SCO NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE 77

ISSUE 77 | SCO NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2020

THE MIDAS TOUCH

ALSO INSIDE: SEASON PLANNING | VIBE ONLINE | HARRY JOHNSTONE

ISSUE 77 | SCO NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2020

CONTENTS REGULARS 3

FOREWORD

4

LATEST NEWS

9

60 SECOND INTERVIEW

COVER FEATURE

12

10 RECENT RECORDINGS 34 YOUR SAY 35 THROUGH THE EYES OF...

26

FEATURES 12 THE MIDAS TOUCH Keith Bruce talks to Nicola Benedetti

20 VIBE ONLINE 22 CREATIVE LEARNING ROUND UP 26 “IT’S LIFE, JIM, THOUGH NOT AS WE KNOW IT…”

31

SCO Concerts Director Judith Colman gives us some insight into planning around a pandemic

31 HARRY JOHNSTONE As Harry retires, Peter Franks shares some memories of their time together

4 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB +44 (0)131 557 6800 • info@sco.org.uk www.sco.org.uk The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is a charity registered in Scotland No. SC015039.

Company registration No. SC075079.

Cover image Nicola Benedetti © Andy Gotts

SCO NEWS|03

A WARM WELCOME TO SCO NEWS

FOREWORD I hope you have had an opportunity to

In many ways this will be a SCO Season

enjoy the Orchestra’s online performance

like no other. As usual, it will have musical

of Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto with

brilliance, creativity and joy at its very

Paul Lewis as part of this year’s Edinburgh

heart. However, to ensure as many people

International Festival. We were thrilled to

as possible can share in our performances,

be invited to take part in My Light Shines

our autumn programme will be a mix of

On, the Festival’s imaginative response

both live and online events.

to the challenges of 2020. If you have not seen the film, do look it up on the Festival’s

To that end, I could not be happier that to

website. (www.eif.co.uk/whats-on/2020/

open our new Season, Nicola Benedetti and

sco-paullewis) As well as Beethoven, you will

Maxim Emelyanychev will join the SCO for

find several other specially recorded Festival

a specially filmed performance of Bruch’s

performances featuring SCO principal

much-loved Violin Concerto No 1, kindly

players.

sponsored by Quilter Cheviot. Please do join us online on Thursday 24 September.

These very welcome projects have given us all a huge boost, as well as great hope

These are of course unsettling and difficult

and optimism that there will be many

times for everyone. For those of us involved

more opportunities to perform for you in

in the arts it is clear the route back to safe

the coming weeks and months. Indeed,

ground has some way to go, with many

hope and optimism have become bywords

challenges still ahead. So, I should like to

as we continue to plan and re-plan both

reiterate my enormous gratitude

our forthcoming Winter Season and our

and appreciation to all those

extensive Creative Learning programme.

people who have been so generous and supportive over

We have been working hard with our

the last few months. Your

players to create an autumn programme

donations have been most

that showcases their skills as chamber

welcome and very gratefully

and orchestral musicians. As restrictions

received. Thank you.

hopefully start to ease in the coming weeks and prospects for a return to live

I do hope you enjoy

performance become more of a reality, we

reading our news.

look forward to sharing both our plans and our music-making with you, just as soon as

Gavin Reid

we can.

Chief Executive

04|SCO NEWS

LATEST NEWS It’s slightly hard to believe that we’re already heading into autumn, but whatever the season, you can always guarantee that there’s lots going on at the SCO. Here’s a quick round up of what’s been happening and what’s on the horizon.

Screenshot of our new website

SCO TO LAUNCH NEW WEBSITE –––––– We hope you’ll click with our new website! Scheduled to go live in late September, it’s our ambition with this to be better at telling our site visitors the full story of all the work that the SCO undertakes throughout the year and to help you get to know us and our musicians even better. We will of course also be promoting the many ways you can support us and be offering a selection of SCO recordings and merchandise for sale, so why not have a browse of the new site and let us know what you think?

–––––– Our new website goes live week commencing 21 September

SCO NEWS|05

Paul Lewis performs in the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

© Mihaela Bodlovic

SHINING ON AT THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

socially distanced) for the recording of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 2 with pianist par excellence, Paul Lewis.

–––––– It’s certainly been a year like no other, and

There was more wonderful music to come,

so it could really only have been an EIF like

with SCO musicians featuring in a series of

no other, with this year’s Festival consisting

Chamber Music Soundscapes which were

of a series of curated digital performances

relayed via speakers into Princes Street

by world-class artists including the SCO.

