Orchestra in Residence at the University of St Andrews

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is Orchestra in Residence at the University of St Andrews. The two organisations have enjoyed a close relationship over many years with the SCO presenting an annual five-concert season at the University's Younger Hall, and this new designation is the first professional orchestra residency at a Scottish University.

2011/12

As well as continuing the five-concert series at the Younger Hall, the Orchestra and University has been working together in the 2010/11 season to:

• Provide an early evening concert series featuring chamber music performed by SCO musicians. This launched in October with a violin recital performed by David Chadwick and Laura Baxter.

• Continue with the second year of the St Andrews and Fife Community Orchestra (StAFCO)

• Provide a series of pre-concert talks: in the current season these include an interview with the Orchestra's Principal Conductor, Robin Ticciati, and composer Haflidi Hallgrímsson talks about his new violin concerto. 

• develop the Applaud scheme, giving University students practical experience of arts marketing and orchestra and event management

• Instrumental teaching for students by SCO players

The Residency began in 2009/10...

On 7 October 2009 the Orchestra's new Principal Horn, Alec Frank-Gemmill, opened the University's lunchtime concert series with a recital of music by Saint-Saëns, Richard Strauss and Françaix. Following the recital, Alec gave a masterclass for St Andrews' students. Working with Alec and pianist, Scott Mitchell, the players were all put through their paces perfecting their pieces.

To finish off the day, Alec worked with a quartet of young horn players from the University Music Centre's Children's French Horn Ensemble. Under the tuition of Margaret Douglass, the enthusiastic primary-school aged French horn players have been playing for just a year.

They showed off their fantastic skills of composition, improvisation and performance to Alec, who was extremely impressed. They finished off the afternoon having a jam together, accompanied by Scott Mitchell on the piano.

Young musicians workshop
On 2nd December 2009 music animateur, Louise Martin, led a young musicians workshop in the Younger Hall. Over 40 young musicians brought their instruments, played musical games and created a brand new piece of music.

Teacher Reception
On 11 Feb 2010 local teachers gathered at the Younger Hall for a reception before the SCO concert Leschenko plays Chopin

Berlioz Bus
In February 2010 the SCO and the University of St Andrews recently teamed up to offer St Andrews concert-goers the chance to pick up a bus from the Younger Hall to attend the Orchestra's Edinburgh performance of Berlioz's L'Enfance du Christ, conducted by Robin Ticciati with soloists Karen Cargill, Yann Beuron, Ronan Collett and Matthew Rose and the SCO Chorus prepared by its new Chorusmaster Gregory Batsleer. The initiative was warmly welcomed by regular members of SCO's St Andrews audience.

Dr Michael Downes, Director of Music at the University of St Andrews wrote a blog post about the trip which you can read by clicking here

...and continued in 2010/11

StAnza: Scotland's International Poetry Festival, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the University of St Andrews ran a composition competition in 2010/11, held to celebrate the work of acclaimed Scottish Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean (1911 - 1996)

The competition was open to all composers under the age of 30 and resident in the UK. Entrants were required to set to music (in English translation) one of three selected poems by Sorley MacLean: An Autumn Day, Dogs and Wolves, and Under Sail for the University of St Andrews Chamber Orchestra, three SCO soloists (Alison Mitchell, Jane Atkins, Sharron Griffiths) and Soprano Lesley-Jane Rogers.

Read more here

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Dr Louise Richardson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews:

"This is an enormously exciting development for music in St Andrews, which will not only allow us to build on our existing strengths, but further enhance our long-standing relationship with one of the country's finest orchestras. I am delighted that St Andrews will be the first university in Scotland and among the first in the UK to be able to boast an Orchestra in Residence."

Roy McEwan, Managing Director of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra:

"Through its successful annual concert season at the Younger Hall, the SCO has enjoyed a strong relationship with the town and people of St Andrews and with its University for many years. We are delighted to take this to a new level through this residency, with a view to extending our relationship through collaboration. This development further extends the SCO's good relations with the Kingdom of Fife - as well as its activities in St Andrews, the Orchestra works closely with AttFife and has been the major performing contributor to the East Neuk Festival since its inception."

Dr Michael Downes, Director of Music at the University of St Andrews:

"Concert-goers in St Andrews are already enormously privileged to have one of the UK's best orchestras visiting on such a regular basis, but this residency will bring many new opportunities both to those who attend concerts in the Younger Hall and to those who make music in the Music Centre. We intend that the relationship will flourish in new ways as music-making in the University itself expands and develops. I look forward to many of our best performers benefiting from the guidance of SCO players in the coming years, and to hearing music by our composers realised by groups from within the Orchestra. These will be potentially life-changing experiences for our students."