SCO Summer Tours across Scotland
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra follows its extensive 2007 summer touring schedule, which included performances in Shetland, Stranraer and the Outer Hebrides, with another programme of tours to bring live music to some of the country’s most remote regions. The SCO heads first to the South of Scotland, opening in Langholm on 28 May, and over the summer also makes four tours of the Highlands – in the Orchestra’s 30th consecutive year of Highlands touring – and one through Central Scotland, as well as appearances at the St Magnus Festival in Orkney, the East Neuk Festival in Fife, the Edinburgh International Festival, and, further afield, at the City of London Festival. In addition to concert performances, players will share their musical expertise with music students, school pupils and local communities in projects organised by SCO Education in Orkney, Crear and the South of Scotland.
The SCO’s sixth annual summer tour to the South of Scotland sees Swiss conductor Baldur Brönnimann collaborating with Orchestra Principals Alison Mitchell (flute) and Rosie Staniforth (cor anglais) in Arthur Honegger’s Concerto de Camera. Also on the programme in the concerts at the Buccleuch Centre, Langholm; Volunteer Hall, Galashiels; McMillan Hall, Newton Stewart and Volunteer Hall, Duns, are two works by Beethoven – Symphony No 2 and the Overture, Prometheus – and Stravinsky’s Concerto in E-flat (Dumbarton Oaks). The South of Scotland Tour – given in partnership with Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association – runs from 28 to 31 May.
In June, the Orchestra is reunited with former Leader Alexander Janiczek for a programme of music by Mozart and Mendelssohn. Orchestra soloists Maximiliano Martín (clarinet) and Ruth Ellis (basset horn) join Janiczek for Mendelssohn’s Konzertstück No 1 in F minor which is framed by Mozart’s Divertimento in D K251 and Serenade in D K203. The tour opens with a performance at the Great Hall, Stirling Castle (sponsored by BP); followed by Fraserburgh and the Universal Hall, Findhorn (5 – 7 June), before the musicians head into the studio to record the Mozart works for release on Linn Records in 2009.
Later in June, the SCO heads to Orkney for three concerts at the St Magnus Festival, including the string orchestra premiere of Amjad Ali Khan’s Samagam. This exciting new work has emerged from a unique SCO project. Based on ragas for the different seasons of the year, it has been written by internationally renowned sarod player Amjad Ali Khan and realised by conductor David Murphy. The work explores the common roots of the music of India and the West and is being prepared in collaboration with players from the SCO LAB. As well as two further concerts conducted by Garry Walker, the Orchestra also plays in the St Magnus Conducting Course, before travelling to London for a performance of Samagam at the City of London Festival, followed by its annual residency at the East Neuk Festival.
The second full orchestra tour to the Highlands includes visits to Strathpeffer, Portree and Fort William (10 - 12 July). Young British conductor Robin Ticciati – one of the most talked-about conducting talents for years – makes his SCO debut with a programme of romantic works by Fauré (Masques et Bergamasques) and Strauss (Prelude to Capriccio and Duet Concertino, with soloists Maximiliano Martín and Peter Whelan), and concluding with Haydn’s last, and possibly greatest, symphony – Symphony No 104 ‘London’.
The following week, the SCO Strings and SCO Wind Ensemble follow different roads. The Strings – directed by Leader Christopher George – perform Elgar’s Serenade for Strings and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence on the Isle of Arran and at Crear (18 & 20 July). Meanwhile the Wind Ensemble take a varied programme including dances, operatic overtures, Gounod’s charming Petite Symphonie and Hummel’s Octet-Partita to Aboyne, Boat of Garten and Cromarty (17 - 19 July).
August sees the Orchestra giving a number of performances at the Edinburgh International Festival, and it brings the Festival to a close with the annual Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert.
The Orchestra gives its second Central Scotland Tour in September, with dates in Motherwell, Falkirk, Paisley and Dunfermline (3 - 6 September), generously supported by The Moffat Trust.
-ENDS-
For further information, photographs or review tickets, please contact Catherine Gauld on 0131 478 8338 or email catherine.gauld@sco.org.uk, or Sheena Macrae on 0131 478 8340 or email sheena.macrae@sco.org.uk.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
South of Scotland Tour – Full Orchestra
Weds 28 May 7:30pm LANGHOLM Buccleuch Centre Beethoven Overture, Prometheus
Thurs 29 May 7.30pm GALASHIELS Volunteer Hall STRAVINSKY Concerto in E-flat (Dumbarton Oaks)
Fri 30 May 7.30pm NEWTON STEWART McMillan Hal l HONEGGER Concerto da Camera
Sat 31 May 7.30pm DUNS Volunteer Hall BEETHOVEN Symphony No 2
Baldur Brönnimann conductor
Alison Mitchell flute
Rosie Staniforth cor anglais
Highlands I – Full Orchestra
Thurs 5 June 8pm STIRLING Great Hall, Stirling Castle MOZART Divertimento in D K251
Fri 6 June 8pm FRASERBURGH United Reformed Church MENDELSSOHN Konzertstück No 1 in F Op 113
Sat 7 June 8pm FINDHORN Universal Hall MOZART March K237
MOZART Serenade in D K203
Alexander Janiczek violin/director
Maximiliano Martín clarinet
Ruth Ellis basset horn
Highlands II – Full Orchestra
Thurs 10 July 8pm STRATHPEFFER Pavilion FAURÉ Masques et Bergamasques
Fri 11 July 8pm PORTREE Community Centre STRAUSS Prelude to Capriccio
Sat 12 July 8pm FORT WILLIAM The Nevis Centre STRAUSS Duet Concertino
