St Andrews and Dundee Concert Season 2019/20

ST ANDREWS & DUNDEE CONCERT SEASON 2019/2020 SCO.ORG.UK

SEPTEMBER 2019 TO APRIL 2020 MOZART, HAYDN & NIELSEN — BOHEMIAN RHAPSODIES — SCO CHORUS CHRISTMAS CONCERT — NEW YEAR GALA CONCERT — ALTSTAEDT PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH CELLO CONCERTO — VOYAGE THROUGH AMERICA WITH PEKKA KUUSISTO

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BOOKING SECTION

SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay Patron 4

Donald MacDonald CBE Life President

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Colin Buchan Chairman

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Gavin Reid Chief Executive

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Maxim Emelyanychev Principal Conductor Emmanuel Krivine Principal Guest Conductor

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Joseph Swensen Conductor Emeritus Gregory Batsleer Chorus Director Anna Clyne Associate Composer — The SCO gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Scottish Government.

A WARM WELCOME

ST ANDREWS & DUNDEE CONCERT SEASON 2019/2020 A very warm welcome to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s 2019/20 Season! We are thrilled to bring you eight concerts across five different venues in St Andrews and Dundee, featuring musicians of the SCO and the fabulous SCO Chorus.

Church in St Andrews is the atmospheric setting for a feast of choral music from composers as diverse as Sweelinck, Bruckner and Master of the Queen’s Music Judith Weir, whilst in the New Year we travel to Dundee’s magnificent Caird Hall for an afternoon of fun, glamour and favourite Strauss waltzes!

We begin with two concerts in the much-loved Younger Hall. First, we welcome Swedish conductor Daniel Blendulf making his SCO debut and the astonishing British flautist Adam Walker to perform Nielsen’s Flute Concerto, framed by Mozart and Haydn symphonies. In October, our final concert in the Younger Hall before it closes for refurbishment sees SCO Conductor Emeritus Joseph Swensen makes a welcome return with a programme of glorious music from three of Czechoslovakia’s greatest musicians – Joseph Suk’s ravishing Serenade for Strings, Leoš Janáček’s arresting Fiddler’s Child featuring our Leader Stephanie Gonley and Antonin Dvořák’s uplifting Fifth Symphony.

We return to Holy Trinity Church for a pair of concerts led by two of the world’s most exciting and electrifying musicians. Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and violinist Pekka Kuusisto bring extraordinary energy and insight to their performances with the SCO. Their programmes include a remarkably eclectic mix of music from Beethoven and Schubert, to Stravinsky, Copland, Barber and two dynamic young American composers Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly.

The annual Christmas concerts by the SCO Chorus and the Orchestra’s Viennese New Year Gala performances have become essential parts of the festive season for many people. So, we are thrilled that this year, both will feature in our St Andrews and Dundee Season. Holy Trinity

The first of our lunchtime concerts, at the Byre Theatre, features SCO Violin Aisling O’Dea. In February, Principal Double Bass Nikita Naumov plays solos by Pēteris Vasks and JS Bach, and performs side by side with talented students from the University of St Andrews in the new Music Centre.

Please come and join us for all our concerts, which we proudly present in partnership with the University of St Andrews.

Gavin Reid Chief Executive Scottish Chamber Orchestra

BOOK TICKETS SCO.ORG.UK

A WARM WELCOME

ST ANDREWS & DUNDEE CONCERT SEASON 2019/2020 A very warm welcome to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s 2019/20 Season! We are thrilled to bring you eight concerts across five different venues in St Andrews and Dundee, featuring musicians of the SCO and the fabulous SCO Chorus.

Church in St Andrews is the atmospheric setting for a feast of choral music from composers as diverse as Sweelinck, Bruckner and Master of the Queen’s Music Judith Weir, whilst in the New Year we travel to Dundee’s magnificent Caird Hall for an afternoon of fun, glamour and favourite Strauss waltzes!