Gardens.

–––––– Naturally, we were delighted that our

All of these performances and many more

amazing musicians were able to return to

can still be enjoyed at www.eif.co.uk/

the concert stage and be together (albeit

whats-on

06|SCO NEWS

THE SCO TRUCK GETS A MAKEOVER –––––– The SCO truck has not been on the road much lately, so we thought it was a good moment to treat it to a new outfit. Here it is freshly attired and updated with the new SCO logo.

We’ve also been thinking that we should really give the truck a name that’s a bit more fun than just ‘the truck’ and so we’d love to hear your thoughts on what we should call it. Please email in any suggestions to info@sco.org.uk

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos 19 and 27

putting ‘new truck name’ in the subject

in the post as a thank you to the lucky

header. Not only will the best name

winner. Good luck everyone and you can

suggestion grace the truck from now on,

find out more about our latest recordings

we’ll also pop a copy of our new CD of

on page 10.

SCO NEWS|07

SCO Violinists Gordon Bragg and Kana Kawashima in Cramond Kirk as part of Doors Open Day

DOORS OPEN DAY Every September for the last 30 years,

PAST PERFECTION FROM THE SCO AT THE BBC PROMS

architecturally and historically significant

––––––

buildings all over Scotland have opened their

This year’s Proms saw the BBC making

doors to the public for free over one weekend.

a virtue of necessity, as they delved

This year, Doors Open Day has moved online,

into their incredible archive for much

and the SCO is delighted to have been able

of this year’s programme including an

to collaborate with beautiful venues across

SCO concert from 2001. Featuring our

Edinburgh to create several short chamber

much-loved Conductor Laureate Sir

performances which will be released as part

Charles Mackerras and the Orchestra

of the online festival on 26 and 27 September.

in collaboration with renowned pianist

Keep an eye on our social media for these

Alfred Brendel, this was a joyous and

special performances, including some 19th

uplifting evening of Mozart, Stravinsky

century cello quartets and a concert from our

and Schubert.

Big Ears, Little Ears team.

––––––

––––––

If you’re quick, you can still listen

See www.doorsopendays.org.uk for more

to this for a short period of time on

information

the Proms’ website: www.bbc.co.uk/proms

––––––

08|SCO NEWS

Hamish and Su-a

SU-A GETTING MARRIED –––––– A huge congratulations to our wonderful Sub-Principal Cello Su-a Lee on her engagement to folk musician Hamish Napier. We hope you will join us in wishing them all the best of luck and happiness!

NEW FACES AND ARRIVALS –––––– In August we were delighted to welcome

Rachel Spencer and family

our new University of St Andrews Graduate Trainee – Brogan Orkney.

Congratulations to Rachel Spencer

Brogan will be with us until April 2021

(Second Violin) and her husband Duncan

and will be working closely with our

on the arrival of their baby girl, Ellen

Creative Learning and Marketing teams

Ingrid Maxwell Strachan, at 7.11am on

in that time.

21July!

60

SECOND INTERVIEW RACHEL SMITH SECOND VIOLIN

You were appointed SCO Second Violin

education programmes alongside and

back in 2014 – what has been your most

have incredible community involvement.

memorable SCO concert to date?

Over the past few years wonderful SCO

Two concerts immediately pop into

friends and colleagues have joined me

my mind – firstly, Beethoven 7 with

there to perform (including, of course,

Emmanuel Krivine – it was exhilarating.

my husband, cellist Eric de Wit).

The other was a recent Baroque concert with Maxim Emelyanychev – what an

Some of our concerts this winter will be

unparalleled energy he has, and such fun.

curated by SCO Players, including you!

Can you tell us a bit about your own

Outside of the SCO you are Artistic

approach to programming?

Director of the Stradbroke Chamber

It’s important to me that the audience

Music Festival in Australia. Can you tell

can be drawn in to the programme

us a little bit about the festival and how

as a whole, as well as each individual

it came about?

piece. Sometimes this means that there

North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)

are tangible connections between the

is a beautiful, special place that I

composers or the pieces. It can also

have been visiting since I was a little

mean that (like a good meal) each piece

kid. An island-resident friend and I

contributes a certain texture or flavour

concocted the first festival at Pilates

which complements the others. We are

class, amongst trap tables and

fortunate enough at Stradbroke over

reformers in 2007. It began that year

the years to have developed a special

as one concert and ballooned into

relationship between audience and

three very quickly. We did everything

performers so that I feel we can easily

ourselves – flyers, biscuits, ticketing and

programme the unfamiliar along with

of course performing (I programmed

the familiar. It’s a wonderful thing to feel

all my favourite pieces side-by-side

that the bond between audience and

as I thought it would just be a one-off.

performer is part of the performance

Here we are 13 years later!). Now we

itself – something that we’ve all missed

do six concerts over a weekend, run

in the last few months!

