Illuminated by thousands of flickering candles, Candlelight concerts in Edinburgh have earned glowing reviews both locally and worldwide, with audiences consistently praising the deeply moving and magical atmosphere they create. Reviewers rave about how the warm glow of the candles completely transforms the city’s most beautiful historic venues—like St Giles’ Cathedral and St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral—into breathtaking, intimate sanctuaries. Beyond the stunning visual ambiance, attendees frequently highlight the sheer talent and passion of the musicians, noting how they elevate both timeless classical pieces and heartfelt tributes to contemporary artists with thoughtful, engaging stories between songs.
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Candlelight Reviews in Edinburgh
Thanks to their ambience, set lists and more, these concerts have received countless five-star reviews that are available to view on the Candlelight marketplace.
“Excellent venue with comfortable seating. Quartet was super playing a varied selection of Abba and Queen hits so well. The candles certainly give atmosphere.” – Candlelight: Tribute to ABBA & More
“Beautiful setting. Well organised and very talented musicians “ – Candlelight: Tribute to ABBA & More
“What a lovely setting it really was a magical evening and we would come to another concert.” – Candlelight: Tribute to Oasis
“Beautiful setting Beautiful music, warm friendly atmosphere, perfect “ – Candlelight: Tribute to Oasis
“Amazing night perfect setting the quartet were outstanding highly recommended “ – Candlelight: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
More reasons to attend Candlelight
Thousands of candles illuminate every concert location
Candlelight has transformed a number of Edinburgh’s most remarkable settings into glowing live music venues, from The Grand Hall and Pianodrome at Edinburgh’s Old Royal High to St Mary’s Cathedral and The Caves. Thousands of twinkling candles surround the musicians, transforming these spaces and more into the perfect setting to unwind to live music.
Check out all Candlelight venues in Edinburgh here.
Classical music for every ear
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Tchaikovsky’s famous ballets are some of the timeless compositions that have been performed at Candlelight in Edinburgh. Since the beginning, the concert series’ mission has been to make classical music accessible to all. Performed by talented musicians over the course of 60-65 minutes, these concerts are a great introduction to the world of classical music.
Not just classical music
It’s not all classical — Candlelight also pays tribute to modern-day hit makers, rock legends, pop groups and more. We’re talking stars like Taylor Swift, Radiohead and Coldplay. And not forgetting iconic film soundtracks curated by the likes of Joe Hisaishi for Studio Ghibli. No matter your music taste, there’s truly a Candlelight concert for everyone.
Candlelight concerts for every season
Throughout the year, Candlelight presents a host of new and exciting shows to celebrate the seasons. In February, there’s a selection of Valentine’s Day concerts that journey through the sounds of iconic love songs. Come October, expect several shows dedicated to the spooktastic tunes of Halloween. And of course, in December, there are multiple concert tributes devoted to Christmastime.
Candlelight musicians
String quartets, pianists, orchestras, jazz bands and more — Candlelight’s musicians are varied and incredibly talented. They’ve got hundreds of hours of experience under their belt and have performed in many of Edinburgh’s finest venues and beyond. Sit back, relax and immerse yourself in the melodies and notes of live music performed by fabulous musicians.
Fun facts and fascinating anecdotes
It’s not all just enchanting live music performances (okay, maybe it is), but in between performances, musicians are known to share fun facts and anecdotes about the music they’re playing. They might share a titbit about the commercial performance of a song, or maybe something about the inspiration behind a popular album. Because of this, music fans often walk away from the experience learning something new about their favourite artist or composer.
