A festival in Northern Norway is offering young traditional musicians based in Scotland the opportunity to play a series of concerts in the Arctic Circle. In partnership with Aberdeen International Youth Festival, UKM Arctic's international youth festival in Finnsnes is seeking musicians aged 15 to 19, playing in duos, trios and quartets to appear at the event in April 2016. Any instrument will be considered but at least one piper and one singer are being sought. Flights and accommodation are provided and the deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday November 13. For further details contact charlotte@unroofed.com.

tracscotland.org

French film director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, pictured, is at St Andrews University today for the launch of a month-long festival dedicated to his work. The director of Amelie and Delicatessen will be in conversation with the university's writer-in-residence Reif Larsen and Stirling University Professor of Cinema and Culture Elizabeth Ezra at the Byre Theatre this evening from 6pm, in an event that launches the Byre World film festival.

Jeanet's 2013 film, The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet was an adaptation of Reif Larsen's debut novel and next Wednesday the writer will talks about the experience of having his work adapted for the big screen.

st-andrews.ac.uk

Battlefield Band founder Alan Reid and guitarist Rob Van Sante perform their adaptation of the story of John Paul Jones – Dumfries-born seafarer, American hero, British traitor and Russian Navy Rear Admiral – at Craigie Village Hall, near Kilmarnock on Saturday, November 7 at 8pm. The concert is part of a Scottish tour that also calls into Charlie’s Theatre, Mugdock Park, Milngavie (November 6); Blue Lamp, Aberdeen (11); Links Hotel, Montrose (12); and Gadie’s Restaurant in Oyne, Aberdeenshire (13).

reidvansante.com

Scottish Ballet has announced the appointment of two new members of its board of directors, with effect from its December meeting. Both long-standing supporters of the company, they share a background in the energy industry, which has traditionally been very supportive of the national dance company. Jann Brown is a Chartered Accountant who was CFO of Cairn Energy until earlier this year and is now co-CEO of Magna Energy. Keith Ruddock worked as legal counsel with Shell for 20 years and is now company secretary of Weir Group.

The pair take the places of John Curran and Niall Scott on the Scottish Ballet board, both of whom were thanked for their longstanding of service by chairman Norman Murray.

scottishballet.co.uk