André Cebrián Garea

10|SCO NEWS

SCO MUSIC

RECENT RECORDINGS MOZART PIANO CONCERTOS NOS 19 & 27, RONDO K. 386

ALBUM OF THE WEEK Classic FM

SCO NEWS|11

BBC Radio Scotland ‘Classics Unwrapped’ Album of the Week PIEMONTESI HAS BEEN HAILED AS A STELLAR MOZARTIAN AND HIS STYLE AND TOUCH IS PERFECT, SO WELL BLENDED WITH MOZART’S ORIGINAL INTENTIONS.

Back in early March 2019, what now feels a little like a lifetime ago, the SCO musicians were ensconced in

COMING SOON

Edinburgh’s Usher Hall recording Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 19 & 27 and Rondo K. 386 with pianist favourite, conductor Andrew Manze.

SIR CHARLES MACKERRAS CONDUCTS MOZART

The follow-up to our previous, highly

A three album, five CD box set of some of

successful collaboration of 2017,

the finest Mozart recordings ever made,

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 25 & 26,

in commemoration of SCO Conductor

this new album was released in August

Laureate Sir Charles Mackerras.

Francesco Piemontesi and SCO

and has already been very favourably received by music critics.

CKD 350: Symphonies 29, 31, 32, 35 & 36

––––––

CKD 308: Symphonies 38-41

The new album is now available to buy on CD

BKD 211: Requiem; Adagio and Fugue

for home delivery via www.amazon.com or

––––––

online digitally from www.linnrecords.com

Released November 2020

LITHE AND SPIRITED, THE SCO PLAYERS MAKE EXCELLENT COMPANIONS FOR THEIR SWISS SOLOIST, A PERFORMER IN TOTAL, JOYFUL COMMAND OF HIS MATERIAL… MANZE BRINGS HIS PERIOD INSTRUMENT EXPERTISE TO PROCEEDINGS, GIVING FRESH INSIGHT TO THIS BELOVED REPERTOIRE. The Observer

12|SCO NEWS

© Andy Gotts

SCO NEWS|13

COVER FEATURE

THE MIDAS TOUCH

BY KEITH BRUCE It can have been of little surprise to anyone, and especially her many devotees in her homeland, to see violinist Nicola Benedetti one of the first out of the blocks as live music begins to be made in concert halls again. Trail-blazing is second nature to a woman who brings quality to the classical album charts as readily as the concert platform, and has become one of the UK’s leading advocates of music education.

14|SCO NEWS

COVER FEATURE

The 2020/21 Season was to have opened

about what’s going to be in its place, but that

at the Usher Hall on 24 September with

was never the case with the Scottish Chamber

Maxim Emelyanychev and Nicola Benedetti

Orchestra. They always were looking at what

on the stage together for the first time for

else they could do and how else they could

the Violin Concerto No 1 by Max Bruch. That

do it.

partnership will now join the musicians of the SCO behind the closed doors of Perth Concert

“Obviously to have the opportunity to

Hall to perform the work – billed as The

produce a concert is great, and I’m sure they’ll

Quilter Cheviot Benedetti Concert – which

do an excellent job of getting it out to all their

will be streamed “as live” on the internet from

patrons and supporters so that, even if there

the time the Edinburgh concert was due to

is nobody in the room, people will be able to

start, and available to view at no charge for

enjoy the concert in another way.”

some time thereafter.

Crucial to that process has been investment There may be no audience in the hall to

management company Quilter Cheviot,

hear the performance, but Benedetti is

whose long-standing support of the

appreciative of the Orchestra’s determination

Orchestra finds a new form with this unique

to open its Season as planned in the only

event. Benedetti is looking forward to it

way it can, even if notice of the go ahead has

allowing her a fresh look at a work that is

necessarily been short, given ever-changing

a feature of the repertoire of many violin

restrictions on gatherings. “It was just

soloists. “We had just done the Mendelssohn

finalised within the last month or so,” she says,

Concerto before lockdown, and played

“although we have been talking about what

the Sinfonia Concertante for my first time,

to do longer than that.

and I enjoyed that week so much. I feel like I had a bit of a rebirth in my relationship

“Some orchestras and concert halls were very

with the Mendelssohn Concerto through

quick just to cancel an entire project and did

my experience then, so the same thing may

not enter into those secondary discussions

happen with Bruch, that I hear things in a

THIS WHOLE TIME HAS BEEN AN EYE-OPENER FOR EVERYBODY, AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE MADE LIFE ADJUSTMENTS THAT THEY WON’T GIVE UP EASILY NOW.

