The Cullen Skink Rag - Anthony LaBounty

Program Notes from the Composer:

My family and I recently visited Scotland, where a chance lunchtime stop became the inspiration for this work. After a day of touring, we arrived in the town of Abelour and settled into the restaurant of the historic Abelour Hotel, built in 1812. While browsing the menu, one item immediately caught my eye: Cullen Skink. Curious, I asked our waitress about it and learned that this traditional Scottish dish is a cream-based seafood chowder made with smoked haddock caught off the Scottish coast. The name itself tells a story—skink is a slang term for a simple meal improvised from ingredients on hand, while Cullen refers to the northeastern coastal town where the chowder originated. 

The Cullen Skink Rag is an original work for wind band that pays musical homage to this beloved Scottish culinary tradition—or, perhaps more fittingly, this Cullen-ary delight. Lively rhythms, warm sonorities, and good-natured humor reflect both the comforting richness of the chowder and the spirited pride of the communities that celebrate it. In music as in cuisine, this piece raises a spoon to tradition, craftsmanship, and the joy of discovering something unforgettable in an unexpected place.

Anthony LaBounty