received multiple 5-star reviews in the press:
“a most enchanting concert”
5*****
Edinburgh Guide
“masters of their crafts”
5*****
Binge Fringe
“profound”
5*****
Corr Blimey
We embrace the unbridled creativity and experimental aesthetic of fringe festivals. We embrace communication between classical music and other musical genres including jazz, folk and pop. And we embrace interdisciplinary collaboration with storytellers, visual artists, dancers, filmmakers and even computer scientists to push the boundaries of what a classical concert can be and create the ‘performance of the future.’
In 2025, Fringe Classics made history by performing the world’s first piano recital of music composed by artificial intelligence at the Edinburgh Festival and this historic event was broadcast on Al Jazeera.