© Andy Gotts

16|SCO NEWS

I HAVEN’T PLAYED WITH MAXIM EMELYANYCHEV AND I ABSOLUTELY ADORE EVERYTHING THAT I’VE SEEN AND HEARD ABOUT HIM

totally different way and have a new kind

That adaptability has also been essential

of enthusiasm for the piece. I’m excited

to Benedetti’s education work with her

about that, because I’ve played it countless

foundation, although the effect of the

numbers of times. And I haven’t played with

medical emergency has been to accelerate

Maxim Emelyanychev and I absolutely adore

work that was already underway.

everything that I’ve seen and heard about him.”

“It sort of solidified what we had wanted to do anyway and propelled us to do it quicker. We

News of the SCO concert came with

were always wanting to move things online

Benedetti’s latest album release, built around

and it was almost as if we were gifted an

the Elgar concerto, still high in the classical

opportunity to push forward with that.

charts, having debuted at No 1. She was to have been playing that work at both the

“The setting up of an online structure that is

Edinburgh International Festival and at the

functional and works well had to be done very

BBC Proms, before a European tour.

quickly. The content of what we do has not been changed at all, but the numbers have

Instead she featured in one of the limited

grown massively and quite quickly. We are

season of live Proms from the Royal Albert

very happy about that and surprised by how

Hall, playing Baroque concertos by Vivaldi,

little compromise there has been on quality

Handel and Bach with the Orchestra of

– we are just seeing a lot more people. We’ve

the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by

been communicating with almost 12,000

Jonathan Cohen.

young musicians and taught them directly within the last couple of months.

“I had played the Bach double before but everything else was for the first time, in a

“But we will be going back to our live

programme specially created, given the

workshops, it is just a case of when. There is

circumstances.”

no question that that will happen.”

COVER FEATURE

© Andy Gotts

18|SCO NEWS

COVER FEATURE

It has been an unexpected benefit of the

says you have to plan a concert two years in

absence of any live work that her online

advance, suddenly we’re seeing that doesn’t

education work has had her full attention.

necessarily have to be the case!

“Practically nothing until the end of the year that was on my schedule has survived.

“But this whole time has been an eye-opener

Anything that I’m doing has been a recent

for everybody, and lots of people have made

invitation. There’s another orchestral concert

life adjustments that they won’t give up easily

and some smaller recital performances,

now. I think for me there’s been a massive

and repeat performances of the Proms

appreciation for time spent with family, and

programme, but they’ve all just been put

it’s a gift for me to see how much it is possible

together within the last month or so. It’s been

to do from your home. I’ve been up to see my

interesting for me that although everybody

parents now, but before that was the longest time I’ve been able to be home and cooking three meals a day.”

–––––– The Quilter Cheviot Benedetti Concert will be free to view on the SCO’s YouTube and Facebook pages on Thursday 24 September at 7.30pm, and available for three months thereafter.

Maxim Emelyanychev and Nicola Benedetti will be on stage together for the first time.

© Andy Gotts

20|SCO NEWS

CREATIVE LEARNING ROUND-UP

VIBE ONLINE

VIBE Online Particpants, July 2020

SCO NEWS|21

I HAD NO IDEA HOW VIBE ONLINE WOULD WORK, BUT NOW I’VE DONE IT, I THINK I’VE ENJOYED IT MORE! I FEEL FREE TO TRY THINGS OUT IN MY OWN SPACE. MAKING A MISTAKE ONLINE IS NOT AS WORRYING TO ME AS MAKING A MISTAKE IN FRONT OF A GROUP. VIBE Online Participant

SCO VIBE is a fusion orchestra for young

Feedback from the participants and the

musicians of secondary school age, led

audience was overwhelmingly positive,

by renowned animateur and guitarist

with some participants commenting that

Paul Griffiths. VIBE is open to singers

they felt more comfortable than during a

and instrumentalists of all levels, from

‘live’ course, that they enjoyed it more and

any musical background, who come

felt less anxious about making mistakes.

together with Paul and the SCO team

The nature of the course meant that they

to create and perform their own music

had to engage with new people rather

collaboratively.

than stick within friendship groups, and they grew in confidence. We worked

Due to Covid-19 we were unable to run

with the technology, rather than against

the usual live VIBE courses in July and

it, which meant embracing the strange

decided instead to pilot an online course

sounds that Zoom produces! And despite

using Zoom – aiming to maintain the

some issues with latency and internet

inclusive, creative VIBE environment and

glitches, the technology worked well

all the elements that make VIBE special.

enough for everyone to remain engaged

Previous participants from Edinburgh,

throughout.

