LIFE PLAYED WITH PASSION Edinburgh and Glasgow Concert Season 2020/2021 SCO.ORG.UK
★★★★★ Wild things are in store for this orchestra and its charismatic conductor... Don’t miss him, or them.
WELCOME TO OUR CONCERT SEASON 2020 / 2021
The Observer
A very warm welcome to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s 20/21 Season. Our Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev has made quite an impression since joining the SCO last year. Increasingly in demand with leading orchestras and opera houses the world over, this Season we look forward to seven programmes from him, which demonstrate the extraordinary range and vision of this outstanding young musician. Well-known for his passion and for his expertise in music from the Baroque and Classical eras, we will hear Maxim perform Bach, Mozart and Schubert, and show his love for great Russian music, conducting major works by Tchaikovsky, RimskyKorsakov, Prokofiev and – as we approach the 50th anniversary of his death – Igor Stravinsky. He showcases the music of American contemporary giant John Adams with three classic works – The Chairman Dances, Shaker Loops and the Violin Concerto. There is also music from France in the shape of Poulenc’s Suite Française and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G and, joining forces once again with our magnificent SCO Chorus, he brings us one of the truly great works of art from the Romantic period – Brahms’ German Requiem.
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John Adams features elsewhere in the Season too, with his Saxophone Concerto performed by the brilliant Jess Gillam. Jess is just one of many remarkable soloists we will welcome throughout the year, including violinists Nicola Benedetti and Lisa Batiashvili (who will share a concert with her husband, oboist and conductor François Leleux), cellist Alban Gerhardt, percussionist Colin Currie, sopranos Carolyn Sampson and Claire Booth, tenor Allan Clayton and pianists Gabriela Montero – who will perform Clara Schumann’s Concerto – and the dynamic Frenchman David Fray, who concludes the Season with Ravel.
Alongside them are some of our great conducting friends; musicians who have developed a true rapport with players and audiences alike over many years: Joseph Swensen, Emmanuel Krivine, Andrew Manze, John Storgårds, Sir George Benjamin and, making her SCO debut, the outstanding Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro. Finnish conductor and violinist Pekka Kuusisto also makes a welcome return. Pekka’s programmes are always fascinating, invariably surprising and often provocative. Never afraid to confront the most pressing issues of the day through his great artistry, he joins forces with two of Scotland’s most exciting musicians – Karine Polwart and Pippa Murphy – to present music which addresses perhaps the most pressing issue of our time, climate change. During the course of the Season, you will hear one of the finest orchestras in the world making music with many of the greatest artists of the day, performing works from the UK, France, Germany, Austria, America, Russia, Italy, Estonia, Sweden and Finland; some of which may well be very familiar to you, some less so; some which have been unfairly neglected over the years; and some that are brand new including works being written by our Associate Composer Anna Clyne. None of this would be possible without the financial support of the Scottish Government, Dunard Fund, City of Edinburgh Council, our Business Partners, all the individuals and charitable trusts who kindly make donations, and the loyalty we receive from you, our audience. I look forward enormously to joining you on what promises to be an exciting musical journey this Season. Gavin Reid Chief Executive Scottish Chamber Orchestra
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CONTENTS September 2020 to May 2021
Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev’s Season Highlights
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Season Opener: Adams, Bruch & Tchaikovsky
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Chamber Music in the Afternoon No 3 •
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Clyne, Vaughan Williams & Butterworth
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Farrenc, Adams & Beethoven
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Handel
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Adams, Bach & Mozart
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Milhaud, Copland, Bernstein & Poulenc
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Mozart, J Anderson & R Strauss
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Mozart, R Strauss & Schumann
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Fauré, Debussy, Canteloube & Bizet
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Farrenc, Mazzoli, Britten & Haydn
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Robert & Clara Schumann
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Chamber Music in the Afternoon No 1: Side‑By‑Side •
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Brahms
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Sibelius, Rautavaara & Tchaikovsky
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Adams & Mozart
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Mendelssohn, Schubert & Tchaikovsky
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Season Finale: Mendelssohn, Ravel & Rimsky-Korsakov
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Ravel, Knussen & Benjamin Bach, Vivaldi, Barsanti & Handel
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Christmas Journeys •
Creating a positive impact through music
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New Year Gala Concert •
Thank you
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Mozart, Dvořák & Beethoven
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Chamber Music in the Afternoon No 2 •
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If You See Me, Weep
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Prokofiev, Poulenc & Stravinsky
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Family Festival: Stan and Mabel •
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Mendelssohn
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Why we need your support 41 How to book Season Concerts
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Seating Plans
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Subscription Prices
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Booking Form
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Join the conversation
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• Additional Event
Pre-Concert Insight
Right‑hand page (top left to bottom right): Maxim Emelyanychev, Pippa Murphy, Pekka Kuusisto, Stephanie Gonley, Anna Clyne, Benjamin Marquise Gilmore, Siún Milne, Felix Tanner, Louise Goodwin, Alison Green, Kana Kawashima, Adrian Bornet
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Maxim Emelyanychev Principal Conductor
Principal Conductor
MAXIM EMELYANYCHEV’S Season Highlights
Welcome! It is always very exciting to be presenting a new Season of work for our audience. How do we choose which pieces to play in a Season? Sometimes it’s very easy, sometimes it’s difficult – when we perform, we want to play the best music of each style and we have over 500 years of music to choose from! Also, with an orchestra like the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the players are so talented and versatile, so there are many options to choose from. When we are selecting the music to play, it’s a conversation between our soloists and visiting conductors, as I want to know about the music that they are excited about and how that might fit across an evening, a month or a season. So, what to expect this Season! It’s most simply described as a lot of music that you will know and some that might be new to you. So, of course, we have masterpieces of Baroque, Romantic and Classical music, with Mozart, Handel, Strauss, Mendelssohn, Schumann and more, but also some more modern pieces, including a series of works throughout the Season by the American John Adams, and new compositions created especially for us.
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Please approach our programmes with open minds, hearts and ears. It’s important to find a balance and not just perform the very well-known pieces, but introduce beautiful and fantastic less known music, which is perfectly suited to the Orchestra and which I know you will enjoy. I am looking forward to conducting epic Russian music for you, including Tchaikovsky’s last symphony and Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov. You might be surprised that a chamber orchestra would play these pieces, but it was normal in their time, for these works to be performed by smaller orchestras and a chamber orchestra performing will offer something new and exciting to the listener. I am excited to be working with the extraordinary violinist Nicola Benedetti to open our Season for you. This concert is going to be very special. Nothing is better than going on stage and seeing our audience, because music is a special language which we can share and which speaks to our hearts directly. I hope that you will join us for many concerts this Season and I look forward to meeting you and seeing more of this beautiful country that has inspired so many artists.
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Nicola Benedetti
Season Opener
ADAMS, BRUCH & TCHAIKOVSKY Conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev
The Quilter Cheviot Benedetti Series
Thu 24 Sep 2020, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh Fri 25 Sep 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Adams The Chairman Dances (12’) Bruch Violin Concerto No 1 (24’) Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 ‘Pathétique’ (45’)
An exhilarating evening of music-making from a genuine partnership. Birmingham Post
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Maxim Emelyanychev: Conductor Nicola Benedetti: Violin
What better way to open the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s 20/21 Season than by pairing these two remarkable artists; our Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev and the nation’s most popular violinist Nicola Benedetti. We begin with The Chairman Dances, described by John Adams himself as “a parody of what I imagined Chinese movie music of the ’30s sounded like”. This ‘Foxtrot for Orchestra’ features rich, romantic harmonies and pulsing minimalist rhythms, ending somewhat disconcertingly with the sound of a gramophone winding down. Of the nine major works that Bruch wrote for violin, his first Violin Concerto is easily the most popular. A matchless ability to balance melodic simplicity and virtuosity is exemplified in the Adagio, where soaring lines and bravura technical displays are tempered with the sweetness of a lullaby. Tchaikovsky’s final symphony might famously be about death, but somewhat at odds with this, it is also a confident, energetic work, which he himself termed “the best thing I have composed”. What makes the piece so powerful? Without doubt it’s the way that Tchaikovsky lays bare his soul through the music – the ups and downs of life, the bright flashes of joy against dark, stormy clouds of despair. It is at once deeply personal and universal and therein lies its enduring power and appeal.
