As part of Beethoven's 250th Birthday celebrations we've asked Laura Comini (Second Violin), to share her thoughts on the musical icon.

There are pieces that every musician remembers as milestones in their personal musical journey. Beethoven 7th and 9th represent this for me. I still remember the first time I played Beethoven 7th as a teenager in Florence. It was June and we were preparing for a concert with the late Carlo Maria Giulini. I remember the first time we ran it through, and the warm summery light of that day. I remember the hopeful openness of the first movement and the excruciating beauty of the second. There is nothing quite as heartbreaking as falling in love with a piece of music when you are a teenager, when everything feels raw, black and white, life and death. I remember thinking that if I were to die in that very moment, I would still feel incredibly thankful for having had the gift to play this piece.

Fast forward to 2014, Usher Hall, SCO, SCO Chorus, Maestro Krivine and Beethoven 9th. It was my last project before the end of my trial with the SCO and I knew that the Orchestra was going to decide shortly after that whether to appoint me or not. The Chorus was singing their hearts out, I looked around at my colleagues and everybody was on fire. I remember thinking “we are going to blow the roof off the Usher Hall” and immediately after that “I will be so crushed if they don’t give me the job”.

Two weeks later I was appointed. It’s easy to see fate in hindsight but I still feel an incredible connection between these two pivotal moments in my life. And how amazing it is that we are playing Beethoven 9th again with Krivine this Season! I cannot wait! Put it in your diaries and come to our concerts! I promise you won’t regret it!