HAYDN Symphony 104 ‘London’
Robin Ticciati conductor
Peter Whelan bassoon
Highlands III – SCO Strings
Fri 18 July 8pm ISLE OF ARRAN Whiting Bay Hall PURCELL Chacony
Sat 19 July 8pm TBC PURCELL Suite, The Fairy Queen
Sun 20 July 4pm CREAR ELGAR Serenade for Strings
TCHAIKOVSKY Souvenir de Florence
Christopher George director/violin
Highlands II – SCO Winds
Thurs 17 July 8pm ABOYNE Deeside Theatre
Fri 18 July 8pm BOAT OF GARTEN Community Hall
Sat 19 July 8pm CROMARTY Victoria Hall
GERVAISE Two French Renaissance Dances
WEBER Overture, Euryanthe
GOUNOD Petite Symphonie
ROSSINI Overture, The Barber of Seville
BOZZA Image
HUMMEL Octet-Partita
Edinburgh International Festival 2008
Sat 9 August 7.30pm EDINBURGH Playhouse
Sun 10 August 2.30pm EDINBURGH Playhouse
Sun 10 August 7.30pm EDINBURGH Playhouse
THE STATE BALLET OF GEORGIA
ADAM Giselle
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Robert Cole conductor
Weds 13 August 8pm EDINBURGH Usher Hall HANDEL Israel in Egypt
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Emmanuelle Haïm conductor
Edinburgh Festival Chorus
Christopher Bell chorus master
Lucy Crowe soprano
Claire Debono soprano
Robin Blaze countertenor
Mark Tucker tenor
Matthew Brook bass
Henry Waddington bass
Weds 20 August 8pm EDINBURGH Usher Hall
MOZART Symphony No 40 in G minor
MOZART Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor
DVOŘÁK Nocturne in B major for strings
DVOŘÁK Czech Suite in D major
Sir Charles Mackerras conductor
Alfred Brendel piano
Fri 29 August 8pm EDINBURGH Usher Hall
SCRIABIN Scriabin Settings (arr Knussen)
JANÁČEK On the Overgrown Path Book 1 (arr David Matthews)
STRAVINSKY The Fairy’s Kiss
Oliver Knussen conductor
Sun 31 August 9pm PRINCES STREET GARDENS BANK OF SCOTLAND FIREWORKS CONCERT
DVOŘÁK Slavonic Dances (excerpts)
BRAHMS Hungarian Dances (excerpts)
Nicolae Moldoveanu conductor
Central Scotland Tour – Full Orchestra
Weds 3 September 7.30pm MOTHERWELL Concert Hall Programme TBC
Thurs 4 September 7.30pm FALKIRK FTH
Fri 5 September 7.30pm PAISLEY Town Hall
Sat 6 September 7.30pm DUNFERMLINE Carnegie Hall
Tickets
Full box office and ticket information will be available soon at www.sco.org.uk
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is internationally recognised for its innovative approach to music-making and programme planning. Formed in 1974 with a commitment to serve the Scottish community, it is also one of Scotland’s foremost cultural ambassadors. The Orchestra performs throughout Scotland, including annual tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and South of Scotland, and appears regularly at the Edinburgh, St Magnus and Aldeburgh Festivals and the BBC Proms. Its busy international touring schedule has recently included Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the USA. During 2008, the Orchestra gives a 10-date tour in Germany and also visits Vienna, Bregenz, Brussels and London’s Barbican Centre. The Orchestra’s international touring receives support from the Scottish Government.
Estonian conductor Olari Elts took up the position of Principal Guest Conductor this Season. He conducts four concert weeks in the 2007/08 Season, including the season finale –‘Nelson and Napoleon’.
The SCO’s long-standing relationship with Conductor Laureate Sir Charles Mackerras has resulted in many exceptional performances and recordings, particularly at the Edinburgh International Festival where they established an enviable reputation for concert performances of opera. Their recordings together include seven Mozart operas, a Grammy-nominated set of Brahms’ Symphonies, the full cycle of Beethoven Symphonies (with the Philharmonia Orchestra), four CDs of Mozart Piano Concertos with Alfred Brendel, Mozart’s Requiem and a disc of Kodály and Bartók for Linn Records. The Orchestra’s latest recording with Sir Charles – a double-disc featuring Mozart’s last four symphonies – was released on Linn Records in February 2008.
Following nine successful years as Principal Conductor, Joseph Swensen became the Orchestra’s Conductor Emeritus in 2005. Swensen has developed a unique relationship with the SCO as soloist as well as conductor and he and the SCO have released five CDs together through the Orchestra’s partnership with Linn Records. Other conductors who appear regularly with the SCO include Andrew Manze, Frans Brüggen, John Storgårds, Thierry Fischer, Louis Langrée, Andrew Litton and Nicholas McGegan and regular soloist/directors include Christian Zacharias and Piotr Anderszewski.
The Orchestra enjoys close relationships with many leading composers and has commissioned more than a hundred new works, including pieces by Composer Laureate Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Judith Weir, Sally Beamish, Karin Rehnqvist, Edward Harper, James MacMillan, Haflidi Hallgrímsson, Einojuhani Rautavaara and Stuart MacRae.
The Orchestra plays a prominent role in the Edinburgh Festival. In 2005, it was awarded a Bank of Scotland Archangel by The Herald in recognition of its sustained quality contribution to the Festival.
The SCO has led the way in music education with a unique programme of projects. SCO Education provides workshops for children and adults across Scotland and has attracted interest and invitations from overseas.
The Orchestra broadcasts regularly and has a discography now exceeding 140 recordings available by calling 0845 270 1812 or online at theshop.sco.org.uk.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra receives funding from the Scottish Government.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, 4 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB
Tel 0131 557 6800, Fax 0131 557 6933, email info@sco.org.uk, web www.sco.org.uk
|