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HANDEL Conducted by Bernard Labadie
Martín’s dynamic performance was exquisite against the rich sound of the ensemble. The Herald
Proudly sponsored and match funded by:
A glittering evening of richly sumptuous, ceremonial music by one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era. Handel is superbly paired here with Bernard Labadie, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading interpreters of Baroque and Classical repertoire.
In his long, hugely successful career, Handel was often called upon to compose music for royalty and great state occasions and this evening opens with one of his four Coronation Anthems, Zadok the Priest. Originally composed for the coronation of George II, it has been performed at every subsequent British coronation, traditionally during the Sovereign’s anointing. Thu 01 Oct 2020, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh Fri 02 Oct 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow
This evening presents a rare chance to hear all four of the Coronation Anthems and the first opportunity of the Season to hear the SCO Chorus, whose critically acclaimed performance of Handel’s Jephtha was one of the highlights at last year’s BBC Proms.
Handel Zadok the Priest (Coronation Anthem No 1) (5’) Music for the Royal Fireworks (26’) My Heart is Inditing, HWV 261 (Coronation Anthem No 4) (12’) Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened (Coronation Anthem No 2) (7’) The King Shall Rejoice (Coronation Anthem No 3) (13’) Bernard Labadie: Conductor Lydia Teuscher: Soprano Iestyn Davies: Countertenor Matthew Brook: Baritone SCO Chorus Gregory Batsleer: Chorus Director
★★★★
Professional voices can be thrilling here but the humanity, expressiveness and energy of the SCO Chorus in the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s performance of Jephtha… was even more impactful.
Maximiliano Martín Principal Clarinet
MILHAUD, COPLAND, BERNSTEIN & POULENC Conducted by Joseph Swensen
The Times
Thu 08 Oct 2020, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 30 Oct 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow* Milhaud La Création du monde (16’) Copland Clarinet Concerto (16’) Bernstein orch Ramin Sonata for Clarinet and Orchestra (12’) Poulenc Sinfonietta (29’)
We are delighted to welcome back our Conductor Emeritus Joseph Swensen for an evening of jazzy, foot-tapping tunes. Dixieland meets Baroque brilliance in Milhaud’s bewitching ballet score, infused with the jazz he encountered on the streets of Harlem, while Poulenc freely mixes Mozart, Tchaikovsky and catchy Parisian tunes in the breathless energy of his sunny Sinfonietta. SCO Principal Clarinet Maximiliano Martín is a remarkably expressive soloist in his own right, and what better opportunity to enjoy his talents than with two larger-than-life masterpieces: the bittersweet lyricism and wild euphoria of Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, written for jazz legend Benny Goodman, and Bernstein’s jazzy, snazzy Sonata.
Joseph Swensen: Conductor Maximiliano Martín: Clarinet * During the gap between concert dates, the Orchestra will be undertaking a short tour of the US, our first in a decade.
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MOZART, R STRAUSS & SCHUMANN
FARRENC, MAZZOLI, BRITTEN & HAYDN
Conducted by Emmanuel Krivine
With Pekka Kuusisto
Thu 05 Nov 2020, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh Fri 06 Nov 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow*
Thu 12 Nov 2020, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 13 Nov 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow
Mozart Adagio and Fugue, K291 (8’) R Strauss Metamorphosen (26’) Schumann Symphony No 3 ‘Rhenish’ (31’)
Farrenc Andante con Variazione (Nonet) (8’) Mazzoli Dissolve, Oh My Heart (8’) Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (26’) Haydn Symphony No 104 ‘London’ (29’)
SCO Platform: 6.45pm * Performance by pupils from Douglas Academy
A lament for a centuries-old musical culture shattered by the Second World War, Richard Strauss’ Metamorphosen is sorrowful, deeply moving and profoundly cathartic. Its heartrending balance of despair and hope can leave no listener untouched. Metamorphosen is the sombre centrepiece in this compelling concert under Principal Guest Conductor Emmanuel Krivine, esteemed for his insights, fresh perspectives and unexpected ideas. He contrasts its deep emotions with the sweeping joy and power of Schumann’s ‘Rhenish’ Symphony, full of optimism and musical heroics as the composer embarked on a new musical life in Düsseldorf. To begin, discover a little-known gem by either Mozart or Michael Haydn – experts are divided.
Felix Tanner Sub-Principal Viola
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… Krivine distilled grace and delicacy with sensuality, triggering without restraint the powerful lyricism of symphonic phrases. Le Monde
Pekka Kuusisto: Director / Violin Allan Clayton: Tenor Alec Frank-Gemmill: Horn
An evening of contrasts which sees us welcome back three brilliant musicians. The programme opens with a movement from Louise Farrenc’s charming, genial Nonet. Not every piece of classical music emerges from late-night conversations over Chinese food, but that is how Breaking the Waves composer Missy Mazzoli describes the genesis of her 2011 violin solo. The piece is possibly best described as a contemporary musical conversation with Bach’s heartbreaking Chaconne from the famous Partita in D minor. The origins of Benjamin Britten’s masterpiece Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings are perhaps more familiar. Composed during World War II, it sets to music a selection of six poems by some of the most famous names in literature, including Tennyson, Keats and Blake. Its opening and closing sequence of softly intoned horn calls evoke a twilight atmosphere of stillness and sadness. To end, Joseph Haydn's acclaimed final symphony ‘London’. It’s not known whether it was the composer’s intention that this symphony would be his last, but everything about it certainly makes a bold statement.
Pekka Kuusisto
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CHAMBER MUSIC IN THE • ‑ : AFTERNOON No 1 SIDE BY SIDE
ADAMS & MOZART Conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev
With SCO Wind Soloists & RCS Students
Fri 20 Nov 2020, 1.00pm Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow Sun 22 Nov 2020, 3.00pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Mozart Serenade No 11 in E-flat, K375 (25’)* Clyne Overflow (10’) Beethoven arr Reader Symphony No 7 (36’) SCO Wind Soloists RCS Wind Students * Please note that the Mozart Serenade will only be played in Edinburgh.
★★★★
Bassoonist Alison Green dispatched the hugely demanding solo in the Bourrée in Bach’s Suite No 4 with graceful insouciance, as well as combining beautifully with the string basses in the continuo.
It’s always a real pleasure to see the musicians of the Orchestra play alongside their counterparts from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland at these two annual afternoon concerts in Glasgow and Edinburgh. We begin with the irresistible charms and elegance of Mozart’s sublime Serenade No 11. Excitingly, we then present a new work by our Associate Composer Anna Clyne. Marking Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, Overflow is inspired by Emily Dickinson’s poem By The Sea. As the title suggests, it will reflect on the concept of the word overflow in multiple senses – in water, nature, emotion and abundance – both positively and negatively. It will also be shaped by climate change, and the way in which the tiniest motion can create massive waves. Speaking of making waves, there can be little doubt that the arrival in 1813 of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony did exactly that. With its stirring melodies, pulsating rhythms and an exuberant finale, it’s no surprise that this masterpiece is as popular now as ever.
Our Glasgow concert is proudly sponsored by:
Thu 26 Nov 2020, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 27 Nov 2020 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Adams Violin Concerto (32’) Mozart Overture, Die Zauberflöte, K620 (7’) Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, K339 (28’)
Mozart’s overture for his much-loved opera The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) needs little, if any, introduction – a joyously sunny delight. For our final piece of the evening we remain in the hands of Mozart and his Vesperae Solennes De Confessore – Solemn Vespers. Originally intended for the celebration of an unknown saint’s day, it was to be Mozart’s final choral work composed for the magnificent setting of Salzburg Cathedral. Featuring bright, shining Allegros and a dazzling Magnificat, it is by turns lusciously operatic and deeply spiritual. An exceptional quartet of soloists joins the superb SCO Chorus.