We begin with two concerts in the much-loved Younger Hall. First, we welcome Swedish conductor Daniel Blendulf making his SCO debut and the astonishing British flautist Adam Walker to perform Nielsen’s Flute Concerto, framed by Mozart and Haydn symphonies. In October, our final concert in the Younger Hall before it closes for refurbishment sees SCO Conductor Emeritus Joseph Swensen makes a welcome return with a programme of glorious music from three of Czechoslovakia’s greatest musicians – Joseph Suk’s ravishing Serenade for Strings, Leoš Janáček’s arresting Fiddler’s Child featuring our Leader Stephanie Gonley and Antonin Dvořák’s uplifting Fifth Symphony.

We return to Holy Trinity Church for a pair of concerts led by two of the world’s most exciting and electrifying musicians. Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and violinist Pekka Kuusisto bring extraordinary energy and insight to their performances with the SCO. Their programmes include a remarkably eclectic mix of music from Beethoven and Schubert, to Stravinsky, Copland, Barber and two dynamic young American composers Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly.

The annual Christmas concerts by the SCO Chorus and the Orchestra’s Viennese New Year Gala performances have become essential parts of the festive season for many people. So, we are thrilled that this year, both will feature in our St Andrews and Dundee Season. Holy Trinity

The first of our lunchtime concerts, at the Byre Theatre, features SCO Violin Aisling O’Dea. In February, Principal Double Bass Nikita Naumov plays solos by Pēteris Vasks and JS Bach, and performs side by side with talented students from the University of St Andrews in the new Music Centre.

Please come and join us for all our concerts, which we proudly present in partnership with the University of St Andrews.

Gavin Reid Chief Executive Scottish Chamber Orchestra

MOZART, HAYDN & NIELSEN CONDUCTED BY DANIEL BLENDULF PLAYED BY ADAM WALKER — Thursday 12 September 2019 Younger Hall – 7.30pm HAYDN Symphony No 44 in E minor ‘Trauer’ (22’) NIELSEN Flute Concerto (19’) DEAN Siduri Dances Scottish Premiere (12’) MOZART Symphony No 36 ‘Linz’, K425 (30’) — DANIEL BLENDULF – Conductor ADAM WALKER – Flute

Adam Walker

British flautist Adam Walker landed the plum job of Principal Flute with the London Symphony Orchestra aged only 21. He performs Nielsen’s witty and imaginative Flute Concerto, 15 years after demonstrating his astonishing virtuosity with this signature showpiece as a finalist in the 2004 BBC Young Musician.

ADAM WALKER IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF A NEW GENERATION OF WIND SOLOISTS, HAVING BEEN APPOINTED PRINCIPAL FLUTE OF THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN 2009 AT THE AGE OF ONLY 21.

Scandinavian conductor Daniel Blendulf directs stirring symphonies by “Father of the Symphony” Joseph Haydn and his admired friend Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a composer who Haydn described as “the greatest composer known to me by person and repute”.

DANIEL BLENDULF HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS ONE OF SCANDINAVIA’S MOST HIGHLY REGARDED YOUNG CONDUCTORS.

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Daniel Blendulf Daniel was a member of the renowned Swedish String Quartet Zkvartetten, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

Wednesday 30 October 2019 Younger Hall – 7.30pm — Kindly supported by Donald and Louise MacDonald

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODIES CONDUCTED BY JOSEPH SWENSEN THE DEEPLY LOVABLE FIFTH IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE FIRST WHOLLY PERSONAL MASTERWORK IN DVOŘÁK’S SYMPHONIC CANON AND MIRACULOUSLY DISTILS THE VERY ESSENCE OF HIS CZECH HOMELAND. Gramophone Magazine

SUK Serenade for Strings in E-Flat (30’) JANÁČEK The Fiddler’s Child (12’) DVOŘÁK Symphony No 5 (36’) — JOSEPH SWENSEN – Conductor STEPHANIE GONLEY – Violin

This evening of Bohemian music is full of variety.

The story goes that Dvořák criticised Suk for being too sombre, and encouraged him to lighten up – Suk responded by writing his Serenade and it became his most popular work.

In contrast, Janáček’s Fiddler’s Child is like a whole dramatic opera condensed into 12 minutes – a brooding, tragic ghost story told by violin and orchestra. Swensen closes the evening with Dvořák’s sunny symphony: tuneful, spirited, uplifting music.

