From the sublime to the sublime

Fresh from the recording studio in Glasgow, the SCO String tour of the Outer Hebrides is now well under way. Last night we performed in the Arts Centre (An Lanntair) in Stornoway to a packed concert hall. A very enthusiastic audience were so persistent in their demand for an encore that, despite the fact the orchestra had left the stage, instruments put away in the cases and a few people already in the dressing rooms about to change, we gave in and went back to play one more Handel Aria with soprano Julia Doyle.

In our quest to take live classical music to the furthest corners of Scotland, the SCO splits, once a year, into two groups - the strings and the winds - for two separate but simultaneous tours. Supported by the Highlands and Islands Council, we are able to perform in venues that are too small for the whole orchestra, and thus manage to reach communities which otherwise have little live classical music access. Within the last 3 years, the SCO has visited Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, as well as regular visits to the Highlands and other Islands. For obvious reasons, these tours always take place in the summer.

And, we have a very nice time doing it! In the mornings, before rehearsal, people are able to go hiking, swim in the sea, cycle, eat freshly caught fish, sleep in after drinking lots of local whisky the night before…and so on.

Pictures show a Benbecula beach, some people planning their walks around the island while on the Ferry, others having to work hard to prepare the rehearsal parts, our famous truck on the high seas, and an impromptu game of Boule while waiting for the ferry