The Chorus

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus has built a reputation as one of Scotland’s finest and most versatile choirs. As the SCO’s resident chorus, it works regularly with leading conductors including Sir Charles Mackerras, Olari Elts, Joseph Swensen, Yannick Nézet-Seguin, Richard Egarr, Nicholas McGegan and Emmanuelle Haim.

Recent highlights have included repertoire as diverse as Haydn’s The Seasons, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, premieres of Karin Rehnqvist’s Requiem aeternam and Edward Harper’s Symphony No 2 [both SCO commissions], and a capella programmes of Bach and Pärt. The Chorus appears regularly in Scotland’s major cities and has toured to London (Beethoven's Fidelio) and Barcelona (Handel's Messiah); in 2006 it gave an acclaimed performance of Rachmaninov's Vespers on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Recordings include Mozart's Requiem (SCO/Linn), Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Telarc), and La Clemenza di Tito (Deutsche Grammophon), all with Sir Charles Mackerras; Bellini's I Capuleti ed i Montecchi with Donald Runnicles (Teldec) and Rossini's Zelmira with Maurizio Benini (Opera Rara) and the premiere recording of Edward Harper’s Symphony No 2 with Garry Walker (Delphian, 2007).

A regular visitor to the Edinburgh International Festival, the Chorus has performed in a wide variety of events including a ballet production of Mendelsson's A Midsummer Night’s Dream and concert performances of operas by Mozart, Rossini and Vivaldi, winning one of The Herald’s coveted Angel awards in 2001 for Handel's Messiah with Sir Charles Mackerras.

In 2005, the Chorus took part in two outstanding opera performances: Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito with Sir Charles Mackerras and Rossini's Adelaide de Bourgogne with Guiliano Carella, which was recorded live for Opera Rara. 2007 saw acclaimed performances of Purcell's Dido & Aeneas and the seldom-heard Vivaldi opera Orlando furioso. In 2009, the Chorus performed Haydn's Die Sieben letzten Worte under Garry Walker and, with Festspiele Orchester Göttingen, Mendelssohn’s arrangement of Handel’s Acis and Galatea conducted by Nicholas McGegan.

Click here for further information on the SCO Chorus, including details on how to join.

Chorusmaster - Gregory Batsleer