Glasgow and Aberdeen courses were invited to try out VIBE Online so that

As a team we have learnt a huge amount

we could gain understanding of the

about online delivery and can see how to

differences between working online and

develop more nuanced music-making for

‘live’. The online course structure was

future courses. All our pilot participants

similar to live courses, with participants

are keen to develop VIBE Online and we

working together as a large group and in

will be running two projects for young

smaller ensembles to develop, rehearse

people across Scotland in the October

and record musical ideas. Sound engineer

holidays.

Mark Neal recorded through Zoom,

––––––

collating tracks recorded separately and

For full information and to sign up,

then mixing them to produce several final

please visit www.sco.org.uk/vibeonline

tracks.

The course ran for four days at the beginning of the school holidays, and the following week friends, family, and funders attended an online sharing event.

22|SCO NEWS

CREATIVE LEARNING ROUND-UP

During the current pandemic we have moved all Creative Learning activity over to digital platforms and have been surprised and delighted to find how effective this can be. It turns out that many young people feel more comfortable and confident making music online than in person, and we know from our VIBE Online pilot in July (featured on page 20 in this issue) that the project provided participants with a very real sense of connection and support during a difficult period of isolation.

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION –––––– Pictures at an Exhibition, developed in partnership between the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and caithnessmusic.com, is a new project designed to bring musicians of all levels, including children, ‘together’ with SCO musicians online. We aim to inspire and support continued learning and enjoyment of orchestral repertoire despite current restrictions on face to face rehearsals, and

BIG EARS, LITTLE EARS

welcome players at all levels – from absolute

––––––

beginners to those who can tackle almost-

This month’s Doors Open Day

original Mussorgsky parts (transposed into

weekend features a special Big

amateur-friendly keys). The music has been

Ears, Little Ears performance,

arranged by Katrina Gordon and parts will

filmed in St Mary’s Cathedral by

be published alongside practice videos made

a SCO string quartet. Big Ears,

by ensembles from the Scottish Chamber

Little Ears concerts enable babies,

Orchestra, and by Susan Dingle and Katrina

toddlers and their adults to share

Gordon up in Caithness.

live music in a child-friendly, relaxed

––––––

atmosphere, with concerts taking

Full details at www.sco.org.uk/pictures

place regularly in Edinburgh,

––––––

Pictures at an Exhibition is in partnership with caithnessmusic.com

Glasgow and St Andrews and at venues around Scotland as part of the SCO’s touring programme.

SCO NEWS|23

SCO musicians recording Beethoven’s Music and Moods, a suite of video resources for primary school children created in partnership with the Edinburgh International Festival

A REAL GIFT TO THE CHILDREN – A LOVELY INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL CONCERTS AND THE POWER OF LIVE MUSIC

BEETHOVEN’S MUSIC AND MOODS

Big Ears, Little Ears

primary school children marking Beethoven’s

Audience Member

250th birthday and the SCO’s performance of his

–––––– In partnership with the Edinburgh International Festival we are delighted to present Beethoven’s Music and Moods, a suite of video resources for

Piano Concerto No 2 as part of My Light Shines On, the International Festival’s celebration of Edinburgh’s enduring festival spirit. Children are invited to meet some of the SCO musicians and have fun listening, drawing and composing as they explore Beethoven’s music (and moods!) at www.sco.org.uk/beethoven

24|SCO NEWS

Anna Clyne

INTERCONNECT

year and features Sound and Fury by

––––––

our Associate Composer Anna Clyne,

InterConnect, a partnership project

written for the SCO in 2019. We have

with the University of Edinburgh,

created a suite of unique resources

was originally planned as a series

written and presented by animateur

of workshops leading to a live SCO

Rachel Leach, including a listening

ensemble performance of students’

guide and filmed SCO performance

compositions. Instead, our musicians

of Sound and Fury. The resources will

recorded their parts at home and the

be launched at a YouTube Premiere

resulting film was presented as part of

event on 30 September and will remain

the online opening event at the Edinburgh

on the SCO website for use in school

College of Art Graduate Show.

and at home.