Maxim Emelyanychev: Conductor Josef Špaček: Violin Elizabeth Watts: Soprano Catriona Morison: Mezzo-Soprano Thomas Walker: Tenor Ashley Riches: Bass-Baritone SCO Chorus Gregory Batsleer: Chorus Director
★★★★
The chamber orchestra’s new principal conductor gave a vibrant and lithe account of one of Mozart’s grandest symphonies.
The Herald
The Guardian
Alison Green Sub-Principal Bassoon
Maxim Emelyanychev
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Our Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev returns for the second John Adams work of the Season. The brilliant young Czech violinist Josef Špaček will doubtlessly bring his big, enthusiastic musical personality to the endless melodies of John Adams’ captivating Violin Concerto, a workout of extreme physicality and high drama.
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RAVEL, KNUSSEN & BENJAMIN Conducted by Sir George Benjamin
Thu 10 Dec 2020, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 11 Dec 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Philip Higham Principal Cello
MENDELSSOHN, SCHUBERT & TCHAIKOVSKY Conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev
Thu 03 Dec 2020, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh* Fri 04 Dec 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow** Mendelssohn The Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave) (10’) Schubert Symphony No 5 (27’) Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme (18’) Schubert Symphony No 8 ‘Unfinished’ (23’) Maxim Emelyanychev: Conductor Philip Higham: Cello SCO Platform: 6.45pm * Performance by pupils from St Mary’s Music School ** Performance by students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Two contrasting symphonies by Schubert form the backbone of Maxim Emelyanychev’s richly Romantic concert. Schubert wrote his Fifth when he was just nineteen, and it dazzles with effortless tunes and youthful exuberance. Just six years later, Schubert was a very different composer when he packed a whole symphony’s worth of innovation and brooding power into the two movements of his rightly celebrated ‘Unfinished’.
Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin (17’) Knussen Ophelia Dances (8’) Requiem (Songs for Sue) (12’) Benjamin A Mind of Winter (10’) Ravel Mother Goose (29’) Sir George Benjamin: Conductor Claire Booth: Soprano
Glasgow-born Oliver Knussen was a towering figure in British music – and a regular collaborator with the SCO – until his untimely death in 2018. Benjamin conducts his sprightly, Shakespeare-inspired Ophelia Dances alongside Knussen’s brief but powerful tribute to his own wife Sue, with exceptional soprano Claire Booth – for whom he conceived the work – as soloist. Benjamin wrote his vivid A Mind of Winter for the SCO back in 1981, and he completes the concert with two ravishing works by Ravel: his touching tribute to four friends whose lives were cut short in World War 1, and his tender, funny, dazzling fairytale pieces to charm children and adults alike.
George Benjamin: one of the doyens of contemporary British composition, whose music makes sounds of ravishing, shimmering beauty. The Guardian
SCO Principal Cello Philip Higham makes a welcome return as soloist in the glorious lyricism of Tchaikovsky’s warm-hearted Rococo Variations, which pushes its soloist to remarkable feats of virtuosity. To begin, take a stormy trip to the far-flung Isle of Staffa in Mendelssohn’s timeless Hebrides Overture.
★★★★
The SCO and Emelyanychev already play as a team... I can’t remember when Schubert’s symphony sounded so lifeenhancing and fresh. The Times (Schubert Symphony No 9, Linn Records)
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Thu 17 Dec 2020, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 18 Dec 2020, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Bach Sinfonia to Cantata, BWV 174 (6’) Vivaldi Arias (Griselda; Juditha Triumphans) (11’) Barsanti Overture in D minor Op 4, No 2 (7’) Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 1, BWV 1046 (10’) Barsanti Concerto Grosso in D major, Op 3, No 3 (10’) Handel Arias (Ariodante) (20’) Water Music Suite No 2 in D major (11’)
Celebrate the coming of the festive season with some of the best-loved Baroque music ever composed. Formerly the SCO’s Principal Bassoon, Peter Whelan is in high demand as one of the UK’s most respected directors of early music, praised for his exuberant, energetic performances.
CHRISTMAS JOURNEYS • Conducted by Gregory Batsleer
He brings together two kaleidoscopic works by Bach – his splendid Brandenburg Concerto No 1 and the rumbustious Sinfonia to Cantata alongside Handel’s jaunty, jolly Water Music. The Italian composer Francesco Barsanti spent several years working in Edinburgh and his crowd-pleasing works, together with arias from Handel’s Ariodante (set in medieval Scotland), add a Scottish twist to this programme of pomp and revelry, promising a Christmas concert full of sonic splendour.
Peter Whelan: Conductor / Harpsichord Katie Bray: Mezzo-Soprano
Tue 22 Dec 2020, 7.30pm Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh Programme to include: Vaughan Williams This is the truth told from above Cornelius The Three Kings Pärt Da Pacem Domine I Holst The Lord that lay in Assë Stall Bax Mater Ora Filium Rutter Hymn to the Creator of Light Clyne New Work (World Premiere) Warlock Bethlehem Down Whitacre Lux Aurumque SCO Chorus Gregory Batsleer: Conductor
BACH, VIVALDI, BARSANTI & HANDEL With Peter Whelan
The SCO Chorus’ annual Christmas performance at Greyfriars Kirk has become a must-see festive highlight in Edinburgh. The unique combination of the historic setting of the Kirk and sublime choral singing makes for a truly uplifting, spiritual evening. This year’s concert takes place during the Kirk’s celebratory 400th year and features music by Arvo Pärt, John Rutter and Eric Whitacre, as well as the premiere of a new work by the SCO’s Associate Composer Anna Clyne.
Members of the SCO Chorus
NEW YEAR GALA CONCERT • Conducted by Jiří Rožeň
Fri 01 Jan 2021, 3.00pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh There will also be New Year Gala Concerts in Perth, Ayr and Dumfries. See sco.org.uk for details. Programme to include: Dvořák Slavonic Dances J Strauss II Voices of Spring, Roses in Tyrol E Strauss Greetings from Prague Schubert Entr’acte (Rosamunde) R Strauss Amor (Brentano Lieder) J Strauss II The Blue Danube Suppé Light Cavalry Overture Jiří Rožeň: Conductor Jennifer France: Soprano As ever at this unique time of year, the SCO has only one resolution: to offer a feast of joyful, musical fare for all the family. So, put your best first foot forward and step into 2021 with this chocolate box of festive delights featuring traditional Viennese favourites, sumptuous ballet music, and polkas and waltzes galore. Happy New Year!
Collection in aid of:
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MOZART, DVORÁK & BEETHOVEN With François Leleux
Our Edinburgh concert is proudly sponsored and match funded by:
An astonishingly expressive, charismatic oboist, François Leleux is also a conductor of rare insight, so it’s hardly surprising he’s such a well-loved and much-respected figure with SCO musicians and audiences alike. He makes a welcome return in the company of Georgian-born Lisa Batiashvili – a powerful musical voice and commanding presence on world stages, who also happens to be Leleux’s wife – in Beethoven’s grand, groundbreaking Violin Concerto.
Thu 14 Jan 2021, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh Fri 15 Jan 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Mozart Oboe Concerto in C, K314 (21’) Dvořák Legends, Op 59 (Selection) (20’) Beethoven Violin Concerto (42’) François Leleux: Conductor / Oboe Lisa Batiashvili: Violin
Leleux himself is soloist amid the bubbling brilliance of Mozart’s ebullient C major Oboe Concerto, and he takes on the dramatic storytelling in Dvořák’s Legends, full of the distinctive flavours of central Europe.
Osborne’s immaculate phrasing of the range of rhythms in the solo part was a joy.
