Art and Piano Improv

Join the Art Collection and the Three Rivers Festival for a very special collaborative performance of art and piano by Anna Michels and Orla Stevens. 

Inspired by the remains of the hermitage found by the waterfalls at Auchenlillylinn Spout, Anna Michels and Orla Stevens will present a uniquely explorative performance. The concert will explore the artists’ connection to the place, the people that lived there, and mysticism surrounding the waterfall. This concert will combine sonic and visual improvisation, with field recordings and visual projection. 

About the Artists

Scottish-Dutch pianist Anna Michels has performed internationally as a soloist and collaborative musician. She was one of the first students to be awarded a double bachelor degree from Maastricht Conservatoire in the Netherlands, studying both piano and music theory. As an alumna of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Anna earned a Masters and Artist Diploma under the tutelage of Aaron Shorr. She currently teaches at St Mary’s Music School and is an accompanist and lecturer of free improvisation at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Orla Stevens is a Scottish mixed media artist whose practice explores our connections to landscape, documenting how places feel. Orla’s process is informed by plein-air sketching and painting, which led to the creation of ‘The Outdoor Sketchbook Collective’ - an online community for artists of all stages around the world to learn to paint playfully, and connect to nature through art. Her process is led by play and experimentation, allowing each piece to evolve intuitively. Orla frequently collaborates with musicians to visualise the stories or emotions heard and felt through painting.

Getting here

Pathfoot is on the University of Stirling Campus, FK9 4LA and can be seen up on the slope on your left as you enter the campus by the main entrance.

You can get to the campus by bus, bike or car and parking is free for the first two hours of your visit. 

The building is an accessible building, with spaces for blue badge holders at the front and rear of the building. If you have any questions about access, please email Emma at Emma.McCombie@stir.ac.uk or call us on 01786 466 050 and we'd be happy to advise.

For more information on the Art Collection and how to get here, please visit the Art Collection website.

About the Three Rivers Festival

Born of a desire to bring a celebration of chamber music to Scotland's heart, the Three Rivers Festival will take place for the first time in July 2025.

​Exciting young musicians and artists will perform, as well as more experienced performers, in a carefully curated programme. The events will take place in a variety of venues, each in their own way integral to the fabric of the history and culture of Stirling and its surrounding area.

​From solo recitals to educational workshops, string quintets and improvised collaboration with visual art, there is something for everyone to enjoy. The programmes imaginatively combine familiar masterpieces with lesser known gems. For more information on the festival, please visit the Three Rivers Festival website.