––––––

––––––

SCO is Orchestra in Association with the

Why not take a listen?!

University of Edinburgh.

www.sco.org.uk/soundfury

InterConnect is in partnership with the University of Edinburgh.

Masterworks 2020 is delivered in association with Drake Music Scotland and the Lammermuir Festival.

MASTERWORKS

Masterworks 2020 is kindly supported by The Gannochy Trust, The Plum Trust, PF Charitable Trust, The Basil Death Trust, The Misses Barrie Charitable Trust, Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust, The Educational Institute of Scotland, Forteviot Charitable Trust, The JTH Charitable Trust and Sir Iain Stewart Foundation.

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–––––– Masterworks, our flagship education programme for upper secondary school music pupils, takes place online this

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SCO NEWS|25

Georgina Macdonell Finlayson, Electra Perivolaris and Gillian Walker will each work with Anna Clyne to write and workshop a piece for a mixed SCO ensemble

NEW STORIES –––––– In August we were thrilled to announce the three composers selected for New Stories,

WIN £250 ––––––

a new mentoring scheme for emerging

250 SOCIETY

women composers led by our inspirational

Just £5 a month as a member of the

Associate Composer Anna Clyne. Georgina

250 Society gives you the chance

Macdonell Finlayson, Electra Perivolaris and

to win £250 in our monthly draw at

Gillian Walker will each work with Anna to

the same time as knowing that you

write and workshop a piece for a mixed SCO

are contributing towards the SCO’s

ensemble, inspired by the art of storytelling in

Creative Learning programme.

collaboration with writer and storyteller Janis Mackay. In the second year, one composer

Please join us in congratulating recent

will go forward to write a new work for the

winners of our 250 Society:

SCO for performance in the summer of 2022.

––––––

May: David Lipetz

To find out more www.sco.org.uk/new-stories

June: James Dunbar

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New Stories is in association with TRACS – Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.

July: Fiona Addison August: Jack Bogle To learn more about the 250 Society or to join now, contact Laura Hickey on 0131 478 8344.

SCO NEWS|27

“IT’S LIFE, JIM, THOUGH NOT AS WE KNOW IT …”

With the last six months unlike anything experienced in living memory, we asked SCO Concerts Director Judith Colman to give us some insight into planning around a pandemic.

© Mihaela Bodlovic

28|SCO NEWS

Colin Currie

It seems a very long time ago since I wrote

in Dunfermline, Dunoon and Dollar. Sadly

about how our Season is planned. The last

the ‘D-Tour’, as it became known, itself fell

six months have seen everything turned on

victim to the lockdown.

its head, with unprecedented challenges for everyone working in the performing

After wonderful concerts with Nicola

arts.

Benedetti and Lawrence Power in March, it was hugely disappointing to have to cancel

As news of the pandemic started to come

our concerts up to Easter, and subsequently

through at the beginning of the year, we

up to the end of the Season. It seems

started closely monitoring the situation – the

incredible now, that in late March there were

SCO had a tour in May, which was to include

newspaper headlines actually asking “Could

our first visits to China and Singapore. It was

coronavirus be over by Easter?”

unclear how things would develop globally in the coming weeks and months, but

With no concerts in prospect (and working

given the high uncertainty we reluctantly

from our home ‘offices‘), sustaining the

decided to postpone the tour with the hope

members of the Orchestra and keeping in

of rescheduling it in 2021. In place of the

contact with you, our audience members

Asia dates we quickly arranged a local

have been our top priorities these last

tour with our soloist, Colin Currie, taking

months.

SCO NEWS|29

SCO Chorus

Fortunately, new technology came to our

most distinctive concerts from the end of

aid just at the right moment. Meetings

the 2019/20 Season, so that you will be

moved online, and we have been able to

able to enjoy them as originally planned.

stay in touch with our audiences through

Our 2021/22 Season will include Nikita

the SCO’s YouTube channel. We’ve been

Naumov in the UK premiere of Peter

delighted to welcome many of you to

Eötvös’ Double Bass Concerto ‘Aurora’;

the ‘Live from your Living Room’ sessions

the Vivaldi Gloria with SCO Chorus;

which SCO players, guest artists and our

Mozart, Debussy and Schubert with Maxim

Marketing team have created, so that

Emelyanychev; the Scottish premiere

you can tune in from the comfort of home

of Helen Grime’s Percussion Concerto

(www.sco.org.uk/latest/1906-live-from-

with Colin Currie; and Pekka Kuusisto’s

your-living-room). At the end of September,

wonderful programme of American music

look out for SCO musicians taking part

including the UK Premiere of Nico Muhly’s

in Edinburgh’s digital Doors Open Day,

new Violin Concerto. We’re also looking

hosted live on their website

for new opportunities to re-invite

www.doorsopendays.org.uk.