Steven Osborne
The Herald Lisa Batiashvili
CHAMBER MUSIC IN • THE AFTERNOON No 2 With Steven Osborne
Sun 17 Jan 2021, 3.00pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
… Batiashvili’s fearless playing, which is so tonally rich and technically immaculate. The Guardian
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Martinů Duo No 2 for Violin and Cello (12’) Bartók Contrasts (18’) Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time (55’) Steven Osborne: Piano Maximiliano Martín: Clarinet Maria Włoszczowska: Violin Philip Higham: Cello
Written eighty years ago in a Nazi prisoner of war camp as the world seemed to face oblivion, Messiaen’s epic Quartet for the End of Time combines the mind-bendingly complex, the serenely pious, the sentimental and the furious in fantastical musical images inspired by the Book of Revelation. It’s one of the chamber repertoire’s towering masterpieces and forms the climax of this compelling afternoon of music from SCO Principals, guest violinist Maria Włoszczowska and inspirational Scottish pianist – and Messiaen authority – Steven Osborne.
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IF YOU SEE ME, WEEP With Karine Polwart & Pekka Kuusisto
Thu 21 Jan 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 22 Jan 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow* * Co-promotion with Celtic Connections Polwart/Murphy If You See Me, Weep (c.28’) (World Premiere) (Commissioned by SCO) Beethoven Romance No 1 (8’) Polwart/Murphy The Lang Summer Day (7’) Tarrodi Birds Of Paradise (10’) Polwart/Murphy The Muir Burns (7’) Tüür Insula Deserta (9’) Polwart/Murphy And You Will Weep Too (7’) Vasks Distant Light (35’) Polwart/Murphy Let Us Go (7’) Pekka Kuusisto: Director / Violin Karine Polwart: Singer / Narrator Pippa Murphy: Sound Design
In the River Elbe, near the German-Czech border, ancient drought markers known as The Hunger Stones serve as both memorials to past hardships and warnings to future generations. Borrowing its name from one such stone inscription, If You See Me, Weep is a newly commissioned work from the awardwinning composition team of Scottish songwriter, folk-artist and theatre-maker Karine Polwart, and composer and sound designer Pippa Murphy. It frames a programme rooted in environmental fragility and the breakdown of familiar seasonal cycles, to which Finnish firebrand Pekka Kuusisto brings his passion for experimentation in directing from the violin. Familiarity is established by Beethoven’s Romance No 1, whilst The Lang Summer Day anchors Polwart and Murphy’s work in the pastoral imagery of Robert Tannahill’s 18th century ballad The Braes o’ Balquhidder. Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi took inspiration from the BBC’s Planet Earth series for her 2008 work Birds of Paradise, which conjures “the way they fly and the way they sound and sing”. Its swirling clamour and uncanny mimetic motifs give way to the bristling, arid landscape of Polwart and Murphy’s second sequence The Muir Burns.
Karine Polwart flexes time and space. Her songs stretch out to centuries, or shrink to a tiny moment. Financial Times
Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür’s unsettling Insula Deserta closes the first half on a note of anxiety. The brooding, bardic despair of And You Will Weep Too is fractured by keening bursts in Polwart and Murphy’s penultimate sequence, drawing directly from text fragments inscribed on The Hunger Stones. Much of Pēteris Vasks’ work is informed by Latvian folklore, history and politics, and reflects on complex, shifting human relationships with the natural world, and the coexistence of loss and hope. Infused with passages of ecstasy and lamentation, Vasks himself describes his string concerto Distant Light as “nostalgia with a touch of tragedy”. Let Us Go, the final movement of Polwart and Murphy’s If You See Me, Weep, returns to folkloric motifs, radiating outward from the stark isolation of solo voice and violin, through circular iterations, which expand and deepen towards a hymnal close.
There is something very special indeed about the way the SCO players respond to this young Finn’s direction. The Herald
Karine Polwart
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Pekka Kuusisto
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PROKOFIEV, POULENC & STRAVINSKY
Proudly sponsored by:
Conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev
Proudly sponsored and match funded by:
Maxim Emelyanychev showcases his talents as both conductor and keyboard player in three brilliant works taking very modern views on music of the past. Prokofiev imagined what Haydn might write if he were alive in the 20th century in his brief but utterly charming Classical Symphony, while Stravinsky threw all his own unmistakable rhythms and piquant harmonies at Pergolesi (or so he thought) in his captivating Pulcinella, as comic as it is touching.
Thu 28 Jan 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh* Fri 29 Jan 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Prokofiev Symphony No 1 ‘Classical’ (15’) Poulenc Suite Française (12’) Stravinsky Pulcinella (40’) Maxim Emelyanychev: Conductor / Harpsichord Claire Booth: Soprano Andrew Staples: Tenor Roderick Williams: Baritone SCO Platform: 6.45pm * Performance by students from The University of Edinburgh
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In between, Poulenc melds the archaic and the anarchic in his flamboyant Suite Française, reimagining music from 16th-century France for cosmopolitan Paris in the 1930s.
As a musician, nothing makes me happier than when I go on stage and see the audience, because I believe that music is a special language which we can share and which speaks to the heart directly.
Family Festival
STAN AND • MABEL Sat 06 Feb 2021 Edinburgh International Conference Centre
Maxim Emelyanychev
Maxim Emelyanychev Principal Conductor
Show 1: 10.30am Foyer events begin 12-12.50pm Concert 12.50-1.30pm Meet the performers
This highly interactive concert will captivate young children with its mix of music and audience participation. Join in the fun foyer activities before the concert – become maestro of our multi-coloured instrument collection, make your own animal masks and take part in drawing workshops! With a bit of our expert help, you’ll be ready to audition, just like Stan and Mabel!
Show 2: 1.00pm Foyer events begin 2.30-3.20pm Concert 3.20-4pm Meet the performers
Paul Rissmann’s musical adventure Stan and Mabel is a fantastic introduction for young people to classical music, so come and join children’s TV presenter Chris Jarvis as he narrates the story of how they came to audition for the ‘Greatest Orchestra in the World’.
Sun 07 Feb 2021 City Halls, Glasgow 1.00pm Foyer events begin 2.30-3.20pm Concert 3.20-4pm Meet the performers
This family festival is the cat’s pyjamas, so you’d be barking not to book tickets!
★★★★
Paul Rissman: Composer Jason Chapman: Author / Illustrator Chris Jarvis: Narrator
For ages 4 to 10, Stan and Mabel’s escapades have made orchestral encounters an enjoyable adventure.
Recommended for: ages 4-10
The Herald
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MENDELSSOHN Directed by Kristian Bezuidenhout & Stephanie Gonley
Kindly supported by:
Colin and Sue Buchan Thu 18 Feb 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 19 Feb 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Mendelssohn String Symphony No 12 in G minor (20’) Piano Concerto No 2 in D minor (22’) Concerto in D minor for Violin, Piano and Strings (20’)
Child genius, musical pioneer, explorer of the emotions. Felix Mendelssohn is so much more than simply the creator of bewitching melodies, as world-renowned keyboard player and director Kristian Bezuidenhout sets out to demonstrate in this concert. Mendelssohn wrote his high-spirited String Symphony – astonishingly – at the age of just twelve, and its boisterous invention celebrates both Beethoven and Bach. His sparkling Concerto for Violin and Piano – in which Bezuidenhout is joined by SCO Leader Stephanie Gonley – came a mere two years later. In between these two childhood works comes the drama and virtuosity of the deeply romantic Second Piano Concerto, from Mendelssohn’s more mature years.
Kristian Bezuidenhout: Director / Piano Stephanie Gonley: Director / Violin
Kristian Bezuidenhout
CHAMBER MUSIC IN • THE AFTERNOON No 3 With Kristian Bezuidenhout
Sun 21 Feb 2020, 3.00pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh C Schumann Romance in A minor (5’) Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor (35’) C Schumann Pièces Fugitives, Op 15 (12’) R Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat major (25’)
Stephanie Gonley Leader
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Kristian Bezuidenhout: Piano Maximiliano Martín: Clarinet Stephanie Gonley: Violin Marcus Barcham Stevens: Violin Philip Higham: Cello
In the third of our Chamber Sundays this Season, we invite you to join us for an afternoon of delightful music as the piano, clarinet, violin and cello take centre stage. There’s romantic repertoire from Clara Schumann, sweeping strings and colourful clarinet courtesy of Brahms, and a special delivery of piano perfection from Robert Schumann. If you haven’t been to one before, then you’ll discover that Chamber Sundays are a great opportunity to hear some of our hugely talented musicians in a soloist role, performing a programme of music that they have curated themselves.
