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Open Rehearsals

Open rehearsals are an opportunity for secondary, further and higher education music students to discover how great music comes together and experience the Orchestra’s rehearsal process. This is a rare opportunity for students to watch a professional orchestra at work, see a performance take shape and observe how the Orchestra prepares for a public performance. We have chosen programmes with a variety of repertoire to broaden students’ musical knowledge and horizons, as well as a variety of world-class soloists.

These rehearsals will take place at Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh, and the school can bring a maximum of 30 students to the rehearsal. The rehearsal normally focuses on two pieces from the concert programme.

See below to see which concerts we are inviting students to open rehearsals. If you are interested in bringing a group to an open rehearsal, please email connect@sco.org.uk highlighting: the number of students, the number of teachers/guardians, any accessibility requirements and which open rehearsal you wish to attend.

Yeol Eum Son plays Mozart
Wednesday 29 October 2025
2.30pm - 4.30pm

New Dimensions: Steve Reich+ (FULLY CLAIMED)
Wednesday 03 November 2025
2.30pm – 4.30pm

Benedetti plays Mendelssohn (FULLY CLAIMED)
Wednesday 25 February 2026
2.30pm – 4.30pm

New Dimensions: Jess Gillam
Tuesday 10 March 2026
2.30pm – 4.30pm

The Language of Eden
Tuesday 24 March 2026
2.30pm - 4.30pm

Open Rehearsals Concerts

  1. Yeol Eum Son stands in front of a piano with her arms crossed

    Yeol Eum Son plays Mozart

    –

    Edinburgh
    Glasgow
    Aberdeen
    Yeol Eum Son returns with two of the great composer’s most compelling concertos.
  2. Colin Currie smiles as he conducts

    Steve Reich+

    –

    New Dimensions

    Edinburgh
    Glasgow
    Minimalist masterpieces from maverick composer Steve Reich directed by his close friend and collaborator, Edinburgh-born Colin Currie.
  3. Nicola Benedetti plays the violin.

    Benedetti plays Mendelssohn

    –

    Edinburgh
    Glasgow
    Mendelssohn’s exhilarating Violin Concerto is the ideal showcase for the world-renowned Scottish violin virtuoso’s consummate talents.
  4. Jess Gillam smiles up holding her saxophone.

    Saxophone Dreams with Jess Gillam

    –

    New Dimensions

    Edinburgh
    Glasgow
    St Andrews
    Jess Gillam brings her invigorating musical personality to a colourful and adventurous concert.
  5. Roderick Williams sings at the Proms with the Orchestra playing behind.

    The Language of Eden

    –

    Choral

    Edinburgh
    Glasgow
    Andrew Manze conducts an evening of rapturous English music and striking new sounds, with Roderick Williams and the SCO Chorus.