artists, and to reschedule specific programmes and commissions, which

Alongside this, the Concerts team has been

have sadly fallen by the wayside over the

working hard to reschedule some of the

summer.

xx|SCO NEWS

Maxim Emelyanychev

At the time of writing, we are awaiting

The Bruch was to have been the centrepiece

confirmation of when – and where – we will

of a 9-concert tour to the USA in October;

be able to recommence live performance –

very sadly, this tour had to be cancelled but

albeit with reduced numbers on the stage

again, we are in discussion with our tour

and in the audience. We have been working

management and are optimistic about

closely with an Artistic Planning Group of

rescheduling in a couple of years’ time.

players to create a reimagined Autumn programme of small live and online events,

It’s been a strange few months of constant

which will reflect the original programmes

uncertainty and change. Who knows what

while also taking opportunities to explore

the New Year will bring? We’re hopeful for the

composers and repertoire which will be new

future but whatever the circumstances, we

to many of us. We’re looking forward to

will find ways to continue sharing our music

bringing chamber groups to those venues

with you. Meanwhile, a huge thanks to all my

which are able to host events, as well as

colleagues in Team Concerts and to all of you

presenting four specially-filmed orchestral

whose generous support and encouragement

concerts starting with the Season Opener,

has sustained us all since March.

Nicola Benedetti and Maxim Emelyanychev

––––––

in Bruch’s Violin Concerto.

To find out more visit www.sco.org.uk

SCO NEWS|31

HARRY JOHNSTONE AS HARRY RETIRES, PETER FRANKS SHARES SOME MEMORIES OF THEIR TIME TOGETHER

32|SCO NEWS

HARRY JOHNSTONE RETIRES

SCO Brass in 1991, Harry pictured far right

After almost 40 years as Sub-Principal

SCO convinced Harry to make the move

Horn with the SCO, Harry has decided

from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

to retire from the position. Following his tertiary education at the RSAMD (now

This is when I first met Harry. We joined

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) under

within a week or so of each other, he the

the tuition of Maurice Temple, and then

experienced orchestral player, and I,

at the Royal Academy of Music, Harry

green and terribly inexperienced, thrown

had a brief spell in the spa orchestra

into a two-week high-profile European

at Bad Wiessee, in Bavaria, and in a

Tour with Raymond Leppard and Teresa

London West End show, before returning

Berganza. In his company, many tours,

to Scotland to the solo horn position

concerts, meals and glasses of wine have

in the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra.

happened since. Harry was frequently

A year further on, and Harry found

found exercising his brain on crossword

himself chosen by the Scottish National

clues, sudoku, chess moves or scrabble

Orchestra, (now RSNO), to play 2nd horn

during orchestral breaks, coach journeys

to his former teacher Maurice Temple,

and in airport lounges.

where he remained for three years before going to the same position at the

What I will remember most are the

BBC SSO. Six years later, in 1981, the

adventures we had with SCO Brass. Those

innovative times in the early days of our newly created education department (now Creative Learning), when Kathryn McDowell, (now Managing Director of the LSO), inspired SCO Brass and Quartz to take on education and community engagements throughout the whole extent of Scotland, including the Western Isles, with the help of a seconded Royal Mail PostBus, (many thanks to their sponsorship), Orkney, Shetland, and even the Republic of Ireland. Memories: – When Harry asked a 7-year-old pupil from Happy Hansel Primary School, on Shetland, to name an instrument, the reply was, “It’s a trombone. We’ve got one at home – it’s got batteries in it!” Another one of many memories is when Harry, as a thank you to all of us following a concert at a Little Sisters of the Poor Care Home, in

HARRY, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, HAD QUITE A MASS OF HAIR AND A THICK BEARD. THE NAME STUCK, AND MY DAUGHTER STILL AFFECTIONATELY REFERS TO HARRY AS HAIRY MACLARY!