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FARRENC, ADAMS & BEETHOVEN Conducted by Joana Carniero
Proudly sponsored by:
CLYNE, VAUGHAN WILLIAMS & BUTTERWORTH Conducted by Andrew Manze
Thur 25 Feb 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 26 Feb 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Clyne New Work (15’) (UK Premiere) (Co-commissioned by: Australian Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, & River Oaks Chamber Orchestra) Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending (13’) Butterworth A Shropshire Lad (11’) Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs (20’) Serenade to Music (14’) Andrew Manze: Conductor Benjamin Marquise Gilmore: Violin Benjamin Appl: Baritone SCO Chorus Gregory Batsleer: Chorus Director
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Thu 04 Mar 2021, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh Fri 05 Mar 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Farrenc Overture in E-flat (12’) Adams Saxophone Concerto (29’) Beethoven Symphony No 3 ‘Eroica’ (47’)
The second work of the Season by French composer Louise Farrenc demands our attention from the start, opening with an impressive, dramatic flourish. To follow, we are delighted that the hugely talented Jess Gillam will be making her SCO debut performing John Adams’ 2013 Saxophone Concerto. The piece has everything you would expect from Adams’ work, being packed with irresistibly infectious energy. The evening concludes with a work that is epic in every sense, Beethoven’s Symphony No 3 ‘Eroica’. This masterpiece was a turning point not only in Beethoven’s career and life, but also in the history of music itself, rewriting the rules for what a symphony can and should be. It remains a timeless favourite for its explosive power and emphatic expression of triumph.
Joana Carniero: Conductor Jess Gillam: Alto Saxophone
Nostalgia and deep spirituality pervade this all-British concert under regular SCO collaborator Andrew Manze, increasingly respected worldwide for his remarkable insights into English music. Exceptional young German baritone Benjamin Appl makes his SCO debut in the haunting melancholy of Butterworth’s tender A Shropshire Lad, indelibly associated with those lost in the Great War, and he returns for the lush grandeur of Vaughan Williams’ ravishingly beautiful Five Mystical Songs alongside the SCO Chorus. Following a brand new work by our Associate Composer Anna Clyne, Vaughan Williams’ ever popular The Lark Ascending is sure to delight, and the concert closes with the sensuous sweetness of his languorous tribute to the power of music.
… stars of the show were the SCO Chorus singers... with singing that was strongly defined, expertly balanced and joyfully buoyant. The Scotsman
Jess Gillam
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ADAMS, BACH & MOZART With Maxim Emelyanychev
… one of the finest cellists around – expressive, unshowy and infinitely classy. The Guardian
Proudly sponsored by
Thu 11 Mar 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 12 Mar 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Adams Shaker Loops (24’) Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 5, BWV 1050 (21’) Mozart Serenade in B-flat, K361 ‘Gran Partita’ (44’) Maxim Emelyanychev: Conductor / Harpsichord Stephanie Gonley: Violin André Cebrián: Flute
Maxim Emelyanychev showcases the exceptional talents of the SCO’s string and wind players – both separately and together – in this striking concert bringing together ancient and modern. With its extraordinary colours and glorious invention, Mozart’s ‘Gran Partita’ takes the humble wind serenade to unprecedented heights, its gathering of twelve wind players and one double bassist delivering captivating melodies of almost symphonic grandeur. On the other hand, John Adams’ glistening minimalist masterpiece Shaker Loops charms and inspires with its delirious web of scurrying strings and propulsive energy. In between, Emelyanychev is himself soloist in Bach’s deliciously entertaining Fifth Brandenburg Concerto.
MOZART, J ANDERSON & R STRAUSS Conducted by Clemens Schuldt
Thu 18 Mar 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 19 Mar 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Mozart Symphony No 31 ‘Paris’ (17’) J Anderson Cello Concerto ‘Litanies’ (25’) (Scottish Premiere) R Strauss Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (36’) Clemens Schuldt: Conductor Alban Gerhardt: Cello
Mozart’s famous Symphony No 31 ‘Paris’ was composed when he was just 22. At the time, he was down on his luck and in search of work in the City of Light, but you’d never know it from the sweeping confidence of the opening movement with its rich offering of horns, trumpets, timpani, flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons. We move swiftly on to the present day and the Scottish Premiere of Julian Anderson’s first Cello Concerto, written in memory of his friend, the composer and conductor Oliver Knussen. The work has been described as a magical exploration of the endless possibilities of the cello and will no doubt provide a superb introduction to the skills of soloist Alban Gerhardt, making his SCO debut. To end, we return to our opening French theme with Richard Strauss’ orchestral suite Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme which, unusually for Strauss, is neo-classical and has a distinctly Baroque feel, having been based in part on works by Jean-Baptiste Lully, who provided the music for Molière’s original 17th century play of the same name.
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Carolyn Sampson
FAURÉ, DEBUSSY, CANTELOUBE & BIZET With François Leleux Our Edinburgh concert is proudly sponsored by:
Thu 25 Mar 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 26 Mar 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Fauré Pavane (7’) Debussy arr Silvestrini Rhapsodie (11’) Canteloube Songs of the Auvergne (Selection) (24’) Bizet L’Arlésienne, Suite No 1 (17’) Carmen, Suite No 1 (18’) François Leleux: Conductor / Cor Anglais Carolyn Sampson: Soprano Sumptuousness, sophistication, sultry seduction: there’s plenty of all three in this all-Gallic evening with brilliantly characterful French conductor François Leleux. Soprano Carolyn Sampson is a favourite performer with Scottish audiences and, with her astonishing commitment and versatility, it’s not hard to see why. She turns her refined vocal talents to a selection from Canteloube’s sensual settings of folksongs from the heart of France, as entrancing as they are rapturous. Leleux himself is soloist in Gilles Silvestrini’s artful arrangement for cor anglais of Debussy’s voluptuous, Spanish-flavoured Rhapsodie. He bookends the concert with the touching poignancy of Fauré’s exquisite Pavane, and rousing music from two of Bizet’s best-loved stage works.
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ROBERT & CLARA SCHUMANN
BRAHMS
Conducted by Joseph Swensen
Conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev
Kindly supported by:
Donald and Louise MacDonald Thu 15 April 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 16 April 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow R Schumann Overture, Genoveva (10’) C Schumann Piano Concerto (24’) C Schumann arr J Swensen Three Romances for Violin and Orchestra (10’) R Schumann Symphony No 1 ‘Spring’ (30’) Joseph Swensen: Conductor Gabriela Montero: Piano Stephanie Gonley: Violin An evening of unashamedly Romantic music, courtesy of Mr and Mrs Schumann. To begin, the Overture from Robert Schumann’s only opera, Genoveva; expect dramatic and sweeping German Romanticism. To follow, the virtuosic talents of pianist Gabriela Montero performing Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto. We continue with her Three Romances for Violin and Orchestra, as dreamy as you could wish for. To end, Robert Schumann’s Symphony No 1 ‘Spring’, which practically glows with a youthful, profoundly positive attitude to life and the anticipation of the approach of spring.
Thu 22 Apr 2021, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh* Fri 23 Apr 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow* Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem (68’) Maxim Emelyanychev: Conductor Sophie Bevan: Soprano Hanno Müller-Brachmann: Bass‑Baritone SCO Chorus Gregory Batsleer: Chorus Director Pre-Concert Insight: 6.45pm * Gregory Batsleer (SCO Chorus Director) and Steve King (SCO Viola) will introduce this wonderful work.