— SCO PLATFORM: 6.45pm Performance by students from the University of St Andrews.

Stephanie Gonley SCO Leader 5

Wednesday 18 December 2019 Holy Trinity Church – 7.30pm

SCO CHORUS CHRISTMAS CONCERT

A ROSE IN WINTER THE SCO CHORUS BROUGHT A BRIGHT INTENSITY TO THIS SUPERB COLLECTION OF MUSICAL CHRISTMAS ICONS. Bachtrack

SALLY BEAMISH In the Stillness MARGARET RIZZA Mary Slept JUDITH WEIR Drop down ye heavens KERRY ANDREW Hevene Quene CECILIA MCDOWALL Ave Regina ANTON BRUCKNER Locus Iste; Ave Maria; Virga Jesse PRAETORIUS arr SANDSTRÖM Es ist ein Ros entsprungen — BEN PARRY – Conductor SCO Chorus

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Join the SCO Chorus for a festive and reflective mix of ancient and contemporary music, exploring symbolism associated with the Virgin Mother, Mary.

The programme includes Sally Beamish’s In the Stillness, which beautifully captures the hushed rapture of a small parish church in a snowbound landscape and Cecilia McDowell’s intimate Ave Regina. There’s also music by Sweelinck, Kenneth Leighton and Sir James MacMillan as well as traditional Christmas carols.

This year, we are delighted to bring this concert to St Andrews and also welcome back to former Chorus Director Ben Parry as Guest Director.

Be sure to book early!

NEW YEAR GALA CONCERT

ALTSTAEDT PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH

— Sunday 5 January 2020 Caird Hall, Dundee – 3pm

CONDUCTED AND PLAYED BY NICOLAS ALTSTAEDT

Programme to include:

— Proudly sponsored and match funded by

J STRAUSS II Overture, Die Fledermaus (9’) GRIEG Peer Gynt Suite No 1 (15’) NIELSEN Overture, Maskarade (5’) LUMBYE Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop (4’) Champagne Galop (3’) J STRAUSS II Roses from the South (7’) An der schönen, blauen Donau (9’) And songs by Lehár and Strauss — JOSEPH SWENSEN – Conductor HARRIET EYLEY – Soprano The Scottish Chamber Orchestra offers a festive and light-hearted Viennese New Year programme.

Conductor Joseph Swensen is much loved by the Orchestra and audiences alike, and gives this year’s programme a Scandinavian twist with a smorgasbord of delights, including galops by Hans Christian Lumbye, as well as classic New Year favourites from, of course, the Strauss family!

JUST HAD A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON AT THE NEW YEAR’S CONCERT. I THINK IT WILL BE MY NEW YEAR’S TRADITION FROM NOW ON! — Audience member

— Collection in aid of

— Wednesday 19 February 2020 Holy Trinity Church – 7.30pm BEETHOVEN Overture, Coriolan (8’) SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto No 1 (28’) SCHUBERT Symphony No 4 in C minor ‘Tragic’ (31’) — NICOLAS ALTSTAEDT – Conductor / Cello It is jaw-dropping to watch the skill and physicality of Nicolas Altstaedt switching between playing the toughest solo cello parts and directing the orchestra, then turning back to his cello, and doing it all so superbly.

Shostakovich’s spiky, brilliant concerto is a powerhouse work that makes the most of his dramatic side. It sounds spectacular but troubled, perhaps because beneath those notes lies a web of secret codes and references to Shostakovich’s merciless oppressor, Joseph Stalin. There is a heroism to it which finds echoes in Beethoven’s theatrical Overture and Schubert’s ‘Tragic’ Symphony. That title was well chosen… for the first 2 minutes at least: then it all gets considerably jollier!

THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN ALTSTAEDT AND THE SCO GELLED AS THEY PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS IN A CRACKING PERFORMANCE. THE RUMBLE OF TIMPANI, ELEGANT BASSOON LINES AND THE BASSES DRIVING THE BEAT WERE SUPERB. — The Scotsman

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VOYAGE THROUGH AMERICA

Pekka Kuusisto

WITH PEKKA KUUSISTO — Kindly supported by

SCO AMERICA — Wednesday 22 April 2020 Holy Trinity Church – 7.30pm STRAVINSKY Concerto in E-flat ‘Dumbarton Oaks’ (15’) MUHLY Violin Concerto, UK Premiere (20’) (Co-commissioned by SCO, ACO Collective, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and St Paul Chamber Orchestra) DESSNER Ornament and Crime (15’) BARBER Adagio for Strings (09’) COPLAND Appalachian Spring: Suite (23’) — PEKKA KUUSISTO – Director / Violin If a concert could be like a great American road trip, this would be it. You get to take in iconic American classics like Barber’s Adagio, as well as discovering exciting voices of the latest generation. Pekka Kuusisto brings fruits of his close musical relationships with two of the hippest, hottest and most widely admired of younger American composers. Bryce Dessner (from American indie rock band The National) and Nico Muhly are the heirs-apparent to the likes of Philip Glass and Steve Reich, writing music that is as engaging and accessible as it is stimulating and intriguing. Pekka Kuusisto is their perfect interpreter.

UNDER 18s FREE

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It seems to me that Pekka Kuusisto has a way of opening musical doors that are often not so immediately visible to others. What he can produce, in terms of tonal range, atmosphere, gesture, a sense of theatre, is so out of the ordinary for many, that people are compelled to listen in a new way.

— Philip Higham SCO Principal Cello

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED AND THROW AWAY YOUR INHIBITIONS: THIS ADVENTUROUS CONCERT HAS ‘MEMORABLE’ WRITTEN ALL OVER IT, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR MUSICAL TASTES!

Nikita Naumov SCO Principal Double Bass

StAFCO The St Andrews and Fife Community Orchestra (StAFCO) is conducted by Gillian Craig and meets weekly from September to April. StAFCO is unauditioned and open to all students and members of the local community who play an orchestral instrument at any level. The 70+ strong orchestra performs twice annually, in collaboration with the Children’s Orchestras and Choirs, attracting audiences of all ages from across Fife.

ORCHESTRA IN RESIDENCE PROGRAMME

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS SCO MUSICIANS IN RECITAL AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY MUSIC CENTRE’S CONCERT PROGRAMME. — Wednesday 16 October 2019 Byre Theatre – 1.10pm

STRUNG OUT Aisling O’Dea (SCO Violin) and Freya Jeffs (dancer) showcase contemporary works by Philip Glass and Jeremy Thurlow, illuminated by digital imagery.

The SCO’s Orchestra in Residence programme, unique in Scotland, is delivered in partnership with the University of St Andrews. The residency enables people of all ages across the local community to connect with our musicians through Big Ears, Little Ears concerts for babies, toddlers and their adults, SCO masterclasses for music students, and creative music projects in schools. The SCO is also proud to support the non-auditioned Children’s Orchestra and the St Andrews & Fife Community Orchestra (StAFCO), with coaching and an annual concerto performance by an SCO soloist.

Orchestra in Residence activity is supported by a graduate traineeship, a paid position which enables a graduate from the University of St Andrews to work across both organisations, assisting project delivery and developing skills in arts management.

— For details about the Orchestra in Residence programme, please visit www.sco.org.uk, st-andrews.ac.uk/music, phone 01334 462226, contact graduate.trainee@sco.org.uk or call in to the University’s Music Centre.

— Wednesday 12 February 2020 Byre Theatre – 1.10pm

ALL ABOUT THE BASS Nikita Naumov (SCO Principal Double Bass) plays music by Pēteris Vasks and JS Bach on instruments of various sizes, and performs side by side with talented string students from the University of St Andrews Music Centre.

— Ticket prices – £3 (Available on the door) / free for members of the University of St Andrews Music Centre.

— Creative Learning Partner

— Kindly supported by Kinburn (St Andrews) Charitable Trust, New Park Educational Trust, Mrs M A Lascelles Charitable Trust and DC Thomson Charitable Trust.

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19-26/Student

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3. Do you have a preference on seating area?

Balcony (Bands I & II only)

Stalls (Bands III & IV only) 4. Additional Concerts Holy Trinity:

Caird Hall: 5 January 2020

18 December 2019 19 February 2020 22 April 2020

5. 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+)

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Please return this form to: SCO Subscriptions, 4 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB Please note: postal transaction fee subject to change if postage costs rise.

