(Preview) Scottish Chamber Orchestra: 2022-23
There’s much to celebrate in the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s programme for the 2022-2023 Season announced this week. It’s a full return to business as usual with 23 concerts in Edinburgh, 13 in the Queen’s Hall and 10 in the Usher Hall. You can find details of the season here.
Here are four reasons to be cheerful! Firstly Maxim Emelyanychev returns for another season as SCO conductor to conduct seven concerts, starting with a world premiere of James Macmillan’s Violin Concerto No 2 with Nicola Benedetti on 23rd September. Maxim is in increasing demand for his inspiring and energetic conducting – if you need a reminder, watch his and the orchestra’s Proms 2021 appearance in Mozart’s last three Symphonies on BBC iPlayer. So we should applaud his continued commitment to a range of music in Scotland from Vivaldi to Brahms, including three choral works – and another Macmillan premiere, the football-inspired Eleven!
Secondly, the SCO Chorus under their director Gregory Batsleer make five appearances with the orchestra, all in the Usher Hall, and sing a Christmas concert in Greyfriars Kirk. Haydn’s ‘Creation’ is in October, followed by ‘Israel in Egypt’, the incidental music for a ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Handel Anthems, with the Brahms ‘Requiem’ providing the series finale. They are one of the top amateur choirs in Europe, and it was wonderful to see them again in top form in the spring.
Thirdly a number of popular guest artists return. Conductor Emeritus, Joseph Swenson conducts the New Year’s Day concert, with a jazz inspired concert the following week. Richard Egarr, former Associate Artist, directs the chorus and orchestra from the harpsicord in Handel. Portuguese conductor, Joana Carniero is back with Mozart and Stravinsky, and French oboist and conductor Francois Leleux presents Mendelssohn and Schubert works. Violist Lawrence Power makes a welcome return, as do singers Iestyn Davies and Karen Cargill.
Fourthly, there are new artists, new works and new styles of concert. Violinist Colin Scobie of the Maxwell Quartet (see them in their third year as artists in residence at the Paxton Festival in July) is a soloist in an intriguing programme of Scottish/Lithuanian baroque music. Canadian conductor, Bernard Lapardie is the distinguished guest conductor in the all-Handel programme in March, and up and coming violinist, Aylen Pritchen, and pianist, Yeol Eum Son, also make their SCO debuts. There are premieres from US composer Nico Muhly and Canadian Cassandra Miller. Extraordinary Finnish violinist, Pekka Kuusisto, a popular guest artist, has invited “neo-folk singer/banjoist/guitarist” Sam Amidon to collaborate in a concert, while SCO cellist Su-a Lee and percussionist Louise Goodwin collaborate with Radio 1 presenter, Gemma Cairney, in ‘Un-Titled’, “an informal inspiring mix of music that defies conventional boundaries” at Summerhall. I’ve quoted faithfully but couldn’t possibly comment!
One omission will be noticed by Edinburgh audiences – there are no Sunday afternoon concerts in the Queen’s Hall. These intimate concerts were popular because of the quality of the small-scale works played by the SCO’s own players, often in association with a guest artist. It was also good in winter to have easy access to day-time concerts. Something to consider for next year perhaps.
It’s worth exploring the beautifully produced printed programme and the online video. Booking is already open for subscribers, and subscription packages offer very good value. Don’t delay!