Brahms was an agnostic and a humanist, so his deeply moving Requiem is a work for the people, intended to console and offer hope to those suffering loss. With its resplendent choral writing and its rich, autumnal colours, it’s a masterpiece that offers comfort and inspiration to people of all faiths, and of none. Maxim Emelyanychev is joined by two eminent vocal soloists and the exceptional SCO Chorus for what’s been described as Brahms’ most awe-inspiring creation.
Gabriela Montero
The SCO Chorus was on outstanding form… exquisitely balanced throughout and with impeccable enunciation that conveyed every word. The Scotsman
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SIBELIUS, RAUTAVAARA & TCHAIKOVSKY
William Hagen
Conducted by John Storgårds
Our Glasgow concert is proudly sponsored by:
Edinburgh-born Colin Currie is one of the world’s greatest percussionists, as revered for his gripping power as he is for his remarkable refinement. Finnish visionary composer Einojuhani Rautavaara wrote his magical, mystical percussion concerto ‘Incantations’ for Currie in 2008: it’s a shaman’s dance blending blistering virtuosity and unearthly luminosity – just the thing to showcase Currie’s exceptional talents.
Thu 29 Apr 2021, 7.30pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Fri 30 Apr 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Sibelius The Tempest, Suite No 2 (17’) Rautavaara Percussion Concerto ‘Incantations’ (23’) Tchaikovsky arr G Morton Symphony No 5 (50’) John Storgårds: Conductor Colin Currie: Percussion
Rautavaara’s compatriot John Storgårds – another musical magician – opens his compelling programme with Sibelius’ dream-like, turbulent incidental music to Shakespeare’s final play – little-known, perhaps, but considered by many as among the composer’s greatest achievements. Storgårds closes with George Morton’s chamber arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, a fate-filled journey from darkness to light made all the more potent through this intimate setting.
Colin Currie
JOHANN STRAUSS II, TCHAIKOVSKY & DVORÁK Conducted by Emmanuel Krivine
Thu 06 May 2021, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh Fri 07 May 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow
The world’s finest and most daring percussionist.
Johann Strauss II Overture, Die Fledermaus (9’) Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (33’) Dvořák Symphony No 8 (36’) Emmanuel Krivine: Conductor William Hagen: Violin
A full-blooded programme of high romance and intense drama with Principal Guest Conductor Emmanuel Krivine. After the elegance and cheeky wit of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus Overture, violinist William Hagen is the soloist in Tchaikovsky’s gripping Violin Concerto. As packed with tunes as it is with emotional turmoil, it’s just the work to showcase the remarkable power and virtuosity of this much-in-demand US violinist. Krivine closes his wonderfully exuberant evening with the sunny lyricism and bucolic good humour of Dvořák’s folk-inspired Eighth Symphony.
The Spectator
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CREATING A POSITIVE IMPACT THROUGH MUSIC The work of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra extends far beyond the concert platform. Our innovative Creative Learning programme reaches people of all ages, from babies and toddlers to people living with dementia. Ensemble musicmaking is at the heart of everything we do, and our mission is to bring people together through music to create a positive impact.
Season Finale
MENDELSSOHN, RAVEL & RIMSKY‑KORSAKOV Conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev
Our Edinburgh concert is proudly sponsored by:
Wed 12 May 2021, 7.30pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh* Fri 14 May 2021, 7.30pm City Halls, Glasgow Mendelssohn Overture, The Fair Melusine (10’) Ravel Piano Concerto in G (21’) Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade (42’)
Mermaids, pirates, kings and concubines all take to the stage for an exotic, fairytale climax to Maxim Emelyanychev’s second season as Principal Conductor.
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Creative Learning Partner
Health & Wellbeing We know that engagement with creative arts can improve wellbeing, enabling people to express themselves, build confidence, reduce loneliness and develop hope for the future. We are proud to be at the forefront of arts organisations in Scotland offering social prescribing projects that enable care professionals to refer people to local, non-clinical services that can make a real difference. We work closely with partners, including The University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian, to deliver projects which support wellbeing, recovery and social inclusion. For example, SCO ReConnect, our project for people living with dementia, has been running since 2013 at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and uses live music to improve wellbeing and quality of life for patients, their families and ward staff.
In between, the brilliant young French pianist David Fray performs the light-hearted but exquisitely crafted Piano Concerto by his compatriot Ravel – a work combining remarkable power and disarming lyricism.
We have recently deepened our commitment to social prescribing with the launch of NEW VIBE, a project for teenagers with diagnosed mental health difficulties. Developed in partnership with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), NEW VIBE aims to provide a safe space for young people currently using the CAMHS service to feel heard, supported and encouraged to develop musically and socially.
Maxim Emelyanychev, who conducts with terrific energy and panache...
We were blown away by the positive impact that NEW VIBE has had on the young people who took part.
The Guardian
CAMHS Therapist
He begins with Mendelssohn’s gently burbling Overture inspired by a water sprite of German legend and closes with Rimsky-Korsakov’s exhilarating musical journey of love, adventure and intrigue, conjuring up tales of Sinbad and much more from The Arabian Nights.
Maxim Emelyanychev: Conductor David Fray: Piano * Please note that in Edinburgh this final season concert falls on a Wednesday, rather than the traditional Thursday.
Thanks to the investment of our Creative Learning Partner Baillie Gifford and the support of many charitable trusts and foundations, we are able to engage with around 10,000 people every year, right across Scotland, through four programme strands: Health & Wellbeing, Family Events, Education, and Ensembles.
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Family Events
Education
Ensembles
Community Residency
Big Ears, Little Ears informal concerts for babies, toddlers, parents and carers enable little ones and grown-ups to share high quality, live music-making in a child-friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Concerts take place regularly in Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews and at venues around Scotland as part of the SCO touring programme.
The SCO works in partnership with universities and colleges around Scotland to provide hands-on training for emerging composers, performers and workshop practitioners. We also deliver a range of projects for schools which promote musical learning, creativity and confidence, and which link to the Curriculum for Excellence. Our flagship Masterworks programme for secondary school music pupils visits every part of Scotland – including the Highlands, Islands and remote rural areas – and we are proud to say that over the last three years Masterworks has engaged with over 3,500 pupils and 230 teachers in 31 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities!
Our latest ensemble initiative is the SCO Youth Academy in partnership with St Mary’s Music School, providing opportunities for aspiring young musicians from across the country to learn and play alongside SCO musicians and like-minded peers. We offer a regular series of free, non-auditioned sessions in the centre of Edinburgh, directed and tutored by SCO musicians, enabling school-aged musicians to develop their technique, musicianship and ensemble playing.
We know that music has the power to enrich and transform lives and we are passionate about engaging with people who are marginalised or isolated. Our unique Community Residency embeds all four strands of our Creative Learning programme within a community over several years, helping to educate, raise young people’s aspirations, reduce social exclusion and isolation, and increase confidence and self-esteem. We do this through a sustained series of accessible creative workshops and concerts at local schools and community venues, and by providing free transport and tickets for residents to take part in SCO events.
A fantastic, interactive introduction to music, instruments and musicians.
I feel that the SCO are definitely leading the way in terms of your education programme. I have found your organisation to have the most to offer school pupils at this stage and especially with well thought‑out curricular links. Great job and one to highly commend!
It was a fantastic experience, I got to play amazing music with really friendly people. It was great.
This is one of the most exciting things I've ever been involved in and we've all been treated like VIPs throughout. I've loved taking part… The Scottish Chamber Orchestra's project brought new eyes to Wester Hailes for me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I used to be quite ashamed to live here. How that has changed after working with such a wonderful bunch as yourselves in this project!
