New website with integrated blog

The SCO blog is now integrated within the Orchestra's new website at www.sco.org.uk. The dynamic design and layout of the new site makes it much easier to navigate, so you can quickly find out what concerts and events are coming up, or catch up on all the latest news in the blog. Many concert listings now have related audio clips, where SCO recordings exist, letting you hear a snippet of a piece before you buy tickets or attend the concert. In the 'Experience the SCO' section you will also find video clips and interviews, as well as photos and biographies for all the Orchestra members, guest artists and conductors.

This blog site will remain live for now so you can look back at old posts - we recommend you read all the posts from the Orchestra's amazing tour of India. Click on posts from February and March 2009.

The ultimate fireworks music

Handel would have been proud on Sunday; the SCO brought the Edinburgh International Festival to a close with a fabulously zingy performance of Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, Zadok the Priest, the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and the Hallelujah Chorus.

The SCO Chorus were mick-ed up like pop stars although I'm sure proper pop stars don't normally wear as many layers of clothing, even for outdoor gigs! The Orchestra had their clothes pegs to hold their sheet music in place, in case the wind whisked it all away!

What a great night. Here's to the Edinburgh International Festival 2009 and long live the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert!







-- Lauren, SCO Marketing

Backstage at the Proms

Have you ever wondered, as you sit out in the audience waiting for the performers to appear, what they are doing and how they are feeling? While you sit in your box, mentally preparing for the coming artistic and emotional experience, swilling down that last drop of champagne as you consider the programme notes, you imagine the musicians warming up - a few scales perhaps - just finishing their pre-performance meditation to calm the nerves, in time for that last-minute pep talk from the conductor. Perhaps even a group hug - who knows?
Not a chance that we are, at the 11th hour, still in the bar eating and drinking, photocopying page turns, frantically fixing a buzz that the instrument has developed at the very last minute, on the phone to the babysitter describing where the Mains is, and laddering one's only pair of tights at the same time. Don't be ridiculous. How would we be able to play so wonderfully if that were the case?

As we come down what is charmingly known, at the Albert Hall, as the Bull Run (by which they mean the corridors onto the stage, in front of the Arena), we are ready, not a hair out of place, to give our all to the live performance.

Biscuits and Orange backstage for interval energy boosts.

Read our reviews today online.

And a nice cup of tea for the violas.

Cadogan Hall

The orchestra rehearsed yesterday in London's Cadogan Hall. You know you've made it to chelsea when the emergency signs read like this.


We were joined by our soloists for the rehearsal - Karen and Andy pictured below - Andy taking time out from his current role as Director of the Marriage of Figaro at Wilton's Music Hall to come along and do a turn in our Stravinsky.


Tonight, the Prom! Join us live on Radio 3 or BBC4 at 7.30pm, or of course, in the Albert Hall itself.

To London

Just to prove how flexible a bunch we are, we've left behind the beaches of the Hebrides and the hills of the Highlands, and are on our way to London to play at the Proms. And, we are not only reunited with each other after our wind/strings schism of last week, we are augmented. We have for this concert 4 extra violins, 2 extra violas, cellos and basses, plus 3 trombones and a tuba. In case you're wondering, it's not organised this way on the off chance we suffer some losses at Terminal 5. It's the repertoire and the venue - the Albert Hall being a sizable place.

As you will see from the photo above, we are playing Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony. (Why didn't we do that in the Hebrides David?) Also Schumann's Piano Concerto (Nicholas Angelich on the piano) and the complete version of Stravinsky's Pulcinella (with Karen Cargill mezzo soprano, Andrew Staples tenor and Brindley Sherratt bass). You may also notice that the photo features the resting baton of conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, who, presumably through his energy and brilliance, has bent it. (Images of Harry Potter now coming to mind.)

Photos - the Cellos; Su-a, Eric and Donnie stretch their legs, while the basses have a lie down.