We were delighted to perform as part of The Honours of Scotland Concert at Balmoral Castle last week (28 August 2025), with our Patron, His Majesty King Charles III, and Queen Camilla in attendance.

Recorded in the majestic Ballroom of Balmoral Castle, you now have the chance to listen to the performance on Friday 5 September, 7pm on Classic FM.

Presented by broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh, the concert features music first heard at the Honours of Scotland National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication in July 2023.

This concert featured an ensemble of players from the SCO, with mezzo soprano Karen Cargill, Scottish-Egyptian duo The Ayoub Sisters and accordionist Ryan Corbett.

We were especially excited that the Scottish-themed programme featured SCO Associate Composer, Jay Capperauld's original piece, Schiehallion!, which was written for The Honours of Scotland Ensemble.

Alan Titchmarsh reflected on the significance of the evening for Classic FM:
“This concert is such a special evening, in one of Scotland’s most historic rooms, filled with music that speaks to the heart and soul of the nation. To hear such extraordinary talent gathered in Balmoral’s Ballroom in the Presence of The King and Queen was a privilege, and I’m delighted that Classic FM listeners across the UK will be able to share in it too.”

The full programme for The Honours of Scotland concert:

• Hamish MacCunn’s By the Burnside opens the evening with a romantic Highland vista.

• Jay Capperauld’s spirited Schiehallion! draws on lively traditional tunes.

• Karen Cargill, mezzo-soprano, delivers Hugh S. Roberton’s All in the April Evening, a serene choral gem.

• The Ayoub Sisters join the SCO to perform Melodies from Scotland, blending Pietro Urbani’s classical settings of Robert Burns with folk motifs.

• Ryan Corbett (accordion), Raemond Jappy (fiddle), and Robert Lovie (singer) capture the intimacy and vigour of Scottish folk through Loch Katrine’s Lady and a spirited fiddle set.

• Joanna Gill’s heartfelt Song of Thanksgiving offers a touching tribute to resilience.

• The concert culminates in Dougie MacLean’s beloved Caledonia, a nostalgic love song to Scotland, followed by Paul Mealor’s stirring The Call of Lochnagar, a piece commissioned for the Honours of Scotland Ceremony in 2023, uniting all the performers in a powerful finale.