Audience Member
Music Teacher, Renfrewshire
SCO String Academy Participant
Wester Hailes Residency Participant
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THANK YOU Core Funder
Benefactor
Local Authority
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT Business Partners
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra exists to bring the thrill of live orchestral and choral music to around 60,000 people in audiences across Scotland and beyond each year, as well as to enrich the lives of around 10,000 beneficiaries of all ages through our Creative Learning programme. Performance income accounts for under 30% of the SCO’s annual income. As a registered charity, public funding, sponsorships and legacies are vital, as are individual donations. We are hugely grateful to everyone who believes and invests in all that we do, both on and off the concert platform. There are several ways in which you can help:
• Leave a gift in your Will Creative Learning Partner
• Join our family of Patrons • Encourage your business to get involved • Add a donation to your Subscription • Bring friends to our concerts
Find out more: sco.org.uk/support-us
Principal Conductor’s Circle Geoff and Mary Ball Kenneth and Martha Barker Sir Ewan and Lady Brown Colin and Sue Buchan David and Maria Cumming Jo and Alison Elliot Gavin and Kate Gemmell Erik Lars Hansen and Vanessa C L Chang Donald and Louise MacDonald Jasmine Macquaker Charitable Fund Anne McFarlane Stuart and Alison Paul Anne and Matthew Richards Claire and Anthony Tait The Thomas Family Claire and Mark Urquhart The Usher Family Bryan Wade Hedley G Wright
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HOW TO BOOK SEASON CONCERTS
The Queen’s Hall Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JG Box Office: 0131 668 2019
Seating Price Bands – COST PER TICKET I £38.50
II £31
III £25.50
IV £19
V £13
Chamber Sunday Concerts
Book for just four concerts and save up to 14%, book for the whole Season and save up to 37%. The more concerts you book, the more you save! No. of Concerts Saving (Standard) Saving (Senior) 37% 34% 32% 29% 26% 24% 22% 19% 16% 14%
Renew your subscription by 10 April 2020 and, wherever possible, keep your seats from the previous Season. Subscribe by 01 May 2020 to be eligible for a free ticket to our Chamber Music in the Afternoon concert on 17 January 2021. To book your free ticket, simply select this concert on the booking form (online or paper).
£16.50 + Booking Fee
Chorus Christmas Concert
£17.50 + Booking Fee (no booking fee if booking at sco.org.uk)
Family Festival Concert
£13 / Children £6.50 + Booking Fee (no booking fee if booking at sco.org.uk)
STAGE
New Year Gala Concert
STALLS
£13 – £38.50 + Booking Fee
Single tickets go on sale: Friday 01 May 2020. Book online by 12 June 2020 and have the option to pay in four instalments by Direct Debit (online only). Add the New Year Gala Concert to your subscription and get your preferred seats at Price Band 4 prices. Subscription Booking Fees: £1 per transaction online or £1 by phone. £2 per subscription form. Chorus Christmas Concert and Family Festival Concerts can all be booked online at sco.org.uk with no booking fee.
Please note: all discounts are subject to availability. We regret that tickets are non-refundable. Every effort is made to ensure that all information is correct at the time of going to print. The SCO does however reserve the right to change dates, artists or programmes if necessary.
STAGE STALLS
GRAND CIRCLE
The booking form in this brochure is for our concerts taking place in Edinburgh. However, if you would like to book any of our Glasgow concerts, then you can purchase them individually by contacting the City Halls Box Office on 0141 353 8000.
Group Discounts
Groups of 6 or more booking together save 20% off full price tickets (excludes Christmas Chorus, New Year Gala and Family Festival Concerts).
Senior Citizens
£2 off single full price tickets (excludes New Year Gala, and Family Festival Concert) or save up to 37% when booking four or more concerts.
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Usher Hall Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2EA Box Office: 0131 228 1155
BOOK ONLINE AT SCO.ORG.UK OR CALL THE QUEEN’S HALL OR USHER HALL BOX OFFICES
Additional Events
Multibuy (Subscription) Season Concert Discounts
22–23 32% 20–21 29% 18–19 27% 16–17 24% 14–15 21% 12–13 19% 10–11 17% 8–9 14% 6–7 11% 4–5 10%
SEATING PLANS
26 or Under, Students & Unemployed People £6 per ticket for all concerts
18 or Under
Anyone aged 18 or under can attend most SCO concerts for free, but under 16s must be accompanied by a paying adult. Free 18 or under tickets are not available for the following concerts: Adams, Bruch & Tchaikovsky, Chorus Christmas, New Year Gala and Family Festival. Tickets for those are £6 and £6.50 for the Family Festival. Kindly supported by the Inches Carr Trust.
GALLERY
Wheelchair accommodation is available in the centre and side stalls. Ramps are fitted at the front and rear of the hall, and there is a toilet at stalls level. Guide dogs are welcome. Only small handbags, small backpacks and briefcases will be permitted, and must be kept with you at all times. Random bag searches may be carried out, so please assist venue staff by complying as requested.
UPPER CIRCLE
Wheelchair accommodation is available. Parking spaces for blue badge holders are located across from the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Grindlay Street and in Cambridge Street across from the Traverse Theatre. Guide dogs are welcome. Only small handbags, small backpacks and briefcases will be permitted, and must be kept with you at all times. Random bag searches may be carried out, so please assist venue staff by complying as requested.
People with a Disability
50% off full price tickets and, where one is required, 50% off for their companion. A limited number of free tickets are available for full-time carers. Please ask at the Box Office.
You’ll find detailed seating plans online at sco.org.uk or call the Box Office for details.
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SUBSCRIPTION PRICES
BOOKING FORM
BAND
I II III IV
FULL PRICE TICKETS
£38.50 £31.00 £25.50 £19.00
Title:
OR BOOK ONLINE AT SCO.ORG.UK
Forename:
Surname:
Address:
STANDARD DISCOUNTS Saving off full price
Number of concerts I
II
III
IV
10%
4
£138.60
£111.60
£91.80
£68.40
5
£173.25
£139.50
£114.75
£85.50
11%
6
£205.56
£165.54
£136.14
£101.46
7
£239.82
£193.13
£158.83
£118.37
14% 8
£264.88
£213.28
£175.44
£130.72
9
£297.99 £239.94 £197.37 £147.06
17% 10
£319.50
£257.30
£211.60
£157.70
11 £351.45 £283.03 £232.76 £173.47
19% 12
£374.16
£301.32
£247.80
£184.68
13 £405.34 £326.43 £268.45 £200.07
21% 14
£425.74
24%
£468.16
£342.86
£281.96
£210.14
15 £456.15 £367.35 £302.10 £225.15 16
£376.96
£310.08
£231.04
Telephone:
Postcode:
Mobile:
Email: Tick for all 23 concerts
1. Please choose your Season concerts (tick boxes) 24 Sept (UH)
26 Nov (QH)
14 Jan (UH)
04 Mar (UH)
22 Apr (UH)
01 Oct (UH)
03 Dec (QH)
21 Jan (QH)
11 Mar (QH)
29 Apr (QH)
08 Oct (QH)
10 Dec (QH)
28 Jan (QH)
18 Mar (QH)
06 May (UH)
05 Nov (UH)
17 Dec (QH)
18 Feb (QH)
25 Mar (QH)
12 May (UH)
25 Feb (QH)
15 Apr (QH)
12 Nov (QH)
Please write the total number of concerts selected
NB: UH = Usher Hall, QH = The Queen’s Hall
17 £497.42 £400.52 £329.46 £245.48
2. No of subscriptions by discount type (please write in the box the number of subscriptions for each category)
27% 18
£505.80
Standard
29% 20
£546.60
32% 22
£575.96
£463.76
£381.48
£284.24
4. Where applicable, do you have a preference on seating area?
£602.14
£484.84
£398.82
£297.16
Usher Hall: Stalls
£407.34
£334.98
£249.66
19 £533.90 £429.97 £353.59 £263.53 £440.20
£362.00
£269.80
21 £573.93 £462.61 £380.10 £283.29
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SENIOR DISCOUNTS Saving off full price
Number of concerts
I II III IV
14%
4
£132.44
5
£165.55 £133.30 £109.65 £81.70
16%
6
£194.04
£106.64 £156.24
£87.72 £128.52
Senior
19–26/ Student
Disabled
3. Please choose your price band (tick one box)
I
Grand Circle
II
Upper Circle
(I and II only)
£95.76
£249.44
£280.62 £225.99 £185.85 £138.51
7. Your payment calculation – reference subscription prices opposite
22% 10
£300.30
Total cost of Aditional £ + £ + Donation £ Subscription Events
24%
£351.12
£241.80
£198.90
£148.20
12
£282.72
£232.56
£173.28
13 £380.38 £306.28 £251.94 £187.72 £321.16
£264.18
£196.84
£398.86
29% 16
£437.28
17 £464.61 £374.17 £307.70 £229.33
Card Number:
32%
£471.24
Expiry Date:
18
£352.16 £379.44
£289.60 £312.12
£215.84 £232.56
19 £497.42 £400.52 £329.46 £245.48 £409.20
/
Security Code (last three digits on signature strip):
Spread the cost of your multibuy subscription over four months by subscribing online and paying by Direct Debit.