Dublin, was handed a bottle of confiscated malt whisky. Spur of the moment Ad Hoc

He was quite able to reel off one story or

concerts in town/village squares to help

another about the piece we had played,

drum up audiences for the SCO Highland

or the composer, and easily rambled

Tour concerts. Unexpected treasures to

away happily. Great relief to us, as we

remember.

needed as much time as possible to get the blood back in our lips. However,

On a visit to my house some years ago,

occasionally he had forgotten what the

Harry met my children, and my eldest had

next piece was, and had to ask us and

just read Lynley Dodd’s first book in the

then, when he got back to his stand,

illustrated Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s

found he had the wrong piece up. Harry,

Dairy series. Hairy is a Skye Terrier. Harry,

as usual, kept quite composed, sifted

at this point in time, had quite a mass of

through his pad, found the elusive music,

hair and a thick beard. The name stuck,

and played exquisitely.

and my daughter still affectionately refers to Harry as Hairy Maclary!

Harry, we wish you all the best for your retirement, and hope you enjoy the

Harry, as he is quite flamboyant with

additional time with your wife Jacqui,

words, was charged with introducing

your daughters Pamela and Kay, and

repertoire in our more formal concerts.

their respective families.

34|SCO NEWS

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YOUR SAY

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Sophie Sim, Marketing Officer sophie.sim@sco.org.uk

We have been delighted to hear your thoughts on our recent online performances and projects, and your reviews of our latest

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recording with Francesco Piemontesi and Andrew Manze.

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NEW RECORDING MOZART PIANO CONCERTOS NOS 19 & 27

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Fantastic recording! I had the pleasure of hearing them yesterday. Peerless orchestral playing matched by quite understated, sublime piano virtuosity. Bravo!

Lawrence Gill

EIF MY LIGHT SHINES ON Our favourite orchestra shines on!

Congratulations to all the musicians and staff who worked to make this performance so special.

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION PROJECT Brilliant collaboration between @CaithnessmusicC and @SCOmusic – an opportunity for musicians of all ages and abilities to work together from now right through to April on Mussorgsky’s amazing Pictures at an Exhibition. Get involved!

Scottish Schools Orchestra Trust @SScOTmusic

Martha Vail Beautiful, calming and energising at the same time as I do my exercises! Favourite composer and musicians, and lovely camera angles too, thank you everyone

Sheila Millar Thank you so much for this! Really lovely music making and lifted my day no end.

Richard

THROUGH THE EYES OF...

ANDRÉ CEBRIÁN Principal Flute You’ve performed with many wonderful

Concertos or even to approach a new

orchestras and ensembles. What makes

piece together. I’m looking forward to

performing with the SCO so special?

playing Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto

I’m in love with chamber music and

together with Maxim Emelyanychev and

orchestral in equal proportion and the

Stephanie Gonley in a few months.

SCO seems to me the perfect combination of both fields. Its members are not only

During lockdown we know you were in

experienced orchestral musicians, but

Spain for some time. How does it feel to

great chamber music players too. Its

be coming back to Edinburgh?

musicians’ versatility gives the orchestra

It was really frustrating when in March

endless possibilities of repertoire and style.

I got stuck in Spain with all my things packed and ready to start this new

It is a gift to be able to work alongside

adventure in Scotland with the SCO. I

colleagues who, after having played a

am very excited and looking forward to

Beethoven’s symphony over 25 times,

playing weekly with the SCO. I have the

still find the freshness and energy to

feeling that it will be a series of amazing

rediscover the piece once again. And of

concerts, since we performers as well as

course, this orchestra’s success wouldn’t

the audience are thirsty for music.

be possible without the entire team that works hard on a daily basis behind the

If you hadn’t become a musician, were

scenes and without the audience that

there other things you wanted to do?

inspires us in every concert to bring out the

What I love the most about my job as a

best of ourselves.

musician is the ability we have to sensitise society. The main difference between art

Our Players are often in the spotlight,

and entertainment is that, though they

featuring as soloists in our Season. If you

both give us nice times and allow us to

could perform any concerto, what would

disconnect for a while, art also makes us

it be?

think and reflect out of our comfort zone.

I’m really open to different styles of music.

I can hardly imagine a job with a greater

It would be a luxury to take advantage

power than this. However, I am also a

of the chamber music skills of the SCO

nature lover so I wouldn’t leave something

for a piece such as the Nielsen Concerto,

related to mountain sports, nature

or rediscover together one of Mozart’s

conservation or cooking out of the picture.

Now, more than ever, the SCO needs a little help from its friends.

Play your part in our future so that the next generation can benefit from inspiring musical experiences.

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