In Scotland’s cultural capital, a diverse range of concerts takes place throughout the year. Orchestras and music groups from all over the world come here to delight audiences and to soak up the city’s medieval atmosphere. A quick look at Edinburgh’s event listings reveals a packed schedule of performances for months in advance. The people of Edinburgh are warm and appreciative hosts, making artists want to return again and again. To handle this influx of musical talent, the city boasts several major concert venues. Each is magnificent in its own right and, most importantly, excels at its primary role: helping audiences have the best possible concert experience. Let’s take a closer look at three of Edinburgh’s largest and most popular halls with edinburgh-trend.
Queen’s Hall
The Queen’s Hall is one of Edinburgh’s longest-standing live music venues. In 2024, it proudly celebrated its 200th anniversary. The Queen’s Hall offers an exceptionally wide variety of musical genres to its audience. The line-up includes:
- Classical
- Jazz
- Blues
- Rock
- Folk
- Soul
It is also a unique setting for chamber music, spoken word, and comedy. But it wasn’t always this way.
Before becoming a concert hall, this beautiful building was known to many in Edinburgh as the Hope Park Chapel. It was opened in 1823. The Chapel owes its distinctive Neoclassical architecture to its designer, Robert Brown. A little later, it was renamed the Newington and St Leonard’s Church and continued as a place of worship until 1976. By this time, it had become clear that the building was in a state of disrepair and required major reconstruction. Lacking sufficient funding, it was closed. So how was the building revived and transformed from a church into a concert hall? It was thanks to a fortunate coincidence. As it turned out, at the time the church closed, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Scottish Philharmonic were searching for a permanent home for rehearsals and performances. On their joint initiative, a proposal was submitted in 1977 to convert the religious building into a concert hall. A total of £850,000 was raised for a full refurbishment.
The official opening date of the Queen’s Hall is 6th July 1979, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Edinburgh and personally cut the ribbon. Since that moment, the Queen’s Hall has delighted its visitors with wonderful music from world-class artists. It also serves as the permanent rehearsal base for the renowned Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
In 2019, the concert hall marked its 40th anniversary with a grand celebration programme. From March 2020 to 22nd August 2021, its halls fell silent due to lockdown measures during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since August 2021, the Queen’s Hall has returned to its usual packed schedule of around 200 musical events a year.
With 900 seats, the Queen’s Hall is a major venue for musical events during the Edinburgh International Festival and hosts events for:
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe;
- Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.
Usher Hall
This magnificent concert hall impresses with its scale and grandeur from the very first glance. It’s no wonder that for decades it has been a key landmark in Edinburgh’s city centre. Usher Hall is Scotland’s only five-star concert hall, blending history with modernity, and tradition with the latest trends. Every year, it hosts performances across the entire musical spectrum. The list is extensive, but here are just a few of the genres on offer:
- Classical and jazz;
- Rock and pop;
- Folk;
- Children’s concerts;
- Comedy and dance shows.
With a capacity of 2,200, Usher Hall allows a large number of people to see their favourite artists at once. A major advantage of this concert hall is its accessibility for wheelchair users. Specially equipped parking, entrances, and toilets enable them to visit and enjoy high-quality music in comfort.
One of Usher Hall’s greatest assets is its acoustics. They are rightfully considered among the best in Europe, allowing both musicians and audiences to enjoy the purest sound. Thanks to this superb acoustic quality, Usher Hall serves as a key venue in Edinburgh for visiting national and international orchestras. Since 1947, it has also been the main venue for the Edinburgh International Festival. Usher Hall regularly hosts large-scale events such as the Eurovision Song Contest and various talent shows.
The history of this beautiful concert hall began in 1910, when Andrew Usher, a well-known Scottish whisky distiller, donated £100,000 to build the country’s grandest concert hall. An architectural competition was announced in Edinburgh, which was won by a construction company from Leicester. In 1911, memorial stones were laid by King George V and Queen Mary to mark the start of construction. The official opening took place on 16th March 1914, and the hall was named in honour of its benefactor, Andrew Usher. The stunning building was designed in the Edwardian style. In 2010, it underwent an expansion with the addition of a modern glass-fronted wing adjoining the original building. This transformation provided even better facilities for performers and the public.
Assembly Rooms
One of the most remarkable spaces in the heart of Edinburgh is the Assembly Rooms. It is rightly considered a unique, versatile venue where several different events can take place simultaneously. In addition to concerts, it hosts festivals, exhibitions, and business conferences. The Assembly Rooms are also available for private and corporate events, spoken word performances, and stand-up comedy. Visitors can choose a programme or concert to their taste and even book a private performance.
The Assembly Rooms owes its existence to a small group of titled ladies known as ‘The Lady Directresses’. These philanthropic women were known for donating to various charitable projects, such as the construction of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. From the 1780s, under their leadership, fundraising began for a new building to host cultural and educational events. In May 1783, the foundation stones were laid for the building that delights visitors with its elegance today. The initial design was enhanced with additional details over the following decades. All improvements were made based on the needs of the Assembly Rooms’ visitors. This desire to please guests and make their stay as comfortable as possible remains a key strength of the venue to this day.
In 2011, a major 18-month restoration project began. The Georgian building was restored to its former glory. The main rooms rediscovered their beauty, featuring elegant designs with gleaming crystal chandeliers, gold leaf, and stunning gilded mirrors. The new transformation of the Assembly Rooms reflects the building’s history and traditions, while state-of-the-art technology has been seamlessly integrated to provide high-quality sound and professional lighting. All of this has made the Assembly Rooms one of Scotland’s premier venues for modern events.
Each of these magnificent Edinburgh concert halls has its own unique atmosphere. The choice of which one to visit is yours. One thing is certain – in any of them, you are guaranteed an unforgettable experience and a fantastic time!