£508.20
Please return this form to: SCO Subscriptions, 4 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB
37% 22
£533.50
Please note: postal transaction fee subject to change if postage costs rise.
£263.34
23 £557.75 £449.19 £369.38 £275.31
Please note: there are no multibuy discounts in Price Band V.
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Box Office
£2.00 = £ + booking fee
Please debit my Mastercard/Visa/debit card (delete as appropriate)
21 £533.61 £429.66 £353.43 £263.34 £353.32
£250.80
£
I enclose a cheque payable to ‘Scottish Chamber Orchestra’
34% 20
£429.66
£336.60
£
8. How do you wish to pay?
26% 14
15 £427.35 £344.10 £283.05 £210.90
Gallery
6. SCO Donation – please help us bring music to all by making a donation I would like to become a Patron or renew Patronage with my donation (Donations £60+)
9
11 £330.33 £265.98 £218.79 £163.02
V
= Total Cost
19% 8
£123.12
IV
The Queen’s Hall: Stalls
£65.36
£226.38 £182.28 £149.94 £111.72 £165.20
III
5. Additional Events (e.g. Chamber Music in the Afternoon, Chorus Christmas, Family Festival and New Year Gala Concerts)
7
£200.88
Under 18
Scottish Chamber Orchestra processes data for certain legitimate business purposes in order to provide you with the best experiences and most relevant information about our activities as an arts charity. These include recording your ticket purchases, subscriptions and donations, keeping you up-to-date on the events you have booked, as well as sending you information about similar events and opportunities to support our work. We pass on some of your data to the venues and box offices of the events you have booked for the same purpose. More information about how we process your data can be found within the Privacy Statement on our website sco.org.uk/privacy-statement. If you wish for your data not to be used in these ways, please let us know.
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION You’ll find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, so if you’ve loved what you’ve seen and heard, then please get in touch and help spread the word.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra @scottishchamberorchestra
@SCOmusic @scottishchamberorchestra
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Keep in touch If you’d rather send us a letter, email or give us a call, here are our details: sco.org.uk/keep-me-informed telephone: 0131 557 6800 email: info@sco.org.uk
Become a Patron Donate to the SCO and get to know us better. sco.org.uk/support-us/sco-patrons telephone: 0131 478 8344
SCO Patrons, Subscribers and current ticket buyers receive regular news by email and post. More information about how we process your data can be found within the Privacy Statement on our website sco.org.uk/privacy-statement. Please note: all discounts are subject to availability. We regret that tickets are non-refundable. Every effort is made to ensure that all information is correct at the time of going to print. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra does however reserve the right to change dates, ticket prices, artists or programmes without prior notice, and to allocate seats for guests of the Company at reserved and unreserved concerts as required.
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This is an orchestra that has long punched above its weight. The Guardian
HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay Patron Donald MacDonald CBE Life President Colin Buchan Chairman Gavin Reid Chief Executive Maxim Emelyanychev Principal Conductor Emmanuel Krivine Principal Guest Conductor Joseph Swensen Conductor Emeritus Gregory Batsleer Chorus Director Anna Clyne Associate Composer
Photography credits: Christina Kernohan Fraser Band Elena Blova Marco Borggreve Gordon Burniston Ryan Buchanan Benjamin Ealovega Andy Gotts Shelley Mosman Jen Owens Reuben Paris Tyler Rye Chris Singer Martin Stewart Art direction & design: thetouchagency.co.uk
2020 Season Opener: Adams,
Handel
Milhaud, Copland,
Mozart, R Strauss
Bruch & Tchaikovsky
Thu 01 Oct: Usher Hall
Bernstein & Poulenc
& Schumann
Thu 24 Sep: Usher Hall
Fri 02 Oct: City Halls
Thu 08 Oct: The Queen’s Hall
Thu 05 Nov: Usher Hall
Fri 30 Oct: City Halls
Fri 06 Nov: City Halls
Fri 25 Sep: City Halls
Farrenc, Mazzoli,
Chamber Music in the
Adams & Mozart
Mendelssohn, Schubert
Britten & Haydn
Afternoon No 1: Side-By-Side
Thu 26 Nov: The Queen’s Hall
& Tchaikovsky
Thu 12 Nov: The Queen’s Hall
Fri 20 Nov: Royal
Fri 27 Nov: City Halls
Thu 03 Dec: The Queen’s Hall
Fri 13 Nov: City Halls
Conservatoire of Scotland
Fri 04 Dec: City Halls
Sun 22 Nov: The Queen’s Hall
Ravel, Knussen & Benjamin
Bach, Vivaldi, Barsanti
Christmas Journeys
Thu 10 Dec: The Queen’s Hall
& Handel
Tue 22 Dec: Greyfriars Kirk
Fri 11 Dec: City Halls
Thu 17 Dec: The Queen’s Hall Fri 18 Dec: City Halls
2021 New Year Gala Concert
Mozart, Dvořák &
Chamber Music in the
If You See Me, Weep
Fri 01 Jan: Usher Hall
Beethoven
Afternoon No 2
Thu 21 Jan: The Queen’s Hall
See SCO website for
Thu 14 Jan: Usher Hall
Sun 17 Jan: The Queen’s Hall
Fri 22 Jan: City Halls
details of Perth, Ayr &
Fri 15 Jan: City Halls
Chamber Music in the
Dumfries concerts.
Prokofiev, Poulenc
Family Festival
Mendelssohn
& Stravinsky
Stan and Mabel
Thu 18 Feb: The Queen’s Hall
Afternoon No 3
Thu 28 Jan: The Queen’s Hall
Sat 06 Feb: EICC
Fri 19 Feb: City Halls
Sun 21 Feb: The Queen’s Hall
Fri 29 Jan: City Halls
Sun 07 Feb: City Halls
Clyne, Vaughan Williams
Farrenc, Adams
Adams, Bach & Mozart
Mozart, J Anderson
& Butterworth
& Beethoven
Thu 11 Mar: The Queen’s Hall
& R Strauss
Thu 25 Feb: The Queen’s Hall
Thu 04 Mar: Usher Hall
Fri 12 Mar: City Halls
Thu 18 Mar: The Queen’s Hall
Fri 26 Feb: City Halls
Fri 05 Mar: City Halls
Fauré, Debussy,
Robert & Clara Schumann
Brahms
Sibelius, Rautavaara
Canteloube & Bizet
Thu 15 Apr: The Queen’s Hall
Thu 22 Apr: Usher Hall
& Tchaikovsky
Thu 25 Mar: The Queen’s Hall
Fri 16 Apr: City Halls
Fri 23 Apr: City Halls
Thu 29 Apr: The Queen’s Hall
Fri 19 Mar: City Halls
Fri 30 Apr: City Halls
Fri 26 Mar: City Halls
Johann Strauss II,
Season Finale:
Tchaikovsky & Dvořák
Mendelssohn, Ravel
Thu 06 May: Usher Hall
& Rimsky-Korsakov
Fri 07 May: City Halls
Wed 12 May: Usher Hall Fri 14 May: City Halls
4 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB +44 (0)131 557 6800 • info@sco.org.uk sco.org.uk The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is a charity registered in Scotland No. SC015039. Company registration No. SC075079.
Cover photo: Maxim Emelyanychev Principal Conductor