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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HOW TO BOOK

SUBSCRIPTION BOOKING FORM – OR BOOK ONLINE Title:

Forename:

YOUNGER HALL SUBSCRIPTION

Surname:

Address:

Telephone:

Postcode:

Mobile:

Email:

TWO CONCERTS

I

II

III

IV

STANDARD – 15% DISCOUNT

£41.66

£37.40

£29.56

£26.08

SENIOR – 20% DISCOUNT

£39.20

£34.40

£27.20

£24.00

SINGLE TICKETS

£24.50

£21.50

£17

£15

HOLY TRINITY AND CAIRD HALL 1. No of subscriptions by discount type (please write in the box the number of subscriptions for each category) Standard

Senior

Disabled

2. Please choose your price band (tick one box)

19-26/Student

I

II

Under 18

III

IV

PER CONCERT STANDARD

£16

SENIOR

£14

3. Do you have a preference on seating area?

Balcony (Bands I & II only)

Stalls (Bands III & IV only)

TICKET DISCOUNTS

4. Additional Concerts Holy Trinity:

SENIOR CITIZENS Caird Hall:

£2 off standard prices.

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5 January 2020

18 December 2019

UNDER 26s, STUDENTS AND UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE

19 February 2020 22 April 2020 5. 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+)

£

£

Additional

+ concerts

+ Donation £

£

Box office

+ booking fee

£1.00

= £

7. How do you wish to pay?

I enclose a cheque payable to ‘Scottish Chamber Orchestra’

Please debit my Mastercard/Visa/debit card (delete as appropriate).

Card Number: Expiry Date:

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.

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Byre Theatre Box Office Abbey Street, St Andrews KY16 9LA 01334 475 000 byretheatre.com 10am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday.

All major credit cards, except American Express, are accepted. Postage charge of £1 where applicable.

The Byre Theatre Box Office sells tickets for all SCO concerts in St Andrews. Subscriptions can be bought directly from the SCO.

–––– SEATING PLAN Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews KY16 9AJ

GROUP DISCOUNTS Groups of 6 or more save 20% off full price tickets.

STALLS

–––– /

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.

Please return this form to: SCO Subscriptions, 4 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB Please note: postal transaction fee subject to change if postage costs rise.

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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18 OR UNDER Free. (Please note under 16s must be accompanied by a paying adult.)

—

6. Your payment calculation – reference subscription prices opposite Total cost of subscription

£6 for any ticket (stalls only).

—

Tickets for individual concerts are available from the Byre Theatre.

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Tickets: £3 / Free for members of the University of St Andrews Music Centre (available on the door).

All tickets can be booked online at www.sco.org.uk when a subscription is purchased.

BALCONY

STAGE

STAGE

Full access to stalls for wheelchair users.

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 time of going to press. The SCO does, however, reserve the right to change dates, artists or programmes if necessary.

Guide dogs are welcome.

An induction loop is fitted for people with hearing difficulties.

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Thursday 12 September Younger Hall

Wednesday 30 October Younger Hall

MOZART, HAYDN & NIELSEN with Daniel Blendulf

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODIES with Joseph Swensen

Wednesday 18 December Holy Trinity Church

Sunday 5 January 3pm Caird Hall

SCO CHORUS Christmas Concert

NEW YEAR GALA CONCERT with Joseph Swensen

Wednesday 19 February Holy Trinity Church

Wednesday 22 April Holy Trinity Church

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SHOSTAKOVICH & SCHUBERT with Nicolas Altstaedt

VOYAGE THROUGH AMERICA with Pekka Kuusisto

Donate to the SCO and get to know us better.

#mySCO @SCOmusic Facebook: @scottishchamberorchestra —

KEEP IN TOUCH

sco.org.uk/keep-me-informed telephone: 0131 557 6800 email: info@sco.org.uk

BECOME A PATRON

telephone: 0131 478 8344 sco.org.uk/support-us/patrons —

Programmes, artists, dates, times, prices and availability subject to change.

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.

Cover photo: Philip Higham SCO Principal Cello

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.