Everybody needs good neighbours, as the long-running Australian soap opera theme song goes. Here at List Towers in Edinburgh's Old Town we not only have good neighbours, but really interesting ones that tempt us to nosey over the wall and see what they are up to.

Up the way is Institut français d'Ecosse, 'a little corner of France in the heart of Edinburgh', while over the back is Edinburgh University's St Cecilia's Hall, Scotland's oldest purpose-built concert hall. Getting together to put on Scotland's first international harpsichord festival brings our neighbours together right on the doorstep. An initiative that is the brainchild of the French Institute's Director, Emmanuel Cocher, the festival builds on the relationships he has made in Edinburgh over the past few years through his dual cultural and diplomatic role.

'Emmanuel happened to meet two harpsichord superstars, Jean Rondeau from France and Paolo Zanzu from Italy, while at the same time knowing that St Cecilia's Hall and its amazing Russell Collection of early keyboard instruments was re-opening. He put the two together and came up with the idea of an international harpsichord festival,' says Communications Officer, Daniel Boden.

With the Institute now settled in its new home for over a year, having previously been at the West End, the time is right to open the doors wider, building on last year's Vive le Fringe success. 'Once Emmanuel gave us his vision, including Jean Rondeau and Paolo Zanzu, he allowed my colleague Alex Chausson and me a lot of latitude to fill in the blanks,' says Boden. As a result, the three-way artistic planning has produced a compact, truly international festival that includes a range of performances, talks and workshops across two sites. 'When putting together the programme, we wanted at least one big French name but also to make it an international festival, especially including Scottish based artists. I'm really quite proud of how we've been able to make this an international festival thanks to local organisations and musicians,' says Boden.

With Jean Rondeau giving the closing concert, Paolo Zanzu the opening event, John Kitchen and David Gerrard in Couperin and Bach, and Le Stagioni ensemble, the festival looks set to fulfil Emmanuel Cocher's aim of presenting, says Boden, 'the historical roots of the harpsichord as a distinctively European instrument. It's not just a festival, but a commitment to Scotland on cultural and diplomatic levels through a celebration of Europe with artists and instruments.'

Harpsichord en fête, Institut français d'Ecosse and St Cecilia's Hall, Thu 7–Tue 12 Mar. Tickets available now.